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House Democrats pass operating budget, governor expected to veto education spending package

Suzanne Downing
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8
House Democrats pass operating budget, governor expected to veto education spending package

The Alaska House of Representatives narrowly passed the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) operating budget today in a 21-19 vote, advancing a nearly $13 billion spending plan, considering all funds. The vote was along caucus lines, with the Democrat-led majority prevailing, 21-19.

The budget, which must go through the Senate committee and floor processes, is higher than the current fiscal year’s budget, which is $12.2 billion.

There is not enough projected revenue to cover the entire spending plan at this point in the process, as it is about $70 million in the red.

The budget includes:

  • $6.167 billion in Unrestricted General Funds, while last year’s budget had $5.0 billion in UGF spending
  • $1.004 billion in Designated General Funds
  • $1.976 billion from other state funds
  • $3.832 billion in federal receipts
  • Total: $12.979 billion

To compare to 2012’s $13 billion budget, in that year the Unrestricted General Funds were $7.3 billion, while this year they are $6.167 billion. But 2012 was the highest budget in Alaska history. In 2018, the UGF was $4.7 billion and in 2024, it was $5.2 billion, and in 2025 it was $5.0 billion. Thus, this budget version is significantly higher than in recent years.

A supermajority vote (30 of 40 House members and 15 of 20 Senate members) is required to access the Constitutional Budget Reserve, and previous attempts to secure such votes have faced challenges. The Constitutional Budget Reserve contains about $2.84 billion.

A number of additions to the budget were added during the amendment process and those will likely be trimmed back by the Senate.

One of the most significant components of the budget is a $1,000 per-student increase to the Base Student Allocation, the formula used to fund public K-12 schools, along with additional funding for school transportation. That added $86 million to the budget and would also add that amount every year going forward. Gov. Mike Dunleavy is expected to announce a veto of the BSA increase during a Thursday press conference.

Other notable funding priorities include:

  • Public Safety: Funding for five new Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) positions.
  • Senior Support: $3 million for senior centers, plus funding for adult day services and respite care.
  • Child and Family Programs: $7.7 million for child care assistance, $5.7 million for early intervention and infant learning, and $5.5 million for child advocacy centers.
  • Transportation: $10 million in backstop funds to stabilize the Alaska Marine Highway System, supporting coastal communities’ connectivity.
  • Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD): A $950 million appropriation to support an estimated $1,400 PFD per Alaskan, with additional relief contingent on oil prices exceeding $73 per barrel. It is currently under $68 a barrel. This is one-quarter of what Alaskans are entitled to by statute, but the Legislature has not followed the statute since 2017, the year after Gov. Bill Walker vetoed half of the Permanent Fund dividend.
  • Salary increases: $17.7 million for state employee salary adjustments.

The spending plan that passed the House does not make substantial cuts to overall state spending. Several members of the House’s Republican minority caucus expressed concern about long-term fiscal sustainability during floor debate.

The bill now heads to the Alaska Senate, where further changes may be made before it reaches the governor’s desk.

On Tuesday, the Senate passed a lean $162 million capital budget, which will allow the state to bring in another $2.5 billion in federal funds for roads, construction, and other big projects.

DOGE Alaska: State union demands will drive costs

Obama-appointed judge says Trump will probably be held in contempt of court

Suzanne Downing
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27
Obama-appointed judge says Trump will probably be held in contempt of court

US District Court Judge James Boasberg has issued an order stating that he has found probable cause to hold members of the Trump administration in criminal contempt for their failure to comply with his earlier directive to halt deportation flights to El Salvador.

The judge’s order stems from his March 15 ruling in which he issued a temporary restraining order blocking the removal of at least 261 individuals alleged to be members of the Tren de Aragua gang.

The deportations were being carried out under the Alien Enemies Act, which allows for the removal of foreign nationals deemed a threat during times of conflict.

Boasberg said Trump officials did not follow his order to turn flights around and return deportees who were already en route or had been removed in violation of the restraining order.

The White House said it will appeal the judge’s decision.

No timeline has yet been announced for the appeal or any potential hearings on the contempt finding.

