As you know, the state's fiscal gap has been at the forefront of legislative and public discussions for several years. It has always been my goal to provide you with as much information about possible solutions as is available. I have regularly asked you to consider that information, discuss it with your neighbors, friends, and co-workers, and to inform me how you think the Legislature should help solve our fiscal gap.

Today, I have two important pieces of information for you on that subject. First is notice of an important public hearing. This Thursday evening, the Senate Judiciary Committee will take public testimony on two different resolutions, SJR 18 and SJR 19. Each seeks to protect the Permanent Fund and the PFD in different ways. I encourage you to find out more and to participate.

What: Senate Judiciary Hearing and Teleconference
Topics: SJR 18, "Constitutional Amendment – Permanent Fund Appropriations and Inflation Proofing" SJR 19, "Constitutional Amendment – Permanent Fund Income"
When: Thursday, October 30 from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Where: Anchorage Legislative Information Office at 716 West 4th Avenue
Who: Everyone is invited to attend, listen, and/or comment.
Why: To give and receive information on pending Permanent Fund legislation

To Participate:

Call 1-888-263-1555 to offer your comments to the committee during the hearing.
E-mail your comments to .
Fax your comments to 907-456-8163.
Mail you comments to Senator Ralph Seekins, Fairbanks Legislative Information Office, Suite 201, 119 N. Cushman Street, Fairbanks, AK 99701

For more information about SJR 18’s progress through the Legislature go to http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/
get_complete_bill.asp?session=23&bill=SJR18. Or to the Governor's press release at http://www.gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=563&type=1.

For more information about SJR 19’s progress through the Legislature, go to http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/
get_bill.asp?session=23&bill=sjr19&submit=
Display+Bill+Root. Or to Senator Georgianna Lincoln's press release at http://www.akdemocrats.org/Documents/
050403_lincoln_protects_PFD.pdf.

Second, the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), at the University of Alaska Anchorage has prepared information about the state's fiscal gap, budget, and alternatives to solve the looming budget crisis. They have prepared information at three related websites so that the public can become better informed. I encourage you to take a look.

Here are some excerpts from ISER’s websites:

Why Economic Development Doesn't Pay -- Except for oil, no industry in Alaska pays its own way. A new natural resource job, for instance, costs the state $1,100. Why? Because economic development requires new public services -- and under Alaska's current tax structure, households, and businesses generally don't pay enough taxes to cover the costs of those services. See: http://citizensguide.uaa.alaska.edu/
11.BUDGET_FAQs/11.1_AK_Disconnect_FAQ.htm.

Job Losses from Closing the Fiscal Gap -- Closing the state fiscal gap will cost Alaska jobs, because it will take money out of the economy. But using budget cuts alone would cost Alaska the most jobs— 18,500 -- while an income tax would cost the fewest, about 7,500. A sales tax or a PF dividend cut would eliminate about 9,300 jobs. See: http://citizensguide.uaa.alaska.edu/
11.BUDGET_FAQs/11.2_Fiscal_Gap_FAQ.htm.

The Alaska Citizen's Guide to the Budget -- This Web site offers a wealth of information on these and many other topics of interest to Alaskans concerned about the state budget. See: http://citizensguide.uaa.alaska.edu.

If you have questions about ISER’s information, please get in touch with ISER directly at or call 907-786-7710.

As always, I hope this information is useful to you. I strongly encourage you to become informed, and to express your questions, suggestions, and preferences to me and to relevant legislative committees.

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