State decides to throw fuel vouchers at the crisis in Emmonak.

A state director reviewing reports of high fuel costs and food shortages in lower Yukon River villages said she'd support free fuel vouchers as a way to bring immediate relief to villagers.

But only under the right conditions.


"That would be something I would advocate for if it's legally possible and there's money for it, because it would be quick," said Community and Regional Affairs Director Tara Jollie, who toured Western Alaska last week.

This fuel voucher idea represent the bare minimum that the state's response to this crisis should be. I talked to Dennis a little last night and brought this article up to him, and he agreed that the state was simply applying a band-aid to the problem. And though he was gratified that at least SOMETHING was being done, he was very worried that this would be the extent of the state's response to this matter.

It does seem to me that the state is trying very hard to keep commitments of help to this community as minimal as possible.

Along with fuel vouchers, Jollie said she heard suggestions to create a longer-term subsidy to help people pay their fuel bills. That idea would be similar to a power-cost-equalization program the state uses to subsidize rural electricity bills.

Jollie said she wouldn't personally support doing the same thing for heating fuel costs because it would permanently balloon the state budget. "That goes on the book forever," she said.
The division director, who described both proposals as "brainstorming ideas," reports to the commerce commissioner and, ultimately, the governor.

If Palin doesn't favor the fuel-voucher idea, state Sen. Donny Olson, D-Nome, says he might propose something similar in the Legislature.

"If we're going to do something, we need to do something fairly quickly," said Olson, who represents the region.

I understand the desire of the government to not promise more then they can deliver. Or to start a precedent of sending hundreds of thousands of dollars of relief to this region every year. I get that.

But there are some very good ideas for long term solutions that will provide the kind of infrastructure to this community that will keep this disaster from becoming a yearly event.

But I must say the hesitancy expressed by our government to help these proud people leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. And I cannot help but believe that if this had happened in Wasilla, Alaska that the Governor would not have been there, with the sleeves on her Nordstroms jacket rolled up, handing out food to the people without having to think twice about it.

Dontcha think?