One man in dead in a shootout with Wasilla police.
Alaska State Troopers on Sunday night received a 911 call about a domestic disturbance involving a weapon at a residence in the Settlers Bay area of Wasilla. The call came in at 10:06 pm.
As law enforcement officers from the Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, and Wasilla Police Department were responding – the victims of the disturbance were able to escape the residence and leave the area.
The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Wasilla resident Brett George, put on body armor, armed himself with a rifle, and left the residence in a vehicle, the Alaska Department of Public Safety reported Monday morning.
A Wasilla police officer conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle a short distance away from the residence. The vehicle briefly stopped, and then George fled in the vehicle and a pursuit was under way.
At the intersection of Knik Goose Bay Road and Settlers Bay Drive, George got out of the vehicle and fired at the fully marked Wasilla police car. The Wasilla police officer returned fire, striking George.
George was declared deceased at the scene. The State Medical Examiner’s Office took possession of George’s body, and his next of kin have been notified.
No law enforcement officers or other individuals reported injuries to law enforcement.
The Alaska Bureau of Investigation has assumed case responsibility. They are conducting a thorough investigation into the incident. Once their investigation is completed, it will be independently reviewed by the Alaska Office of Special Prosecutions.
In 2023, George had pled guilty to possession of a firearm while intoxicated.
Alaska’s North Slope is finally booming with activity and Alaska is in the midst of an oil production revitalization. Several veteran and newer industry producers have spent billions on maximizing oil and gas recovery from legacy fields like Prudhoe Bay and on developing new major oil fields to the west such as Willow and Pikka.
In our view, the major reason Alaska is benefiting from these significant investments is that our oil and gas taxation system has remained stable for the past 12 years, giving the producers the tax predictability they need to make investment decisions. They already deal with the fluctuating price of oil, the risk of finding and producing economically viable oil fields, and the challenges of transporting that oil to market.
Why would we send a message to these companies who invest in our state that our tax policy is unstable and not competitive, thus adding to their list of risk factors? That is what SB 112 would do. Raising the production tax, as proposed in SB 112, is the wrong thing to do if we want to continue to encourage more exploration and development.
Alaskans have consistently said no to oil tax increases at the ballot box over the past 11 years. We have responsibly decided that attracting investment requires fair and competitive taxes. We understand that investment in oil production is critical to our economic future.
Our current tax regime is the result of many years of work with detailed analysis by internationally recognized consultants and is working the way it was intended.
Over the next five or so years, new production will bring significant new revenue to state and local governments and maintain the viability of the Trans Alaska pipeline further into the future.
Things are going well for us now, and the last thing we want is to reverse the momentum that got us here!
Please reject SB 112 to avoid the inevitable reduction of oil production and economic losses to our State.
Joe Schierhorn is chairman of Northrim Bank and co-chairman of the Keep Alaska Competitive Coalition. Jim Jansen is chairman of Lynden and co-chairman of the Keep Alaska Competitive Coalition. The Keep Alaska Competitive Coalition is a broad-based group of Alaska Natives, unions, businesses and individuals who care about the economic future of the state and understand that Alaska’s future depends directly or indirectly on the economy created by a vibrant oil industry.
The British Columbia Trucking Association has come out in strong opposition to the provincial government’s Economic Stabilization (Tariff Response) Act, which, among other measures, grants the authority to impose tolls on U.S. commercial vehicles traveling to and from Alaska.
The legislation, introduced by Democrat Party Premier David Eby on March 13, aims to provide the BC government with tools to swiftly counteract economic threats from the United States, including the ability to levy fees on non-Canadian commercial vehicles utilizing provincial infrastructure such as highways.
Ocean transit will not be impacted by the bill, as those modes are federal jurisdiction, Eby said. But the bill does refer to ferries in Part 3, under “Tolls, Fees and Charges,” where it explicitly includes ferries under the “provincial undertaking” definition:
Section 13(b) covers ferries to which the Coastal Ferry Act applies (which includes BC Ferries.)
Section 13(c) includes ferry terminal properties as defined under the Coastal Ferry Act.
In addition, Section 14 grants the Lieutenant Governor of the province the power to establish a system of tolls, fees, or charges for using ferries and ferry terminals. These tolls would be payable to the government, and failure to pay could result in enforcement actions listed in Section 15.
