Eric Stone

1 day ago | alaskapublic.org | Eric Stone

Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Friday ordered a freeze on most state hiring, out-of-state travel and new regulations as oil prices tumble. Dunleavy outlined the freeze in an administrative order released Friday afternoon. Oil production in Alaska is expected to increasein the coming years as new projects like Pikka come online. But, at the same time, the price of a barrel of North Slope crude fell more than $10 in April, and federal forecasters say they expect oil prices to fall further in the coming months.

5 days ago | kyuk.org | Eric Stone

Gov. Mike Dunleavy is once again threatening to veto a compromise bill legislators hammered out to boost funding for the state's public schools and make a variety of policy changes. Dunleavy has yet to make the threat publicly. But Clayton Holland, the superintendent of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, said in an interview that the governor made his intentions clear in a teleconference with school district leaders from across the state.

6 days ago | alaskapublic.org | Eric Stone

Gov. Mike Dunleavy is once again threatening to veto a compromise bill legislators hammered out to boost funding for the state’s public schools and make a variety of policy changes. Dunleavy has yet to make the threat publicly. But Clayton Holland, the superintendent of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, said in an interview that the governor made his intentions clear in a teleconference with school district leaders from across the state Thursday morning.

1 week ago | alaskapublic.org | Eric Stone

The Alaska Senate approved its version of the state budget Wednesday, including a $1,000 Permanent Fund dividend and, for now, a $150 million surplus. But senators say they expect that surplus to evaporate in the year to come, and they’re warning of rough seas ahead. “It's clear to me that the decisions next year will be even more difficult than the decisions that we have made today,” said Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, the Senate Finance Committee co-chair responsible for the operating budget.

1 week ago | ktoo.org | Eric Stone

The Alaska House is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a change to corporate income taxes that could raise millions of dollars as the state faces deficits and an uncertain financial future. It’s also tied to funding for two key elements of an education bill pending on the governor’s desk. Senate Bill 113 would change the way many companies calculate their state corporate income taxes. Backers are pitching it as a tax on large, out-of-state businesses. Sen.