To the editor: There are many reasons to vote yes on 1. One of the most compelling is that the Fair Share Act allows Alaskans to know if we are getting fair value for our oil. This transparency is essential for Alaskans to be good stewards of our resources and uphold our constitution.

Measure 1 requires that the public have access to basic information concerning the profitability of Alaska’s oil. The fact that we don’t have this essential information today is alarming. Without clear facts about the value of our resources, we have no choice but to guess if we are getting a good deal. Legislators don’t even know the true costs and profits of oil production on the North Slope. How can they possibly devise tax policy to best benefit Alaska?

The fact of the matter is that Alaskans do not have the basic information we need to uphold our Constitution. In Article VIII, our Constitution mandates that Alaskans maximize the value of our resources. But without basic information, we don’t know if we are even getting fair value for our oil.

Measure 1 is not just about knowledge, it’s about power. Measure 1 is primarily about political influence. There is a reason that the oil industry is spending $20 million to convince Alaskans to accept less for our resources. It’s not only that oil companies want to continue racking up the profits (which comes out of our pockets), it’s also that they don’t want Alaskans to know how much money they are making off of our resources. And they certainly don’t want citizens making informed decisions. The industry prefers Alaskans blind, deaf and dumb so they can extract our oil at fire sale prices.

Yes on Measure 1 ensures Alaskans don’t lose control over our resources or our destiny. We have a constitutional duty to maximize the value of our resources for ourselves and our children. That begins with saying yes to transparency and yes on Measure 1.