In other words, the bill allows the government to regulate ferry pricing, impose new tolls or fees, and enforce payments related to ferry services in BC.
Alaska Marine Highway System ferries historically have stopped in Prince Rupert, although more so in the past. As of this year, the AMHS has advised that Prince Rupert sailings are canceled for the 2025 schedule due to required emissions upgrades to the ocean-class vessel MV Kennicott that serves the route.
The bill also exempts indigenous people in ways: “For example, it does not allow government to override permitting processes or First Nations consultation. If passed, most of the legislation would take effect upon royal assent,” the government of British Columbia explained.
The trucking association President and CEO Dave Earle cautioned against implementing such tolls, highlighting the potential for retaliatory measures from the US that could adversely affect BC’s economy.
Earle emphasized that while the intent to protect local industries is understandable, the repercussions of provoking a trade dispute might outweigh the intended benefits, according to CTVNEWS.ca. The government says the tariffs will impact about 10,000 commercial trucks going to Alaska annually, which works out to nearly 28 per day.
Premier David Eby has defended his legislation, calling it a necessary response to the “unpredictable and chaotic” threats posed by the President Donald Trump.
Premier David Eby was asked about the possible retaliations by Trump.
“I understand that Alaskans might feel anxious about the idea of an additional charge on trucks going from Washington state to Alaska,” he said to CTVNEWS. “But we need Alaskans to send the message to Donald Trump about how intertwined we are about the connections between our economies, that we built the Alaska Highway together … I hope very much that the elected Republicans in Alaska are sending that message to the president, because you can see very quickly how destructive a trade war is.”
If passed, the bill will allow cabinet to take action to:
Remove or amend barriers that impede interprovincial trade;
Impose tolls/fees on non-Canadian commercial vehicles using the province’s public infrastructure such as highways;
Direct public-sector bodies to ban the use of US suppliers when procuring goods and services; and
Make changes to allow for fast action if trade tensions escalate.
British Columbia has already taken these actions:
Liquor: BC Liquor removed all American products from store shelves and will stop importing it. Red maple leaf labels have been added to Canadian products to show shoppers where the liquor is made.
Procurement: BC government and Crown corporations will buy goods and services from Canada and other countries first, not the United States.
Tesla: Tesla electric vehicle charging products are no longer eligible for CleanBCor BC Hydrorebates unless purchased or received pre-approval before March 12.
Lathrop High School in Fairbanks has been named the state winner for Alaska in Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow contest.
The aim of the program is to foster the use of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to advance societal progress. To that end, Solve for Tomorrow, now in its 15th year, challenges public middle and high school students to leverage STEM as a means of devising innovative solutions to everyday issues.
State winners are awarded a $12,000 prize package, which includes a video kit so that students can document their work.
Students at Lathrop High School are working on a lane guidance system to address the danger of driving on roads covered by heavy snow. If their pitch is successful, they will join nine other national finalists in presenting their project to a panel of judges.
The winners of that round will advance in the competition, at the end of which is a $100,000 prize package.
Previous winners include a team of students from Alabama who developed an easy-to-install, low-cost automatic door opener. Another group from Maryland explored using sargassum, a type of brown seaweed, to create biodegradable products.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in STEM occupations will continue to grow at a fast clip. In fact, an analysis by Adecco, a workforce solutions provider, shows that STEM jobs are growing twice as fast as non-STEM careers. By 2030, there will be more than 11 million open positions in related fields.
Democrat State Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson, known for her hard left politics, wants to create a commission to deal with what she calls the emergency threat of climate change to Alaska.
Her latest bill comes at a time when companies across America are backing away from the climate-scare agenda. BP and Shell, for instance, have scaled back and abandoned some of their renewable energy investments. Other companies have followed.
But Gray-Jackson believes Alaska is in an actual state of climate emergency.
Senate Bill 120 reads: “An Act establishing the Alaska Climate Change Emergency Response Commission. The legislature finds that a state of emergency exists because of the threat climate change poses on communities in the state, the state economy, traditional ways of life, fish and game populations, and natural ecosystems.”
The commission is envisioned as having 15 members, six of whom would be department representatives, and nine from municipalities, including: (1) the commissioner of Fish and Game; (2) the commissioner of Environmental Conservation; (3) the commissioner of Natural Resources; (4) the commissioner of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development; (5) the commissioner of Transportation and Public Facilities; (6) the director of the division in CCED responsible for community and regional affairs.
