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Alaskans will soon receive our annual dividend checks. This year’s $1,022 check for every qualified resident will help Alaska families with things like winter fuel, food and clothes, holiday gifts, and saving for college. These checks will boost local businesses and increase local tax revenues. At the same time, I am keenly aware that many Alaskans are disappointed – and some are angry – about the size of this year’s dividend. While the average dividend since the inception of the program has been $1,150, many were counting on a larger amount...
As the Legislature nears the end of the constitutional 120-day session, I am gravely concerned about the possible outcome. Our state is in a difficult fiscal position. Due mainly to world oil prices and our over-dependence on oil, we have only about one-fifth of the revenue we need to balance the budget. And that’s after several years of budget cuts and almost no capital investment. That’s why I kicked off a series of statewide conversations last spring. Using input from hundreds of Alaskans, we developed the New Sustainable Alaska Plan, whi...
