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Current Topics
Alaska U.S. Sen Murkowski addresses challenges of federal firings, budget cuts in annual speech. Alaska Beacon
She emphasized that industries as well as the public need government services. “Our industries require people, and they depend on the essential workers who build houses, who keep us healthy, who teach and watch the kids while we work,” she said. “To bring it full circle, our opportunities also depend on functional government, the men and women who do the trawls and do the surveys, who issue the permits, who maintain the visitors facilities, who forecast the weather, and so much more.”
Experts says chaotic federal funding freezes are disrupting rural Alaska projects. Alaska Public Media
The Trump administration paused funding for several major federal programs back in January. Since then, the freeze has interrupted Alaska initiatives ranging from heat pump programs to major infrastructure projects that would protect communities from storm surges and tsunamis. Eight representatives from Alaska-based organizations discussed the disruptions during a joint virtual press conference on Tuesday.
Bill would allow baby drop boxes for Alaskans to surrender newborns safely.
The undesignated general fund estimate is about $30 million less than a prior forecast from the fall, and as a result, the state is looking at a $200 million deficit in the current fiscal year under spending previously proposed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
Anchorage lawmaker proposes 'red flag' bill to prevent gun deaths with court-ordered interventions. Alaska Beacon
Alaska has the fifth-highest rate of gun deaths in the nation, with an average of 175 people dying each year by gun, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 70% of gun deaths every year in Alaska, or 120 people, die by suicide. House Bill 89, sponsored by Anchorage Democratic Rep. Andy Josephson, would allow law enforcement officers or household members to petition the court for a temporary protective order, to prevent someone who poses a danger to themself or others from possessing or accessing firearms.
Alaska domestic violence nonprofits worry federal funding uncertainty could shut down services. Anchorage Daily News
Some Alaska organizations serving victims of domestic violence fear they may have to close shelters and halt services as soon as this summer amid continued uncertainty over the federal grants that account for a large part of their funding.
Alaska's 141 active volcanoes 'threats are real for Alaskans,' Sen. Murkowski says. Alaska News Source
As Alaska prepares for the eruption of Mount Spurr, the state’s two senators are part of newly reintroduced legislation to add more government spending to “enable the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to continue to improve its volcano monitoring and early warning capabilities around the country.”
Blaze on Mat-Su Assembly member's property marks first wildfire of the year. Mat-Su Sentinel
A controlled grass burn by Mat-Su Assembly member Ron Bernier near his Meadow Lakes home Thursday became the Mat-Su region's first documented wildland fire of the year when state and local firefighters responded to a call and extinguished the flames, fire officials said.
Economy
New Alaska revenue forecast worsens state's big projected budget deficits. Alaska Beacon
The undesignated general fund estimate is about $30 million less than a prior forecast from the fall, and as a result, the state is looking at a $200 million deficit in the current fiscal year under spending previously proposed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
From soup cans to airplanes, Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs could have widespread impacts on American life. Anchorage Daily News
Steel and aluminum are ubiquitous in Americans' lives. A stainless steel refrigerator holds aluminum soda cans. A stainless steel drum tumbles inside an aluminum washing machine. They’re the metals used in cars and airplanes, phones and frying pans, skyscrapers and zippers.
AK Permanent Fund Corporation governance study released, revealed several recommendations to policy. KSRM Radio
The review involved an analysis of APFC’s bylaws, statutes, meeting minutes, and other relevant documents, as well as interviews with current and former Board members, staff, and ad advisory group members.
British Columbia introduces toll measure to counter tariffs; Sullivan suggests acting against BC. Alaska Beacon
“This is not something British Columbia wants to do, but we need to have this tool if the U.S. does not back away from their unjust tariffs,” the ministry said. In addition to threatening tariffs on trade with Canada, President Donald Trump has threatened military action against the country and has said that it should be annexed to the United States in order to avoid economic consequences.
Opinion: There's a better way for Alaska to manage the Permanent Fund. Anchorage Daily News
In December, Gov. Mike Dunleavy unveiled his proposed 2025 budget and ten-year spending plan. His budget featured a $1.5 billion deficit that would be paid for out of savings. That’s an impressively large deficit for a governor to offer up, so you’d hope that it was part of a well-thought-out plan to put the state on stronger economic footing. Was the deficit due to much-needed increases in school funding? The reinstatement of a pension program for teachers and state employees? How about increases to account for inflation in state services? No, none of those things were included. So why the big deficit? It’s simple. Dunleavy’s largest proposed state expenditure by far is a big, fat PFD of almost $3,900 with a total cost of about $2.5 billion. And his 10-year spending plan would put the state a whopping $12 billion in debt by 2035 by paying out big, fat PFD’s each year.