The judge wrote: At this point in the contempt inquiry, however ,the information at issue is not necessary to proceed, so the Court will not resolve whether the invocation is warranted. Reynolds 345 U.S. at 11 (“necessity” of information “determine[s] how far the court should probe in satisfying itself that the occasion for invoking the pivilege is appropriate”). But if the information turns out to be necessary later in these proceedings. the Court may revisit the invocation,” Boasberg wrote.

“For the foregoing reasons, the Court will find probable cause that Defendants‘ actions constitute contempt. It will provide them an opportunity to purge such contempt. If they opt not to do so, the Court will proceed to identify the contemnor(s) and refer the matter for prosecution. A separate Order so stating will be issued this day,” he concluded.

Congressman Begich back in Kodiak for all things space and sea

Suzanne Downing
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3
Congressman Begich back in Kodiak for all things space and sea

Congressman Nick Begich visited Kodiak this week for a series of high-profile engagements focused on Alaska’s strategic importance in defense, fisheries, and aerospace.

Congressman Begich is a member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. In Kodiak, he toured the Pacific Space Complex Alaska, and was briefed on the facility’s launch capabilities and its growing role in both national security and commercial space operations.

In the Trump Administration, space travel and rockets are getting more focus. Private companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Rocket Lab are driving innovation with reusable rockets, commercial launches, and plans for lunar and Mars missions. NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the Moon by 2026. Billion-dollar investments, growing satellite markets, and public interest in space tourism are fueling the trend. X posts and web data show a surge in discussions about launches, with SpaceX’s Starship tests and Axiom Space’s private astronaut missions trending recently.

The global space economy is projected to hit $1 trillion by 2040, reflecting the growing interest, and all of this could be important for the Pacific Space Complex Alaska, the only FAA-licensed orbital vertical rocket launch site in Alaska and one of only four in the United States.

Its unique economic model, operating without state or federal funds for operations and maintenance since 2015, aligns with the private space sector’s growth.

Begich spent time at US Coast Guard Base Kodiak, meeting with leadership from USCG’s District 17, an area of responsibility that ranks among the largest in the nation.

Congressman Nick Begich tours the Coast Guard Cutter Alex Haley in Kodiak.

Discussions focused on mission success, maritime safety, and the operational challenges unique to Arctic and remote environments.

Begich, who also serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, toured the newly-commissioned Fast Response Cutter USCGC Witherspoon, and received an operational overview with personnel from Air Station Kodiak, which plays a critical role in regional search and rescue missions.

Congressman Nick Begich aboard the USCG Cutter Witherspoon.

In addition to his defense-focused stops, Congressman Begich participated in ComFish 2025, Alaska’s largest commercial fishing trade show. He gave the participants an update on federal support in maintaining sustainable practices, protecting fish stocks, and improving infrastructure in coastal communities. Approximately 40% of the Kodiak region is employed through the fishing industry, either in the fishing fleets or in processing.

The visit highlighted Congressman Begich’s focus on advocating for Alaska’s distinct priorities on the national stage, whether it’s aerospace, strengthening military readiness, or the state’s vital fisheries.

Furie gets jack-up rig into position at Kitchen Lights Unit for ambitious natural gas drilling program

Suzanne Downing
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5
Furie gets jack-up rig into position at Kitchen Lights Unit for ambitious natural gas drilling program

Furie Operating Alaska announced the launch of the $40 million in-field natural gas development program aimed at increasing gas production in Cook Inlet. The Spartan 151 jack-up rig left the rig tenders dock in Nikiski, and is now at the Julius R platform in the Kitchen Lights Unit.

John Hendrix, President and CEO of Furie, spoke to the importance of this initiative for Alaskans.

“Today is the continuation of our commitment to Alaskans,” Hendrix said. “We are embarking on a $40 million in-field gas development program that will demonstrate that Alaskans can drill and produce more gas out of Cook Inlet. Alaska became a state because of Cook Inlet oil and gas! Furie will drill and bring on more gas this drilling season to meet the critical needs of our fellow Alaskan customers.”

Furie’s program comes amid growing demand for locally sourced energy. Hendrix said the company is responding to that call with a long-term development strategy that leverages both state support and Furie’s expanding infrastructure.