The governor would appoint nine municipal representatives to the commission. Each municipal representative must be a mayor, or a member of the assembly or council. The governor’s appointees would be required to be from:
(1) Northwest Alaska, including, generally, the area of the North Slope Borough and the Northwest Arctic Borough; (2) Bering Strait area, including the Bering Strait regional educational attendance area; (3) Southwest Alaska, including the area within the Lower Yukon, Lower Kuskokwim, and Southwest regional educational attendance areas and the Lake and Peninsula and Bristol Bay Boroughs; (4) Kodiak-Aleutians area, including the area of the Kodiak Island and Aleutians East Boroughs and the Aleutian, Adak, and Pribilof regional educational attendance areas; (5) Upper Cook Inlet area, including the Municipality of Anchorage and the Matanuska- Susitna Borough; (6) Lower Cook Inlet area, including the area within the Kenai Peninsula Borough; (7) Prince William Sound area, including the area east of the Kenai Peninsula Borough to 141 West longitude; (8) northern Southeast Alaska, including the area southeast of 141 degrees West longitude and north of 57 degrees North latitude and the entirety of the City and Borough of Sitka, (9) southern Southeast Alaska, the remainder not in the northern Southeast delineation.
The commission would apply for federal grants to fight climate change and submit action plans to the governor and legislature. It’s unclear what grants will be available for such a cause, since President Donald Trump is trying to reduce superfluous federal spending.
Climate change alarmism has lost steam despite it being promoted heavily by the legacy media. That promotion of the climate crisis is especially true in Alaska, where dark money funds the Anchorage Daily News and the Alaska Beacon, both which consistently promote climate alarmism and warn Alaskans of eminent dangers to the 49th state.
Most national legacy media outlets also hype the dangers of the changing climate.
But a recent Associated Press poll found only 38% of Americans are willing to pay even as little as $1 per month in higher energy costs to combat climate change. That is down 14 percentage points from 2018. Even among Democrats, only 43 percent would pay $1 per month to combat climate change.
During a campaign rally last year, then Republican candidate Trump signaled a change of course when it came to climate change.
“They never talk about the environment anymore. You know why? It’s one of the greatest scams of all time… people aren’t buying it any more,” said Trump.
Alaska has flirted around the edges with more expensive so-called alternative energy options, such as wind and solar. But those investments were more feasible with heavy subsidies from the federal government under former President Joe Biden. With Trump in charge, expensive alternative energy investment options will make even less sense when compared to more reliable and reasonable fossil fuel.
Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy, like Trump, does not completely buy into the climate-change fear-mongering.
Dunleavy bewildered some conservatives last year when he signed legislation allowing companies to invest in Alaska for carbon capture sequestration. He justified it by saying we might as well make money off of those who believe climate change is man made.
Only five legislators voted against the bill.
Conservative valley Republican Sen. Shelley Hughes voted for the carbon sequestration bill, not as a way to fight climate change, but instead a cash grab for the state.
“I actually do think, right now, it is a scam. I do think it is. And yet, if people are foolish enough to pay us to store carbon, I’m not going to turn them down,” said Hughes. It’s unclear if carbon sequestration as a business model will be sustainable or will cost more to manage than it brings in.
With Dunleavy as governor and Trump as president, even if Gray-Jackson’s Climate Change Emergency Response Commission is formed, it’s unlikely any of its recommendations would be adopted. In two years, however, depending on who is governor after 2026, that could all change. A Democrat governor, such as Mary Peltola, might carry the climate crisis narrative forward.
SB 120 has been referred to Senate State Affairs Committee, chaired by Fairbanks Democrat Sen. Scott Kawasaki. The membership of the committee includes Democrat majority members Sen. Gray-Jackson, Sen. Bill Wielechowski, Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, and Republican minority member Sen. Rob Yundt.
Dan Fagan reports and writes columns for Must Read Alaska. He’s covered Alaska politics for close to 30-years. He currently hosts a morning drive radio talk show on 1020 am 92.5 and 104.5 fm on KVNT. For news tips, email Dan at [email protected]
Alaska Wildlife Troopers reported the remains of two domesticated dogs were found inside crab pots near Thorne Bay, on the eastern shore of Prince of Wales Island, facing Clarence Strait.
