Alaskans for Sustainable Budget's "The Weekly Top 3"

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of June 2, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain why the Permanent Fund Corporation's April results demonstrate our point about its deficient returns (2:03); 2) in the wake of the visit from three of its cabinet officials, we examine the potential impact of the Trump Admin's focus on Alaska (18:58); and 3) putting all the pieces together, we discuss which "working people" exactly Angela Rodell really seems concerned about (34:02).

The Weekly Top 3 (6.2.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of June 9, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss the issues surrounding the state's threat to terminate the Cosmopolitan leases (2:01); 2) we explain why we believe a recent op-ed about state child care support fails to address the equally important question of #WhoPays for the support (19:29); and 3) we focus on why what didn't happen at Governor Dunleavy's sustainability conference is more important than what did (39:35).

The Weekly Top 3 (6.9.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of June 16, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss where we believe oil prices are likely headed and how Alaska could reduce the fiscal roller coaster the state's current budget approach creates (2:09); 2) we discuss one issue that we believe should be at the heart of the coming education task force and its subsequent recommendations (17:41); and 3) we examine what a recent decision by JERA - Japan's largest LNG importer - means for Alaska LNG (37:39).

The Weekly Top 3 (6.16.2025)

The Weekly Top 3 (6.23.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of June 30, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss the hypocrisy of how Alaska leaders are governing at home compared to what they say at the national level (2:10 ); 2) we look at the actual returns the Permanent Fund Corporation is earning compared to its own benchmarks and other alternatives, something the PFC seldom does in its op-eds and press releases (17:00); and 3) we explain why PFD cuts should be counted as "skin in the game" in the same way as taxes (36:28).

The Weekly Top 3 (6.30.2025)

The Weekly Top 3 (7.7.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of July 14, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) while the OBBA increases access to potential new oil fields on federal lands, we discuss whether it will actually result in new development and, more importantly, additional state revenues (2:17), 2) we discuss the fundamental economic issue we believe the candidates for Governor need to address in the coming election cycle (21:20), and 3) we explain why we think one journalist should listen to himself and follow his own advice that he recently gave in an op-ed piece (36:01).

The Weekly Top 3 (7.14.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of July 21, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss the significant state revenue downside of Conoco's - and others' - new exploration programs (2:07), 2) we explain, contrary to the hope of some, why the gas pipeline is not a "fix" to Alaska's broken financial foundation (17:37), and 3) we discuss how the OBBA may make state level K-12 funding issues even more complicated (37:57).

The Weekly Top 3 (7.21.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of July 28, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain how a recent op-ed demonstrates why some legislators seem not to grasp how Alaska oil taxes work (2:15), 2) we explain why Sen. Shelley Hughes potentially has a significant leg up on fiscal issues over other candidates in the coming Governor's race (20:49), and 3) we explain why we think, with one exception, a recent op-ed by Kevin McCabe makes a significant contribution toward understanding the K-12 issue (38:40).

The Weekly Top 3 (7.28.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of August 4, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain how the votes on the veto override do much to explain the state's deep fiscal problems (2:15); 2) we discuss again, whether they realize it or not, how those advocating for a one-account Permanent Fund approach are pushing to create a back door into the Permenent Fund corpus (24:13); and 3) we explain why, whether he intended to or not, Rep. Bill Elam has suggested a helpful way to exercise better control over K-12 spending (35:41).

The Weekly Top 3 (8.4.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of August 11, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) the Anchorage business community says they are concerned about the economy but at the same time they push the revenue option that has the "largest adverse impact" on it (2:15); 2) we explain why the next rounds of K-12 funding growth should come from increased local contribution (18:08); and 3) we explain why those pushing the "one account" approach to "protect" the Permanent Fund are, in fact, opening the door for raids on it (39:26).

The Weekly Top 3 (8.11.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of August 18, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain why the EIA's new oil price forecast suggests Alaska is on the precipice of slipping back into a steep, deficit-driven budgetary position for the remainder of FY26 and into FY27 (campaign year 2026) (2:16); 2) we explain why the growing problem with Social Security is likely to have a significant impact on Alaska (21:44); and 3) we explain how a recent proposal from the FNSB would only make the state's K-12 funding issue even worse (41:88).