In March, Furie doubled the number of wells that can be drilled from the Julius R platform by adding more well slots than initially planned. This expansion is part of a multi-year development roadmap made possible through support from the State of Alaska, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority.

As a result of recent efforts, Furie increased its share of Cook Inlet’s natural gas production from approximately 5% in December 2024 to 7.5% in February 2025, marking a 50% rise in contribution.

Since entering Cook Inlet, Furie has invested more than $900 million in regional development, including the construction of the newest offshore gas production platform.

Furie Operating Alaska is the only 100% Alaskan-owned oil and gas production company in the state. Alongside its parent company, HEX Cook Inlet, LLC, Furie is headquartered in Anchorage. Hendrix was raised in Homer and received his civil engineering degree from the University of Tennessee. In 2020, he founded HEX and purchased Furie. 

Anchorage election participation sags to lowest level since before mail-in elections were implemented

Suzanne Downing
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11
Anchorage election participation sags to lowest level since before mail-in elections were implemented

Since the implementation of mail-in elections in Anchorage, voter turnout has steadily declined.

In the most recent April 1 municipal election, turnout dropped once again, with just 23,209 ballots cast — representing only 25.33% of registered voters.

The Anchorage Assembly adopted the mail-in and drop-box voting system in 2017 without putting the decision to a public vote. That year, turnout was 24%, with approximately 49,000 ballots cast out of an estimated 204,167 registered voters. The first mail-in election was held in 2018.

Here’s what turnout has looked like since the shift to mail-in voting in Alaska’s largest city:

Some spikes in voter turnout can be attributed to specific elections. In 2018, the race between mayoral candidates Ethan Berkowitz and Amy Demboski drew higher participation. In 2021, public frustration with the Berkowitz Administration’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic — as well as the Anchorage Assembly’s response — also drove more voters to the polls.

However, this year’s turnout barely surpassed levels seen before mail-in voting was adopted, raising further questions about the effectiveness of the system.

When the Assembly approved the mail-in voting model, it claimed the new approach would increase voter participation. So far, that promise has not been fulfilled in any remarkable way.

In addition to lower-than-expected turnout, the mail-in voting system has brought significantly higher costs for Anchorage taxpayers. The first vote-by-mail election in 2018 cost roughly $1 million — more than double the cost of traditional polling place elections. By comparison, the 2015 and 2016 mayoral elections cost about $451,000 each, while the 2017 election cost around $614,000.

The municipality also made a one-time investment of $1.2 million for equipment and infrastructure, including a high-tech mail sorter and upgrades to a new election headquarters. Ongoing expenses, such as printing, postage, and facility rental, continue to add to the overall cost.

The Anchorage Assembly is scheduled to certify the results of the April 1 regular election at its meeting on Tuesday, April 22, beginning at 5 pm in the Assembly Chambers at the Loussac Library.

Randy Ruedrich: Just say ‘no’ to statewide mail-in elections for Alaska, as envisioned by Senate Bill 64


 

Randy Ruedrich: Just say ‘no’ to statewide mail-in elections for Alaska, as envisioned by Senate Bill 64

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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12
Randy Ruedrich: Just say ‘no’ to statewide mail-in elections for Alaska, as envisioned by Senate Bill 64

By RANDY RUEDRICH

Senate Bill 64 is enabling legislation for future statewide mail-in voting that the Anchorage municipal Democrats have already adopted.  

This legislation paves the way to end in person voting on Election Day.

Ballots would be mailed to every voter currently registered at your residence.

Mail-in voting has been found to create significant voter fraud in other states. The video “2000 Mules” documented thousands of harvested mail-in ballots flowing into drop boxes for the 2020 General Election.

The bill would establish permanent absentee-by-mail ballot distribution, which sends a ballot to the voter’s old temporary address. 

Prior Alaskan experience revealed less than 20% of these ballots were returned by someone, hopefully (but not necessarily) the voter.

The remaining 80% or more of the missing ballots present even more opportunities for fraudulent ballot harvesting. 

The bill also removes the witness signature from the absentee-by-mail ballot envelopes.    