Opinion: Alaska should take a page from Mississippi. let's spend a bigger share of our state budget on education. Anchorage Daily News
The reason the anti-BSA increase folks don’t want to do this is that Alaska is embarrassingly stingy with support for K-12 education. The national average is 20.5% of the state budget going for K-12 education, while Alaska allocated only 15% in 2023 (data from Urban Institute and KFF.org respectively). Mississippi allocates a whopping 23% of state budget for K-12 education. Just imagine what the student-to-teacher ratio could be if Alaska matched Mississippi in terms of the percentage of the state budget going to K-12 education.
The drama isn't over for federal workers. Axios
The onboarding process for federal employees is even more expensive than in the private sector — partly due to the cost of security clearances, and the arduous procurement process for equipment. It may cost a bit less to "re-onboard," but a conservative estimate published by former employees at the U.S. Digital Service, familiar with the inner workings of the federal bureaucracy, puts it between $120 million and $480 million.
Fisheries
Federal Fisheries employees in Alaska have been reinstated, but most are not allowed to work. Alaska Public Media
Most of the probationary employees fired from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have been reinstated. But most have been put on “non-duty” status, which prevents them from actually returning to work.
Energy
Reporter's notebook from the big energy event. Axios
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) told me he's had "many, many" meetings with gas buyers and investors. "Hopefully we've got some agreements that hopefully will be announced in the ... near future," he said yesterday. Dunleavy cited Trump 2.0 support, Asian energy needs, and more as reasons for optimism. It's still a very heavy lift. Alaska gas line plans have rattled around since the 1970s. The current, $44 billion pipeline-to-LNG proposal is over a decade old, and Gulf Coast exporters already have supply access and infrastructure.
Alaska lawmakers show renewed interest in funding maintenance of school buildings beset by 'dilapidation'. Anchorage Daily News
The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development broadly recommends that 3% of building values be allotted annually to meet capital renewal needs. Since 2020, the state has spent less than a fifth of that recommended amount annually, leading to a maintenance backlog that likely amounts to billions of dollars.
State lawmakers seek answers after report finds squalid conditions at rural public schools. Alaska Public Media
For decades, dozens of rural school districts have been asking the state for money to fix a range of serious health and safety problems. Only a small percentage of that money has come through. Southeast Island School District Superintendent Rod Morrison got a chance to be heard. He was in Juneau to testify before the powerful Alaska Senate Finance Committee when he lifted a large lightbulb from a plastic shopping bag and showed it to committee members. “You’ll see it almost caught on fire,” Morrison said, pointing out black marks on the top of the lightbulb. “This happened with six of our gymnasium lights and it’s obvious our fire suppression system was inoperable.”
EIA forecasts Alaska crude oil production will grow in 2026 for the first time since 2017. eia
In our March 2025 Short-Term Energy Outlook, we forecast crude oil production in Alaska will increase by 16,000 barrels per day (b/d) in 2026 to 438,000 b/d after remaining relatively flat in 2025. Two new oil developments in Alaska—the Nuna and Pikka projects—are expected to boost crude oil production in the state after decades of decline. If realized, this annual production increase will be the first since 2017 and the largest since 2002.
Education
'Schools have been waiting': Alaska House passes public school funding boost. Alaska Public Media
Boosting education funding was a key campaign issue for members of the Democrat-heavy majority caucus. Parents, teachers, students and community leaders have pleaded with lawmakers to increase school funding for years. The Anchorage School District last month approved a budget proposal that would lay off hundreds of teachers and staff, increase class sizes, and slash programs across the board, from language immersion to sports to elementary school gifted classes — but only if lawmakers and the governor do not approve at least a $1,000 increase in the base student allocation.
Alaska Senate to review education funding bill amid budget concerns. KSRM Radio
The Alaska State Senate is set to begin reviewing House Bill 69, an education funding measure that has sparked intense debate among lawmakers, educators, and the governor’s office. The bill, which passed the House with a $1,000 per-student funding increase, now faces potential revisions in the Senate amid concerns over the state’s budget deficit.