The Weekly Top 3 (8.18.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of August 25, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss some recent comments by Speaker Edgmon about the economic strains being felt by Alaska's coastal communities and explain why, in certain real respects, they are being self-inflicted by the Legislature (2:28); 2) we start a new, occasional series by explaining the "rest of the story" surrounding some recent campaign comments by Adam Crum and Tom Begich (20:02); 3) we remember Stephen Haycox and the lessons about Alaska we learned from him and will continue to learn as we and others continue to read the rich legacy that he has left with us (33:01); and finally, in some brief comments at the end, we give a shout out to Sen. Mike Cronk for some comments he made at this week's opening meeting of the Education Task Force (47:42).

The Weekly Top 3 (8.25.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of September 1, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain, using the Permanent Fund Corporation's own numbers, how its high-cost "active asset management" program is failing Alaskans by badly underperforming even its own Passive Index Benchmark (2:25); 2) we explain why we applaud Senator Mike Cronk's point that developing a successful K-12 funding plan is contingent on first developing an overall, solid fiscal plan for the state (18:45); and 3) we explain how the recent op-ed's from gubernatorial candidates Click Bishop and Tom Begich blatantly ignore the central issue facing the next Governor: the huge and continuing current law budget deficits the state is projected to run over the next decade (37:12).

The Weekly Top 3 (9.1.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of September 8, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss Sen. Robb Myers recent op-ed in the Alaska Landmine, which explains that the proposal to change the current two-account Permanent Fund system to a one-account system is really about protecing state revenues, not protecting the Permanent Fund (2:24); 2) we dive into the state's new fiscal analysis of the Pikka oil field and what the numbers are telling us about SB 21 (19:21); and 3) we explain how, by not looking at the numbers, Must Read Alaska is missing the big story behind the performance of the Permanent Fund Corporation (39:14).

The Weekly Top 3 (9.8.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of September 15, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain why a recent op-ed by Senator Cathy Giessel proposes to make Alaska's fiscal situation even worse than it already is (2:22); 2) we review recent data from the Department of Revenue that is telling us production taxes remain broken even well beyond the current 10-year revenue forecast (19:54); and 3) while the recent headlines are interesting, we explain what information we and other industry observers are really waiting for about the AKLNG project (37:29).

The Weekly Top 3 (9.15.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of September 22, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain why we think the Alaska media has completely whiffed on this year's real PFD story (2:10); 2) we explain why the North Slope renaissance isn't producing the benefits for Alaskans they were led to expect (16:31); and 3) we discuss what the termination of the Santos/ADNOC deal likely means for Santos' Alaska Pikka project (35:50).

The Weekly Top 3 (9.22.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of September 29, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss Alaska's K-shaped economy and how it helps explain outmigration (2:06); 2) we explain the parts of the story that the Permanent Fund Corp's claims about a "successful" FY25 ignore (18:11); and 3) we discuss why op-eds proposing new or continued spending should come with a fiscal note (38:23).

The Weekly Top 3 (9.29.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of October 6, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we explain how the current candidates for Governor have lost sight of former Governor Jay Hammond's vision for Alaska that put Alaska families first (2:05); 2) we explain how some in the oil industry are trying to rewrite the history behind SB21 (21:21); and 3) we discuss how Governor Dunleavy is failing to do his part to help resolve the state's fiscal problems (39:35).

The Weekly Top 3 (10.6.2025)

Welcome to The Weekly Top 3 - our look at the top 3 things on our mind here at Alaskans for Sustainable Budgets - for the week of October 13, 2025.

This week, our top 3 issues are these: 1) we discuss EIA's most recent oil price forecast, why the oil futures market is starting to trend the same way, and what that means for Alaska's fiscal situation (2:12); 2) we explain how all of the enthusiasm over the Ambler road and other new projects could end up causing even deeper PFD cuts (16:02); and 3) we explain how Jon Faulkner's Permanent Fund inflation-proofing argument in Must Read Alaska undermines both the current two-account system and the PFD (35:39).

Alaskans for Sustainable Budget's "The Weekly Top 3"

Brad Keithley