Couple of problems with your statement, the Ak oil industry is not on its last legs, there is plenty of oil and their profit margins are being squeezed for sure. Sales taxes are regressive and hit those least able to afford them the most. In fact the most regressive sales tax are those that require paperwork to be filed to supposedly refund some of that sales tax to those poor folk so as to look like the city/state "cares" (see Juneau sales tax) all the while knowing that those folk are the least likely to keep paperwork/receipts and file for refunds.