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Alaska Permanent Fund account that pays for state budget, dividends is under pressure
For 41 years, Alaskans’ bank accounts have been refilled with dividends – usually more than $1,000 – from the $76.6 billion Alaska Permanent Fund. More recently, the fund also has been the biggest source of money paying for state government. But what if there was no money available for either dividends or the state budget? […]
Alaska Redistricting Board decides against attempting to redraw map again
The board responsible for drawing the boundaries of Alaska’s legislative districts voted Monday against making any changes after the state Supreme Court recently issued its full ruling on lawsuits challenging the map. That likely means there won’t be any changes to the district lines used in last year’s election until 2032, though Alaskans displeased with […]
GCI pays $40.2 million to settle federal allegations it violated False Claims Act, bidding rules
GCI Communications Corp., Alaska’s largest telecommunications company, has agreed to pay $40.2 million to settle allegations by federal prosecutors that it violated the U.S. False Claims Act and competitive bidding rules. The U.S. Justice Department had alleged that GCI knowingly inflated its prices in order to receive federal subsidies for its services in rural areas. […]
Alaska sports board decides against barring trans girls from girls sports, for now
The board that governs school sports in Alaska decided against adopting a change to its bylaws that would have prevented transgender girls from participating in girls sports. But the Alaska School Activities Association said its board could still adopt the change in the future if state Department of Education and Early Development rules compel it […]
Alaska Senate passes bill to allow municipal blight tax, property tax exemptions
The Alaska Senate voted 13-6 on Tuesday to pass a bill that would apply both a carrot and a stick for local governments to encourage the construction and maintenance of developments. One provision of Senate Bill 77 would allow municipalities to exempt the owners of newly developed or redeveloped commercial properties from paying property taxes. […]
Alaska lawmaker can’t block public from social accounts based on their views, judge rules
An Alaska state legislator can’t block members of the public who they disagree with from commenting on a social media account the lawmaker maintains in connection with her elective office, a judge has ruled. Anchorage Superior Court Judge Thomas Matthews said in a decision he issued Friday that the account is a limited public forum […]
Eastman trial to advance, focus on whether Oath Keepers advocate concrete overthrow of government
A trial on whether Wasilla Republican Rep. David Eastman is eligible for state office is set to begin on Monday, after a judge ruled on Friday against attempts by him and the state Division of Elections to dismiss the case. The trial will focus on whether the Oath Keepers advocate the forceful overthrow of the […]
Alaska Gov. Dunleavy names new revenue commissioner, acting health commissioner and chief of staff
Gov. Mike Dunleavy made three high-level appointments on Monday, filling the key positions of revenue and health commissioners and naming a new chief of staff. Dunleavy named Adam Crum as the commissioner of the Alaska Department of Revenue, after nearly four years of Crum leading the state’s Department of Health and Social Services, including leading […]
Here’s what’s happening with Alaska’s vote count
There have been a lot of questions about how far along the Alaska Division of Elections is in counting the ballots for the election that ended on Tuesday. Here are five facts about the count: There have been 217,835 ballots counted so far. Through Thursday, the Division of Elections had reported results from all 402 […]
Dunleavy appears headed to re-election, may head off ranked choice count
In votes counted through early Wednesday morning, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy appeared on pace for re-election to a second four-year term. Dunleavy, a Republican, built a substantial lead over challengers Democrat Les Gara, independent Bill Walker and Republican Charlie Pierce, holding 52% of Tuesday’s 216,364 first-choice votes. If Dunleavy’s vote share stays above 50%, he […]
Two pivotal East Anchorage races could determine control of Alaska House
In East Anchorage, there are two races for the Alaska House of Representatives that feature two candidates – a Democrat and a Republican – and no incumbents. Both were relatively close in the August primary. And both could determine which caucus controls the House when the legislative session begins in January in Juneau. In House […]
Nation’s political divide is the focus of Alaska U.S. House debate
The four candidates to be Alaska’s only member of the U.S. House of Representatives zeroed in on the United States’ political divisions but came up with very different answers about what should be done about it in a media-sponsored debate on Wednesday. U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat elected to fill the remainder of the […]