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Tangeman resigning as Revenue commissioner
In commentary discusses budget, tax issues, bright future for state; says governor deserves someone ‘100% aligned with his vision’ Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
Alaska Gov. Michael J. Dunleavy said Nov. 16 that he received a letter of resignation from Department of Revenue Commissioner Bruce Tangeman. Dunleavy said Tangeman would oversee rollout of the fall revenue forecast and the fiscal year 2021 budget and would continue in his role until a replacement is found.
“Bruce has dedicated a significant portion of his life to public service and I thank him for the outstanding work he has done within my administration,” the governor said. “His leadership and oversight of the Department of Revenue enabled many lasting changes and efficiencies. His character and strong work ethic have been a valuable asset to our team. I wish him all the best for his future endeavors.”
Tangeman was named Revenue commissioner Nov. 29, 2018. He formerly served as policy director for the Alaska Senate majority, vice president and chief financial officer of the Alaska Gasline Development Corp. and deputy commissioner of Revenue (in the Parnell administration).
Bright future In a commentary published Nov. 17 in the Anchorage Daily News Tangeman said the state “is blessed with amazing resources and a healthy balance sheet.” Dunleavy “did exactly what he campaigned on: reduce the massive size of government, fight for a full Permanent Fund dividend and not take hard-earned cash from your pocket through new tax schemes,” Tangeman said. “The governor still believes in these principles.”
He said he “will remain optimistic about Alaska’s future” but believes Alaskans must “agree to start walking down this path together - not for our own perceived immediate needs, but for the tremendous future that I believe Alaska will continue to have.”
“When I accepted the job of Revenue Commissioner I did so based on a path forward in which the math equation allowed for the available revenues to be split between a healthy but reduced government and provide net-positive revenue to Alaskans through the PFD. It is apparent that many have not accepted the realization that our three decades of spending patterns cannot continue,” he said.
Tangeman said he has “loved serving the state of Alaska and Gov. Dunleavy as Commissioner of Revenue.”
He talked about the prospect of a new tax and said that would mean the Department of Revenue “will have to stand up a bureaucracy in order to extract revenue from the private sector. Or, in the case of an oil tax change, it will take more money from the companies that are willing to invest the billions we as a state do not have, yet is required to monetize our resources.”
As for the purpose of a new tax, Tangeman said it would “be used to sustain this unsustainable budget” as well as to distribute Permanent Fund Dividend checks.
He said when he accepted the commissioner’s job, he “did so based on a path forward in which the math equation allowed for the available revenues to be split between a healthy but reduced government and provide net-positive revenue to Alaskans through the PFD.”
The Department of Revenue will be at the “heart of all discussions this session as it usually is,” Tangeman said, “and I want the governor to have someone who is 100% aligned with his vision.”
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