The public employee unions can thank the House Democrat Majority for leading the state towards shut-down merely for the sake of taxing working Alaskans. 

They want our money to pay for the $200+/day per diem they collect to give graduation speeches or to write letters during these extended special sessions. They want our money to pay for climate change commissions and for goodies in the budget for their special interest donors and supporters (like public employee unions). They want our money so they can go back to the good ol' days of pork barrel spending for capital projects in their districts.

The Senate and the Governor have signaled a willingness to compromise and make a deal. The House won't move until they get our money. They know that getting a tax on the books will be near to impossible to remove down the road. And they also know that once enacted, they can turn up that knob each and every time they want more money for whatever program or initiative they can concoct.