Tom Boutin was fired from his job as the head of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority today, Must Read Alaska has learned.
Boutin was surprised by the move but said not having to commute to Anchorage from his home in Juneau was a plus for him. He will be the CEO until May 8, he said, and he had only intended to stay until November.
He was appointed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy early in 2019. Boutin, who was deputy commissioner for Treasury under Gov. Frank Murkowski, and who had served on the AIDEA board for 13 years, came out of retirement for the job.
AIDEA is a public corporation of the State of Alaska, created in 1967 by the Alaska Legislature “in the interests of promoting the health, security, and general welfare of all the people of the state, and a public purpose, to increase job opportunities and otherwise to encourage the economic growth of the state, including the development of its natural resources, through the establishment and expansion of manufacturing, industrial, energy, export, small business, and business enterprises…”
AIDEA serves as the state’s development financing authority, a funding resource in partnership with other financial institutions, economic development groups and guarantee agencies.
“On April 9, AIDEA launched its new AK SAFE Guaranty Program. In collaboration with Alaska’s financial institutions, the Authority will provide —loan guarantees up to $1 million per borrower— (emphasis added) for Alaska businesses impacted by the COVID-19 economic crisis.”*
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The Anchorage Chamber of Commerce did not indicate whether a robust audit and compliance mechanism protects the state treasury from a scheme that seems highly vulnerable to cronyism, fraud, and kickback.
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Alaska’s Lobbyist Directory shows the lobbyist half of Alaska’s lobbyist-legislator team includes five lobbyists specializing in AIDEA issues, working for the same company.
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No wrongdoing is implied. However in context with the epic waste, fraud, and abuse that’s culminated in a so-called “budget crisis”, it seems reasonable to ask whether Boutin’s departure indicates yet another sordid chapter is in the making.
*(From https://business.anchoragechamber.org/news/details/aidea-actions-on-covid-19-crisis-draw-high-volume-response)
That is an amazing headshot.
Good deal, now eliminate the thing. While you are at it dissolve the AGIA as well. Another 9 million dollar hole in the ground to throw money into. And take back the 30 million they just gave that Ambler road idiocy that will never be anything but another money pit. Things are about to get real around here with regards to money being available for stupid ideas, so better start cleaning house now.
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