The Weekly Top 3

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 March 11, 2024. This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain why it is time to have a serious discussion about revenue approaches (because even the R's have given up on spending cuts) (2:02); 2) we discuss how we are sliding backward into Rep. Zack Fields' visio...

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 March 4, 2024. This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain how, even with deficits staring them in the face, the Legislature (and administration) just can't stop themselves from continuing to spend (2:07); 2) we discuss what those who are proposing to "means te...

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 February 26, 2024. This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss a recent tweet from former Governor Walker's chief of staff that explains why some are so strenuously opposed to constitutionalizing the PFD, even though doing so would be better for the overall Ala...

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 February 19, 2024. This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain why we believe the Permanent Fund Board is continuing to become increasingly politicized and needs to be restructured (2:13); 2) we explain why we agree with Larry Persily about the huge problems be...

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 February 12, 2024. This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) while we liked the LegFin presentation to House Ways & Means last Wednesday on its fiscal model as far as it went, we explain why there's some important information critical to fashioning an overall fiscal pla...

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 February 5, 2024. This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain why we think, as they develop fiscal policy, legislators have lost touch with the economics facing middle and lower-income (80% of) Alaska families (2:17); 2) while Governor Dunleavy seems to underst...

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 January 29, 2024. This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss the serious problems created by the fact that, unlike in other states, there's literally no one in the Alaska Legislature (or administration, for that matter) focused on ensuring that, whatever the a...

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 January 22, 2024. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we use IRS data to look at which segments of Alaska's working-age population are leaving the state (2:02); 2) we discuss what's missing from DNR's presentation last week on oil production volumes (19:33); and 3)...

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 January 15, 2024. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss the blatant hypocrisy of Senate President Gary Stevens and others in the Senate Majority when it comes to fiscal issues (2:05); 2) we explain what the new national "Who Pays" study from ITEP says abou...

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 January 8, 2024. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) while many say Railbelt energy will be a big issue this session, we explain why our hope is that the Legislature leaves it to market forces (2:08); 2) we explain what we think the recent Alaska jobs report is rea...

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 January 2, 2024. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss the big story coming out of the Governor's proposed FY25 budget documents that we think others are missing (2:05); 2) we explain why we think Governor Dunleavy has just given up on trying to resolve th...

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 December 18, 2023. This week - our last of the year and what Michael calls the Holiday edition - is a little different from the others. Instead of our usual approach, we pick three topics that are in keeping with the Christmas and Holiday spirit.  This year, they are th...

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 December 11, 2023. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain, while calling for honesty from others, how the ADN is being less than "honest" about its 𝙤𝙬𝙣 motives (2:07); 2) as their effort ramps up, we look at what those pushing for increased K-12 are leaving...

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 December 4, 2023. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss a recent article from Nat Herz that adds another piece to the Cook Inlet gas puzzle (2:14); 2) we look at whether the Permanent Fund Board is still headed off the rails (19:34); and 3) we explain why...

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. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we start to analyze what we believe likely will be the bellwether legislative race this coming election cycle (2:00); 2) we look at the way some are starting to sharpen the issues around this coming legislative...

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. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss what we will be looking for in the Administration's upcoming FY25 budget & 10-year outlook (2:07); 2) we explain why, although Juneau appears to understand the consequences of the problem, they don't...

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. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) first it was the Alaska House Coalition, now it's Department of Revenue Commissioner Adam Crum who's misleading Alaskans (2:02); 2) while the updates from North Slope projects Willow and Pikka are good, the ove...

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. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain how the Alaska House Coalition is lying to Alaskans (2:14); 2) we discuss why, after last week's developments, we're even more convinced the current Permanent Fund Board should be sunset and replaced...

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. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) reflecting on the Administration’s recent proposals to subsidize Cook Inlet gas, we ask whether Alaska Republicans have given up on the free market (2:06); 2) we examine yet another pitch by Alaska Democrats for...

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 23, 2023. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) in response to those who claim it's the PFD at fault for the current earnings reserve "problem," we do a side-by-side comparison of the payments made out of the earnings reserve for inflation proofing and the PF...

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 16, 2023. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss the Permanent Fund Board's proposal to change the structure of the Permanent Fund; to us, it represents the attempted completion of a triple play - first, the legislature came for savings, then they c...

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 9, 2023. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain how many talk a good game about "building the Alaska economy" but then turn around and use the revenue tool that has the "largest adverse impact" on it (2:08); 2) we discuss why it's time to start thin...

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 September 25, 2023. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss a recent article confirming that there will be no special session this fall on a fiscal plan, the ADN editorial board's reaction to that and ours as well (2:06); 2) we discuss our problem with the D...

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 September 18, 2023. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss the double standard employed by the ADN editorial board when addressing the issue of "fairness" in various contexts (2:15); 2) we explain the hypocrisy inherent in Sen. Cathy Giessel's call for new...

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 September 11, 2023. This week our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain why it's not just Democrats, but how Republicans also are pushing for increased spending (or reduced revenues) without addressing the issue of #WhoPays (2:10); 2) we explain why ANWR is political th...