Some claim the issue is K-12 funding versus the PFD. We explain why it isn’t and why thinking it is leads to bad results for the Alaska economy and families. — In the middle of a recent column on the Anchorage Daily News (ADN) op-ed pages ostensibly about Thanksgiving, “long-time Alaska journalist, with breaks” for other things, Larry Persily wrote this: I expect the biggest debates next [legislative] session will be how much more the state should spend to support public…

Our first look at next year’s likely bellwether #akleg #akelect race, sharpening the fiscal issues for the upcoming #akleg session & how DOR is flailing and failing under Comm’r Adam Crum — Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets — for the week of November 27, 2023. The Weekly Top 3 is a regular weekly segment on The Michael Dukes Show. The Show broadcasts on…

The Admin’s upcoming FY25 budget, the Juneau Economic Development Council sees the problem but is missing the cause & former Gov Murkowski adds to the case for restructuring the Permanent Fund Board — Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets — for the week of November 20, 2023. The Weekly Top 3 is a regular weekly segment on The Michael Dukes Show. The Show broadcasts on…

Some push to characterize Permanent Fund earnings as “free money” and its distribution as a “subsidy.” So, we went down that road. It didn’t surprise us where it leads, but we anticipate it will some. — If there were no Permanent Fund earnings, there would be no Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD). But there also would be no Permanent Fund earnings to help pay for government spending. Instead, Alaskans would have to pay for spending directly through taxes.

DOR Comm’r Adam Crum is misleading Alaskans; good news/bad news from the Slope & everyone’s excited about new fed funding, but #WhoPays the state’s share — Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets — for the week of November 13, 2023. The Weekly Top 3 is a regular weekly segment on The Michael Dukes Show. The Show broadcasts on…

The Alaska House Coalition claims there is a “budget surplus”; we explain why that’s a lie — An op-ed published on the pages of the Anchorage Daily News last week written by Representative Alyse Galvin (I — Anchorage) and co-signed by the remaining members of the Alaska House Coalition urged the Legislature to take a number of steps to increase funding for K-12 education (”By neglecting education…

The @AKHCoalition is lying to Alaskans, why the current PF Bd should be sunset, the #AKmedia is getting closer to the real #AKfiscal story & our take on @GovDunleavy’s performance — Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets — for the week of November 6, 2023. The Weekly Top 3 is a regular weekly segment on The Michael Dukes Show. The Show broadcasts on…

This week, we ask whether, in the context of Cook Inlet gas, Alaska Republicans are giving up on a market economy — Fundamental to the operation of any market economy is the relatively unfettered operation of supply and demand in finding an equilibrium price for the products in that market. That’s generally what most mean when they use the term “free market.” Like us, many likely think about the subject in terms…

Have Alaska R’s given up on a market economy, more proposed spending from Alaska D’s w/o addressing #WhoPays for it & some potentially good news for K-12 spending levels — Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets — for the week of October 30, 2023. The Weekly Top 3 is a regular weekly segment on The Michael Dukes Show. The Show broadcasts on…