Democrats say the witness signature is inconvenient. Well, so are voter ID, voter registration, and voting itself.

The witness signature affirms the identity of the voter. Removal of this voter identity affirmation clears the way for required voter signature verification, another mail-in voting cornerstone. 

The bill’s “cure” process for Alaska absentee-by-mail ballots is not needed.  

The 2024 ABM ballots statewide and especially from the four western rural districts were high-quality with less than 1.6% defects.   

The cure process advocates argue voters need multiple chances to get their ballot submitted correctly.  

The 2022 Special Primary Election and the prior 2020 Covid-impacted elections are the only examples of voters having witnessing issues.

The 2020 Covid saga created fear for everyone. Getting a witness signature could lead to your death was hype at its finest.

The bill’s drop boxes are a critical part of future vote harvesting and voter fraud in mail-in voting, as noted above.

Without evidence of a reoccurring need, why adopt these changes and huge expenses that go with them?    

The only real reason is to have drop boxes, cure processes and no witness signatures available for thousands of future mail-in voting ballots.

Another major error in SB 64 is the destruction of the Alaska right to vote for those who are are outside of Alaska, by requiring the voter to return to the person’s place of “physical habitation.” There are many people who are out of state for all kinds of reasons — medical, family emergencies, education, or work station. Some of these are military voters.

The Democrats have historically pushed to eliminate military voters from Alaska’s elections.   

Since a military voter cannot claim to return to their prior on base housing when they return to Alaska, they are automatically removed from the voter roll by this bill.   

If a soldier or airman plans to retire to Alaska at the conclusion of his or her career, they do not return to their prior base housing. Hence, the military member’s plan to return is not adequate to maintain voter registration.

This Democrat ploy will eliminate our registered enlisted personnel who have viewed Alaska as their only home during more than decades-long military careers.  

Similarly, when Alaskans leave for education, professional training, or career enhancing experience, the requirement to return to your prior residence is unrealistic. Family size and housing requirements change. To inhibit their Alaska voter registration with this ploy, discourages Alaskans from returning to their home state.

Furthermore, the bill rolls the Alaska Redistricting Board into the Open Meeting Act, which is inappropriate and another key reason to kill the bill, currently known as CSSB 64B.

SB 64 is extremely harmful to Alaskans and Alaskans’ Elections and must not become law.  

Email your legislators and the governor to voice your opposition to SB 64.

A list of legislators is at this link. For senators, the email address style is: [email protected]. For House members, the email address is: [email protected]

Randy Ruedrich is a former chairman of the Alaska Republican Party and is considered one of Alaska’s most knowledgeable elections experts.

Trump signs order to make elections secure again, and it will impact Alaska election laws

Red tape patrol: Trump orders agencies to speed up environmental reviews through modern technology

Suzanne Downing
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6
Red tape patrol: Trump orders agencies to speed up environmental reviews through modern technology

President Donald Trump has issued a directive ordering federal agencies to streamline environmental reviews and permitting processes for energy and infrastructure projects, emphasizing the “maximum use of technology” to reduce delays and improve efficiency.

In a presidential memorandum released Tuesday, the president ordered a shift away from the traditional, paper-heavy approach to environmental reviews conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The change could have important outcomes for projects ranging from energy transmission lines and highways to manufacturing facilities and power plants, which are often bogged down in regulatory bureaucratic processes for decades.

“The Government does not properly leverage technology to effectively and efficiently evaluate environmental permits, causing significant delay to important infrastructure projects that impact our economic well-being,” Trump explained in the memorandum.

The president’s directive encourages agencies to modernize and digitize their review systems, integrating technologies that can streamline data collection, analysis, and public feedback. The move is part of a broader effort by the administration to cut bureaucratic red tape and accelerate the rollout of key infrastructure projects.

Supporters of the initiative say that using modern tools like GIS mapping, data visualization, and online platforms for public comments can make reviews more accessible, accurate, and timely.

The memorandum did not set a specific timeline for implementation, but it calls on agency heads to report progress and outline how they will integrate technology into their review systems.

