THE CONFUSING 6

THE SIX measures on tomorrow's ballot may well be confusing to any number
of voters, who may be wondering just what to do about them when they step
up to the polls.

Let's try to help make things clear, restating the issues -- and, in the
process, providing a recommendation on whether to vote "yes" or "no."

Ballot Measure 1 -- This is one of the biggies. If passed, it would amend
the Alaska Constitution to put fish and game management completely in the
hands of the professional biologists and the boards of Fish and Game. It
would bar the initiative process from being used to enact fish and game
management laws. We'll be voting "yes" on this one.

Ballot Measure 2 -- The big point here is that, if passed, judges would be
barred from rewriting the language of a proposed constitutional amendment
before it is placed on the ballot for voter action. This is another easy "yes."

Ballot Measure 3 -- This one would require the Legislature to confirm or
reject gubernatorial appointees to "boards of public corporations that
manage significant state assets," with the exception of the Alaska
Permanent Fund Board. Clearly, another "yes" vote is appropriate.

Ballot Measure 4 -- This may be the largest item of them all. It's the one
that, if approved, would put a 10-mill limit statewide on local property
tax assessments. The object is to control the growing cost of government.
Almost everybody agrees that's a good idea. But the concern is that this
proposal is too much, too soon -- imposing the cut immediately, without a
phase-in period. For that reason, we're voting "no."

Ballot Measure 5 -- This proposal is simply insidious, proposing to
legalize marijuana in Alaska. If approved, it would turn Alaska into the
dope capital of the U.S. Huge amounts of Outside money have been pumped
into the campaign to approve "hemp," and local dope-smokers have been
touting this as a measure to save trees, keep children out of jail, and
other nonsense. They smoke too much. All Alaskans who care about their
state and its future will vote "no."

Ballot Measure 6 -- This concerns land-and-shoot practices as a management
tool to control wolves. Those opposed to such a policy would have voters
believe that it would open to all hunters everywhere the right to fly in,
spot a wolf, land, shoot it, and fly out on the same day. Instead, the
measure would strictly control this practice. It provides that the Board of
Game could allow same-day hunting only in those areas where an
over-population of wolves poses a serious threat. But the measure is worded
in a tricky fashion. If you oppose this measure, you must vote "yes." If
you favor giving the Board of Game the authority to use this management
tool, you'll vote "no." We're voting "no."