His campaign says Sullivan changed his mind after he read the measure
Before the election primary, in which he faced Tea Party candidate Joe Miller, U.S. Sen. candidate Dan Sullivan opposed Ballot Measure Three, which would increases the state's minimum wage by $2 to $9.75 per hour in two years. His campaign says Sullivan changed his mind after he read the initiative. Sullivan says he still opposes a federal minimum wage increase. His opponent, Sen. Mark Begich, supports a bill in Congress to increase the federal minimum wage to just over $10 an hour.
Alaska AFL CIO president Vince Beltami accuses Sullivan of flip-flopping in response to polls. He says Sullivan tacked right to appeal to conservatives in the Primary, and has changed positions to pick up more votes in the General Election on Nov. 4.
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Alaska Sen. Bill Wielechowski, an Anchorage Democrat and advocate of an oil tax referendum that failed last month is criticizing BP's decision Monday to lay off 275 workers after selling the Endicott and Northstar fields to Hillcorp, saying the timing raises questions. BP contributed $4 million dollars to fight the ballot referendum. But Senate Majority leader John Coghill says the April sale would result in some restructuring of BP's assets. And, he says, the sale was made before the two companies knew what tax regime would be in place after the sale.
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The Alaska Native for-profit corporation for Southeast Alaska has endorsed the Bill Walker-Byron Mallott ticket for Governor and Lt. Governor. Sealaska's election committee chair Rosita Worl said a Walker-Mallot administration will have a significant impact on issues such as Native policy, education, fiscal policy and more. Sealaska board chair Joe Nelson said the two candidates are aligned with Sealaska's values and on issues important to Alaska Natives, citing cooperative management opportunities with tribes, and cooperative agreements with Native institutions.