Become part of the discussion at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets
Envisioned to serve at the Alaska state level as the equivalent of the The Concord Coalition and Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget at the federal, Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets began in the run-up to the 2012 election as an effort to educate Alaskans on the then-rapidly deteriorating condition of the state’s fiscal health.
Now a half-decade on, AK4SB has evolved into a full time, nonpartisan effort focused on developing and maintaining a fiscally strong and sustainable Alaska state budget and economy.
The effort continues as the condition of the state’s fiscal health has now become painfully apparent to even the most casual observer, but as the state nevertheless continues to flounder looking for a solution that doesn’t undermine the state’s private and overall economy in the process.
Those interested in the subject, following and, most importantly, participating in the discussion are encouraged to do so on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube (for video presentations). Those interested in a deeper dive may even want to participate also in a Facebook discussion group on the topic that served as the original platform for the effort and today continues to provide an opportunity among those interested to brainstorm and discuss various state fiscal issues and potential solutions.
For those interested in the background and detail of what it takes to make Alaska’s budget and economy sustainable we suggest starting by reading Dr. Scott Goldsmith’s various papers on the subject which are collated and can be accessed here. For those interested in a current summary of both the approach and its application to Alaska’s current situation we offer the following video and accompanying slidedeck from a July 2016 presentation by Brad Keithley, the founder of the effort.
Thoughts on Alaska Oil & Gas 
One of the big problems I seen as a Alaska state resident, and as a ASRC slope worker is, the amount of out of state workers that work up there. To be truthful at the least 50% if not 70% of the workers live out of state. Excuse my french but W. the #”#:. It should be a Law only state residents should work ful time in the state of Alaska. Come on man do something about that!!!
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What about the city of Valdez’s problem with all the mobile home’s that the oil copanyes hauled in here to build the pipeline? At least they should build efficient living appartments or daulplexes. The oil companies brought trailer trash to us, now its time for them to make it right! Try living in one of those in the freezing winter.
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Reading this I can’t help but think your anticipated price of oil in 2018 is guess. The same pundits that predict higher prices are the ones who failed to see the price of oil drop by more than just a couple short years ago. Thinking the price will go up when the country is awash in shale oil and new discoveries are made in more accessible locations is unrealistic.
The second thing that is impossible to predict and overly optimistic on your part is the rate of return to be expected on investments. Given the recent stock market run up and the tenuous state of the world’s economy and intergovernmental relations, a drastic downturn of investment value is at least as likely as continuing upward trends.
Your proposals are way too optimistic and unsupported by solid data.
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