Oil industry opened the checkbooks to influence Alaska legislators 30 May 2012 The oil industry spent more than $ 1 million lobbying in Alaska as it tried to lower state oil taxes this year, including a $ 3,120 dinner in Washington, D.C., when the Alaska Legislature shut down for lawmakers’ “Energy Break” trip to the nation’s capital. The spending, which ranged from wining and dining Alaska legislators to statewide advertising campaigns, came as the industry and Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell made a heavy but unsuccessful push to convince the Alaska Legislature to slash how much the state taxes the profits made by the oil companies.