Short Takes| A conversation with Glen Biegel

I was on the Glen Biegel Show Monday to discuss a variety of issues, including oil and budget policy, Norway ... and Margaret Thatcher.   The podcast of the complete discussion (23 min.) is here.  Among other thoughts ...

On SB21 (oil tax reform): "This isn't going to be the big bang.  This bill isn't going to pass and all of the sudden everything is going to be right with the world and we never have to worry about [oil tax issues] again.  What we are going to have here is a little bang, or a little few bangs.  We're going to increase investment in the state, but we are still going to need to worry about oil policy going forward.  ... We are going to need to worry about, as they have done in the UK, how we identify tax rates that go after other opportunities."

On fiscal issues.  "We have slowed the boat down. ... The test is going to come in turning that boat around and starting it back in the other direction.  And this Legislature is not going to accomplish that.  ... Glen:  Does [that] require the Governor to be brave, to have courage?  Brad:  Absolutely, [but so far] the Governor has come out with a 5-year fiscal plan that I think is just kicking the can down the road in ways that are very bad for the state."