According to Alaska State Troopers, wildlife officers from Ketchikan were conducting routine crab pot inspections when they located two pots, each containing the remains of a French bulldog. The dogs, named Whiskey and Yoda, had gone missing on Feb. 13, and their owners had been actively searching for them.
Authorities have not yet determined how the dogs ended up in the crab pots, which were unmarked.The case is under active investigation, and officials urge anyone with information regarding the disappearance of the animals to come forward.
Those with relevant information are encouraged to contact them at 907-826-2291.
Assemblyman Ron Bernier of the Mat-Su Borough Assembly was in favor of Senate Bill 92 and presented a resolution for the Assembly to support it earlier this month.
SB 92, the Yundt Tax, was proposed by Sen. Rob Yundt of Wasilla and was designed to tax just one company — Hilcorp, which does business in Alaska, on the North Slope and in Cook Inlet.
But over the past few days Bernier has changed his mind. In a statement to Must Read Alaska, he wrote:
“I would like to let everyone know, that I will be ammending [sic] the resolution for the support of SB 92 to read , the Mat Su Borough does not support SB92. I was given the impression that this was good for the Alaskan people, and I should have done more home work. As for Rob Yundt. He has supported my legistlation to get rid of voting machines, keep sex offenders a 1000 feet from schools, parks and day cares. He was there when I did a resolution not to use taxpayer funds on abortions, or transgender surguries. Along with a resolution that encourages the Mat Su residents to maintain a firearm and ammunition for self protection and the protection of their community. He helped vote in a $75,000 for gun safty training for Mat-Su residents. He voted for my the Citizens Advisory Board to remove pornograghy from the libraries, He was in support of placing our historical documents in our borough building lobby. These included The Ten Commandments, Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, The Alaska State Constitution. Pledge of Allegiance, Again , we all make mistakes. It is important that we learn from them, Mistakes should refine us and not only define us. I should have prayed on it, before I acted on it. May we always glorify God”
Yundt, after disparaging those Alaskans who opposed his bill, late last week quietly withdrew his name as the prime sponsor of the tax, but immediately, as if on cue, Sen. Cathy Giessel adopted the tax as a committee bill, and thus kept the Yundt Tax alive.
So far, three Republican committees in the Mat-Su Valley have passed resolutions opposing the tax, and it appears the Mat-Su Borough Assembly will do the same.
Meanwhile, Yundt was a no-show at the Republican Lincoln Day Dinner held in his own district on Saturday. The Republican women’s club hosting the event had come out in opposition to his bill.
The next Mat-Su Borough Assembly meeting is on March 18 at the Assembly Chambers, 350 East Dahlia Avenue, Palmer. Meetings start at 6 pm.
The current resolution is: RS 25-028 A Resolution In Support Of Alaska State Senate Bill 92.
The exact wording of the current resolution supporting the tax on Hilcorp can be read at this link. Bernier has not yet posted the new version that opposes the tax.
Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel is offering an ordinance during Tuesday’s Anchorage Assembly meeting that will require the display of the “land acknowledgement” on the wall of the Assembly Chambers.
Already, the Assembly has an ordinance that requires the oral recitation of a “land acknowledgement” statement that says that the non-Natives who live and work in Alaska are colonizers and that there needs to be decolonization in Alaska, and some equity, too. Now that statement will be posted on the wall, too.
In addition, the proposed ordinance would require the American flag and the municipal flag to be posted in the Chambers. It is already done by tradition, but not required by law.
Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel has for years refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of Anchorage Assembly meetings. She is one of the radical members who insisted on the land acknowledgement in 2020, when it started becoming a fixture in the Assembly meetings.
The following is the required acknowledgement that is now recited and would be required to be posted on the wall, presumably in the English language, since the Dena’ina Athabaskan’s had no written language:
“A land acknowledgement is a formal statement recognizing the Indigenous people of a place. It is a public gesture of appreciation for the past and present Indigenous stewardship of the lands that we now occupy. It is an actionable statement that marks our collective movement towards decolonization and equity.
“The Anchorage Assembly would like to acknowledge that we gather today on the traditional lands of the Dena’ina Athabascans. For thousands of years the Dena’ina have been and continue to be the stewards of this land. It is with gratefulness and respect that we recognize the contributions, innovations, and contemporary perspectives of the upper Cook Inlet Dena’ina.”
