Legislature’s budget move has big implications for the Permanent Fund
Transferring $10.6 billion in earnings to the protected principal is well worth doing, but we should still think out the implications of having less immediate cash on hand.
We have PFDs for many reasons. Boosting the economy isn’t one of them.
Earlier this spring, state labor economists told the Senate Finance Committee they haven’t been able to see any impact on wage and salary employment.
Fisheries management a bright spot for state despite budget roller coaster
What happens if we don’t spend the money to get the field data? Quite simply, fewer fish will be caught by all users – commercial, recreational, subsistence and personal use.
Producers give new hope for a gas line
It’s good that our new governor is taking a fresh look at all this and is not captive to an earlier mindset. I hope he goes one step further, however.
How small state investments in science reap big resource rewards
Knowledge is like seed corn. Plant it and reap the bounty. Or don’t plant it, and go hungry.
Upheaval in Alaska’s institutions can threaten state’s interests
The governor should move promptly to correct any reputation damage and reassure potential gas buyers that Alaska can be a stable and reliable partner.
The trade-offs of a fat Permanent Fund dividend
The more we spend on the PFD, the less money we have for public services, like schools and public safety — unless we institute new taxes.
With the election over, what’s next for the gas line?
The state has invested about a half-billion dollars since 2011, and producers have ponied up about the same. That’s more than a billion dollars that shouldn’t be wasted, and I don’t believe it will.
Science-based management the key to Alaska’s successful fisheries
One of Alaska’s great success stories is the resurrection of our salmon fisheries after a virtual collapse that occurred under federal management in the years before statehood.
Dividend talk doesn’t address structural issues in Alaska’s economy
This will be challenging, but what’s interesting is this is the trade-off legislators make in other states where there are citizen taxes. Want lower taxes? It’s less for schools, police, and such. In this context, the PFD is kind of a reverse tax.
Life’s not all bad as Alaska economy finds a ‘new normal’
We’re still in a great place. We survived the oil price crash, new prospects are being developed and we’re on the way to restructuring our state finances.
A look forward at Alaska’s economic prospects
There are many positive possibilities, but few sure things, in the cards for our state's resource development future.