Trump’s directive aligns with his administration’s ongoing push to overhaul the nation’s infrastructure, a central campaign promise that includes reducing regulatory burdens and increasing private-sector investment.

The details of the directive include:

Federal agencies are directed to make maximum use of technology to:

  • Eliminate paper-based application and review systems.
  • Speed up project processing without compromising the quality of reviews.
  • Shorten and simplify documents while improving public accessibility.
  • Reduce redundant data submissions by applicants.
  • Share analyses across agencies for related permit applications.
  • Improve interagency coordination and eliminate bottlenecks.
  • Increase transparency and predictability in project timelines.
  • Strengthen agency legal defenses for environmental and permitting decisions.
  • Streamline the overall federal review process and support state, local, and tribal decision-making.
  • Maintain a clear, accessible record of permit-related information for potential judicial review.
  • Within 45 days, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), in collaboration with the National Energy Dominance Council, must develop a Permitting Technology Action Plan.
  • The plan will include:
    • Common data and technology standards for permit applications under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
    • Minimum tech requirements for agency systems, such as automated reviews and case management.
    • A roadmap to build a unified interagency digital permitting system.
    • An interagency governance structure to oversee implementation.
    • A timeline for agencies to adopt the new standards.

Agencies will be required to begin implementing the new technology standards within 90 days of the plan’s release.

  • Within 15 days, the CEQ will establish a Permitting Innovation Center to design and test new digital tools to support the action plan.
  • These tools will include case tracking systems, online application portals, automated processes, and data exchange platforms.
  • The General Services Administration’s Technology Transformation Services will support the Innovation Center’s development efforts.

Appeals court upholds federal approval of Alaska LNG exports, rejects environmental challenge

Suzanne Downing
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7
Appeals court upholds federal approval of Alaska LNG exports, rejects environmental challenge

A federal appeals court has rejected a legal challenge from environmental litigation nonprofits seeking to overturn the Biden Administration’s approval of liquefied natural gas exports from the proposed $44 billion Alaska LNG Project.

In a unanimous decision, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the Department of Energy did not violate the National Environmental Policy Act when it approved the exports from the Alaska LNG Project, despite its inability to quantify the project’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.

The ruling affirms DOE’s 2023 decision to greenlight exports to countries without free trade agreements with the United States, marking the culmination of a years-long regulatory journey that began in 2014.

The Alaska LNG Project, proposed by a consortium that includes the State of Alaska, involves constructing a gas treatment plant on Alaska’s North Slope, an 800-mile pipeline crossing the state, and a liquefaction facility on the Kenai Peninsula. From there, natural gas would be shipped by tanker to international markets, primarily for use in power generation.

Gov. Mike Dunleavy has been engaged with numerous leaders in Asia to promote Alaska natural gas.

In 2015, the Department of Energy had conditionally approved exports to non-free trade countries, pending further environmental analysis. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission later conducted an exhaustive review, culminating in a 1,500-page environmental impact statement in 2020.

That review addressed a wide array of ecological and socio-economic factors, including impacts on wetlands, wildlife, permafrost, and even the scenic quality of Denali National Park.

The Sierra Club and Center for Biological Diversity sued the final approval that was issued in April 2023, arguing that the agency misinterpreted the “public interest” requirement under the Natural Gas Act and failed to fully assess the environmental impacts, particularly those related to climate change.

The court rejected those arguments and said that DOE’s reliance on the earlier FERC impact statement, which was already upheld by the DC Circuit in a 2023 decision, was lawful. The judges agreed with the agency’s conclusion that certain analyses, such as estimating emissions from LNG use in foreign countries, would be too speculative to inform regulatory decisions.

The court also noted that DOE’s supplemental 275-page impact review, released in January 2023 to comply with President Biden’s Executive Order 13990, did not indicate any defect in the original environmental review.

“Congress has expressed a preference for natural gas exports, provided domestic supply remains abundant,” the court stated, citing the Natural Gas Act’s presumption in favor of export approvals.

While the environmental litigation industry may pursue additional legal avenues, the court’s ruling presents a significant roadblock. The decision effectively clears another major legal hurdle for one of the most ambitious energy infrastructure projects in US history.

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