Politics
Murkowski says Trump is 'testing' the institutions of democracy. Alaska Public Media
'I can't tell you how many': Murkowski calls DOGE firings 'unlawful' in address to state lawmakers. Alaska Public Media Trump has frozen funding that Congress approved. He’s moved to shutter agencies created by law. He’s fired thousands of federal workers across dozens of government offices, from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Energy to the U.S. Forest Service and the National Weather Service.
Who loses if Social Security breaks. Axios
Moving fast and breaking things isn't a huge deal when the thing is a social media site. Social Security is a whole other story.
Americans wait months to hear on benefits. Axios
Amid staffing shortages, it's taking the agency longer to make decisions on disability benefit applications. This year, folks are waiting an average of 240 days to hear back, up from 120 days before the pandemic, according to Social Security data.
Affordable housing threatened as Trump halts $1 billion slated for extending the life of aging buildings. Anchorage Daily News
The program has already awarded the money to projects that would upgrade at least 25,000 affordable units across the country, and details of how it will be wound down remain unclear. A spokesperson for HUD did not respond to repeated requests for comment. But an internal document reviewed by the AP said the program is being “terminated” at the direction of DOGE.
Voters flood town halls with fears of Social Security cuts, putting heat on GOP over Musk and DOGE. Anchorage Daily News
Huizenga pledged throughout the meeting: “Let me just reiterate, Social Security is not being touched.”
Mark Carney sworn in as Canada's new prime minister as the country grapples with Trump's trade war. Anchorage Daily News
Former central banker Mark Carney was sworn in as Canada’s new prime minister on Friday, and will now try to steer his country through a trade war brought by U.S. President Donald Trump, annexation threats and an expected federal election.
The Federal Trade Commission's only two Democratic commissioners have been fired. Anchorage Daily News
President Donald Trump on Tuesday fired the only two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission, handing the remaining Republican commissioners exclusive control over the agency that oversees antitrust and consumer protection laws and serves as the U.S. government’s primary regulator of the tech industry.
Social Security Administration will require in-person identity checks for millions of people. Anchorage Daily News
Beginning March 31st, people will no longer be able to verify their identity to the SSA over the phone and those who cannot properly verify their identity over the agency’s “my Social Security” online service, will be required to visit an agency field office in person to complete the verification process, agency leadership told reporters Tuesday.
(My Comment: How many SSA offices does Alaska have, where seniors will be required to appear in person?)
Health Care
Doctors may be in trouble. Axios
Doctors, including the AMA, really want Medicare payment reform — generally. But any effort to decrease the disparity between primary and specialty care payments that resulted in a significant reduction of payment for certain specialities would likely meet fierce resistance from the industry. Specialists tend to make tens of thousands — if not hundreds of thousands — more dollars per year than primary care physicians.
Uncommon bedfellows. Axios
“Those physicians have an inherent conflict of interest: They are in effect setting their and their colleagues' pay," Emanuel recently wrote of the RUC in The Atlantic. "It is clear that primary-care physicians deliver life-saving care — and deliver it efficiently. But their compensation does not reflect this utility," he added.
Bill for Nebraska epinephrine injector cost cap, severe allergy response plans advances. Nebraska Examiner
Lawmakers took a step Wednesday to cap the out-of-pocket cost for epinephrine injectors and ensure Nebraska schools and licensed child care programs have policies to respond to allergic reactions. Legislative Bill 457, from State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, advanced 31-0 to the second stage of debate. It would limit out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary epinephrine injectors, including EpiPens, to no more than $60 for a two-pack, regardless of the type.
Alaska insurance director warns of health premium increases with federal funding in jeopardy. Anchorage Daily News
A reinsurance program pioneered by Alaska to lower the state’s marketplace insurance rates is on the chopping block, having been identified for scrutiny by the Trump administration, according to Alaska’s insurance director. If it is eliminated or the funding for it is zeroed out, Alaska would lose up to $140 million in annual federal funding to lower the cost of health insurance, according to Alaska Division of Insurance Director Lori Wing-Heier, who implemented the reinsurance program in 2017 — leading 18 other states to follow suit.
States take on private equity. Axios
While Congress and the Federal Trade Commission have increased scrutiny of the deals, especially involving hospitals, federal policymakers have been reluctant to bestow more government power over business transactions. States, meanwhile, are increasingly concerned about a growing number of providers being controlled by out-of-state for-profit companies.
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium leader working toward hospital ownership. Alaska Beacon
“But we’re at a breaking point,” Singh said. “Our patients have increased by 70,000 since the doors first opened, yet the doors haven’t expanded.”
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