This week (Mar 22, 2016) on The Michael Dukes Show …

Each Tuesday morning at 7:15 am Alaska I join KBYR AM750‘s The Michael Dukes Show to discuss the latest in Alaska oil and fiscal issues. This week we discuss the emerging outline of the ‪#‎AKbudget‬, but ask whether the emerging rewrite of the Governor’s oil & gas tax credit bill will blow it up?  I join Michael at 9:45 into the segment. Listen here or at the widget below and for past episodes, go here.

An ad AK4SB is running the next two days on FB, Twitter and yes, Instagram …

We don’t accept or often publish ad’s on this page, but this one is so important we decided to publish it here as a column piece:

This week (Mar 17, 2016) on The Michael Dukes Show …

Each Tuesday morning at 7:15 am Alaska I join KBYR AM750‘s The Michael Dukes Show to discuss the latest in Alaska oil and fiscal issues. This week we added a special edition on Thursday to discuss legislators who clearly are working to reduce the #AKbudget and who are getting in the way. I join Michael at 9:40 into the segment. Listen here or at the widget below and for past episodes, go here.

For those interested in more, during the week I discussed the topic for a couple of segments also as I filled in as guest host on the Tom Anderson Show.  The podcast of the show is here.  The segments focused on the #AKbudget begin at 22:00 into the show.

 

This week (Mar 8, 2016) on The Michael Dukes Show …

Each Tuesday morning at 7:15 am Alaska I join KBYR AM750‘s The Michael Dukes Show to discuss the latest in Alaska oil and fiscal issues. This week we discuss the #AKecon, how rough it may become and how options for dealing with the #AKbudget will affect it.  I join Michael at 10:00 into the segment. Listen here or at the widget below and for past episodes, go here.

This week (Mar 1, 2016) on The Michael Dukes Show …

Each Tuesday morning at 7:15 am Alaska I join KBYR AM750‘s The Michael Dukes Show to discuss the latest in Alaska oil and fiscal issues. This week we discuss whether the #AKleg House Finance Committee (HFIN) has cut enough yet from the #AKbudget (the answer is “no”), the most important chart in the current #AKbudget debate & the #AKleg debate on oil & gas tax credits.  I join Michael at 11:50 into the segment.  Listen here or at the widget below and for past episodes, go here.

This week (Feb 23, 2016) on The Michael Dukes Show …

Each Tuesday morning at 7:15 am Alaska I join KBYR AM750‘s The Michael Dukes Show to discuss the latest in Alaska oil and fiscal issues. This week we discuss the current proposals for #PFD cuts, the legislative debate between those and spending cuts, why those going to Juneau say one thing but the #AKecon needs something else and how Alaskans can help tip the balance.  I join Michael shortly after 10:00 into the segment. Listen here or at the widget below and for past episodes, go here.

#AKBudget: Where I differ from the Governor, Sen. McGuire and Rep. Hawker …

Late last week I spoke to the Valley Republican Women’s Club (Thursday) and the Kenai Chapter of the Alaska Support Industry Alliance (Friday).  The subject for both was A Way Forward on the Alaska Budget.

As I have continued to speak to Alaskans about this issue over the last several weeks in both public forums and elsewhere I increasingly have come to realize that the current debate over Alaska’s fiscal situation ultimately boils down to two issues:  first, the outlook for future oil (and LNG) price and production levels, and second, the perceived ability to cut state spending further from current levels.

If you believe the out-years (beyond three years) of the price and production forecast reflected in the Department of Revenue’s Fall 2015 Revenue Sources Book (RSB) are undeniably accurate, or if you believe that spending cannot be cut significantly from current levels, then you come to one conclusion.

On the other hand, if you believe as I do both that the out-year forecast contained in the Fall 2015 RSB may be overly pessimistic and that state spending can be reset successfully nearer levels which are more reflective of the 11-year period extending from FY 1995 – 2006 (the last time Alaska went through a low revenue cycle), adjusted for inflation and population growth — in other words, on what economists refer to as a real (apples-to-apples) basis — then you come to different conclusion. Continue reading

This week (Feb 16, 2016) on The Michael Dukes Show …

Each Tuesday morning at 7:15 am Alaska I join KBYR AM750‘s The Michael Dukes Show to discuss the latest in Alaska oil and budget issues. This week we discuss the four fiscal proposals currently on the table in Juneau (three cut the PFD, one doesn’t) & the debate over oil tax credit reform.  I join Michael at 8:30 into the segment. Listen here or at the widget below and for past episodes, go here.

On Chris Story’s Alaska Matters Radio …

Tuesday after lunch I joined Chris Story on his weekly Alaska Matters Radio program to discuss the PFD, Alaska’s current fiscal situation and, as some call for changes, how SB 21, the 2013 oil tax reform bill, is working. In addition to his three Homer-based radio shows, Chris also is a regular Monday morning guest (and sometimes guest host) on KBYR AM 700’s daily Michael Dukes Show

It gave me great pleasure to be able to talk with Chris about the PFD in former Senate President, PFD co-founder — and strong PFD retention supporter — Clem Tillion’s home district, and to discuss the success of SB 21 with someone whom I had many discussions on the issue during the ultimately successful 2014 campaign to retain SB 21.  The podcast of my segment follows:

This week (Feb 9, 2016) on The Michael Dukes Show …

Each Tuesday morning at 7:15 am Alaska I join KBYR AM750‘s The Michael Dukes Show to discuss the latest in Alaska oil and budget issues. This week we discuss what I learned while in Juneau last week and what the #AKleg isn’t yet thinking (or at least talking) about but should‬.  I join Michael at around 10:15 of the following segment.  Listen here or at the widget below and for past episodes, go here.