The Weekly Top 3

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of April 15, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) why the state's current budget process doesn't achieve the needed goal of balancing "what we want" with "what we are willing to pay" (at 1:46); 2) we count the number of PFD "plans" circulating in various...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of April 8, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) the House Finance Committee's proposed budget and things to watch as it moves to the floor (at 1:38), 2) why both SJR6, the Governor's proposed spending cap, and the Senate Finance Committee's version of the same, are ineffective a...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of April 1, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) why some in the #akleg keep pressing for PFDcuts even when other options are better, for the overall Alaska economy and Alaska families (at 1:46), 2) the concerns we have about raising oil taxes (at 21:27), and 3) why think changes are needed to...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of March 25, 2019.This week we only covered the first two of our Top 3 before running out of time: 1) the false choice the Alaska House Majority is pushing between spending cuts and PFD cuts -- there are other options that are better for most Alaskans which the House steadfastly is refusing to discuss (...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of March 18, 2019.This week we start with a brief discussion of the controversy surrounding the treatment of the Governor's proposed budget earlier this week in a House Finance Education Subcommittee hearing (at 2:05). Then we turn to our Top 3: 1) an update of our 10-yr outlook to reflect the Admi...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of March 11, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) the hypocrisy of Win Gruening (and many others in Alaska's Top 20%)(at 1:38), 2) why last week's SFIN ISER hearing was hugely misleading (9:59), and 3) Tax Policy 101: "It's all about the bas(e)" (22:12). The Weekly Top...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of March 4, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: 1) we walk through a spreadsheet that explains why Governor Mike Dunleavy is doing what he's doing on the budget (at 2:26), 2) we discuss why we believe a #FlatTax is better than PFD cuts & other options (20:01), and 3) before we go too far...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of February 25, 2019.This week the first two of our Top 3 are focused on the big things missing so far from this year's budget discussion: 1) a 10-year outlook, which is critical to enabling us to understand the longer term concerns facing us and the options available to us (at 1:53), and 2) a disc...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of February 18, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) our initial take on Governor Mike Dunleavy's proposed budget (at 1:45), 2) once the smoke clears, what we think the ultimate answer is to the state's fiscal situation (12:24), and 3) no, oil producers aren't receiving "$1.9B in u...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of February 11, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) our view of what to expect from Governor Dunleavy's budget and, as importantly, where the #akleg goes from there (at 1:40), 2) why cuts to the University budget are inevitable and completely reasonable (11:02), and 3) the question isn't if...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of February 4, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: 1) Governor Dunleavy's proposed Constitutional Amendments need some work (at 2:04), 2) a Twitter exchange reveals a critical disconnect in the PFD debate (17:00), and 3) what Governor Dunleavy's proposed Supplemental Budget rollback tells us a...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of January 28, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: (1) What is the dispute between the Dunleavy Administration and the Legislature's Leg Finance Division over so-called "designated" general funds really about (at 2:12), (2) is the end of Alaska's recession really on its way as some e...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of January 21, 2019.This week our Top 3 are these: (1) Governor Mike Dunleavy's proposed "payback" of past PFD cuts (and why we oppose) (at 1:41), (2) But why we believe preserving future #PFD's is critical (18:37), and (3) a quick primer on a #FlatTax, what we think is a better alte...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of January 14, 2019.This week Michael and I start the segment with a brief discussion of the accreditation issues at UAA's College of Education (at 2:02) before turning to the Top 3.Once we do, the Top 3 are these: (1) our look out at the Alaska budget over the next 10 years, why we are coming to b...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of January 7, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: (1) our thoughts on the coming budget debate as the #akleg session approaches (at 2:33), (2) HB 331 -- the oil tax credit bonding bill -- survived its first court challenge, but we discuss why we nevertheless believe the upcoming #akleg should kil...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of December 17, 2018. For those that follow, this is our final podcast of 2018. We will resume the week of January 7, 2019.This week our Top 3 issues are these: (1) our thoughts on the Dunleavy Administration's revenue forecast and budget proposal (at 2:00); (2) our view of what the new Dunleavy Ad...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of December 10, 2018.This week our Top 3 issues are these: (1) the potential consequences for fiscal reform arising from Rep. Gary Knopp's departure from the House Republicans (at 3:03), (2) our thoughts on Governor Dunleavy's administrative order consolidating the budget making process into t...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of December 3, 2018.This week our Top 3 issues are these: (1) some initial thoughts on the impact of the earthquake on the state budget (at 1:41); (2) our thoughts on Gov. Dunleavy's pick for DOR Commissioner (we think its a lost opportunity) (21:00), and (3) what the trade cease fire between the U...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of November 26, 2018.This week we start with a brief discussion of a couple of things that occurred Monday -- Governor Walker's final draft budget and Governor-elect Dunleavy's announcement of his selection of OMB Director -- (at 2:38) and then turn to the weekly Top 3. They are: (1) why takin...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of November 19, 2018.This week our Top 3 issues are these: (1) our thoughts on what the new Alaska Senate organization means for state fiscal policy (at 4:39), (2) Alaskans are hearing great news on all the new activity related to North Slope oil development, but we need to understand it doesn't me...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of November 12, 2018.This week our Top 3 issues tare these: (1) our views on the early appointments & organization by the Mike Dunleavy Administration and the House Republicans (at 2:30); (2) why we believe the state should not rebate past #PFDcuts (19:52), and (3) what is going on with oil prices a...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of November 5, 2018.This week we focus on the Top 3 fiscal issues that will face the new Governor and Legislature regardless of who is elected. They are these: (1) how much do we spend (at 3:00), (2) how do we pay for it (12:10), and (3) what happens to the PFD in the process (25:45). The Weekly Top 3 i...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of October 29, 2018.This week our Top 3 are these: (1) our view of the MOST important piece of preserving the #PFD and where the two remaining candidates for Governor stand on the issue (at 3:00), (2) why, contrary to what some claim, new oil developments on the North Slope aren't a solution to Ala...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of October 22, 2018.This week our Top 3 are these: (1) our thoughts on the fiscal policy debate now that the governor's race is down to a two-person matchup between Mike Dunleavy and Mark Begich (at 3:40); (2) how do fiscal issues play in the Young/Galvin race for the US House (15:27), and (3) wher...

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 — our look at the top 3 things on our mind this week — for the week of October 15, 2018.This week we start with a discussion about a new "Information Paper" on the PFD from the Legislature's Legislative Finance Division (at 1:55), and then turn to our Top 3 issues: (1) our growing concern with Mike Dunleavy's budget numbers (at 8:20), (2)why that con...