President Donald Trump has said that no more federal funds may be spent on diversity, equity, and inclusion programming. The land acknowledgement recited by the Assembly is an equity statement, at the very least.
Zaletel, representing midtown Anchorage, is not running for reelection in the April 1 municipal election.
Anchorage Assembly will meet on Tuesday, March 18 in the ground floor auditorium of the Loussac Library on 36th Avenue and Denali Street. The meetings begin at 5:30 pm and this item is later on the agenda, which can be seen here.
Alaska has always stood for independence, resourcefulness, and self-reliance. But today, Alaskans are not in control of their state. Instead, a network of entrenched bureaucracies, corrupt agencies, clueless legislators, and outside special interests dictate how elections are run, how resources are used, and even how Alaskans live their daily lives.
This is controlled by a state budget process which corrupts the Alaskan government with billions of dollars and produces an unnecessary welfare state.
A twisted mockery of justice—where power isn’t earned by integrity but bought with special interest bankrolls. In this upside-down reality, the Golden Rule is rewritten: Those who hold the gold make the rules.
This is not by accident. It is by design.
Washington, D.C., along with state-level bureaucrats, legislators and politically connected organizations, have deliberately built a system that serves their interests—not the interests of Alaskans.
The solution: Dismantle bureaucratic control
To restore accountability, Alaskans must eliminate local, state and federal taxpayer-funded money laundering, strip excessive government power, and return decision-making to the people.
Step 1: Abolish agencies that block energy independence
Alaska is energy rich but remains shackled by federal and state regulations that stifle drilling, mining, and infrastructure projects.
Agencies to dismantle or reform:
Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) – Wastes funds on politically driven green initiatives that fail to lower energy costs.
Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) – Focuses on securing grants rather than delivering real-world energy solutions.
Other agencies to evaluate – Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC), Alaska Department of Natural Resources (ADNR), Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), and Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA).
Solutions:
Ensure permitting decisions are made by elected officials rather than unelected bureaucrats influenced by external agendas.
Limit AEA and ACEP’s influence over regulatory decisions, ensuring they serve as advisory and research bodies rather than gatekeepers of development.
Eliminate state subsidies for politically driven green energy programs that do not provide cost-effective benefits for Alaskans.
Alaska must reclaim control of its energy resources.
Step 2: Defund the election manipulation bureaucracy
The biggest threat to Alaskan democracy isn’t voter fraud—it’s state-controlled election manipulation.
Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) – Fails to prevent dark money while protecting political elites.
Alaska Division of Legislative Audit (DLA) – Selectively shields corruption while targeting political adversaries.
Other agencies to evaluate – Alaska State Legislature, Alaska Judicial System, Department of Public Safety, and Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA).
Solutions:
Ban state agencies from changing election policies without a public vote.
Require full transparency for out-of-state campaign donations.
Pass voter ID laws and enforce strict ballot chain-of-custody rules.
Alaskans—not bureaucrats or special interests—should control elections.
Step 3: Dismantle the education bureaucracy
Alaska’s public education system does not serve students; it serves teachers’ unions and political interests.
Agencies to eismantle or reform:
Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) – Implements federal policies that do not align with Alaskan values.
Alaska State Board of Education – Enforces top-down curriculum mandates.
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) – Adds unnecessary bureaucratic layers to financial aid.
Local School District Administrative Bodies – 54 school districts exist largely for bureaucratic self-preservation.
Alaska Professional Teaching Practices Commission (PTPC) – Abolishing PTPC allows for local teacher oversight and flexibility.
University of Alaska System – Must be audited for financial mismanagement and undue external influence.
Other agencies to evaluate – Alaska State Legislature, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Department of Natural Resources, Housing Finance Corporation, State Council on the Arts, Workforce Investment Board, and Commission for Human Rights.
Solutions:
Pass universal school choice and competitive education, allowing education funds to follow students.
Eliminate bureaucratic mandates, restoring curriculum control to local communities.
Repeal Title 14 and abolish all school districts and replace with the Alaska Education Freedom and Local Control Act which decentralizes education by eliminating bureaucratic oversight, directing funding to parents through Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), expanding school choice, and ensuring curriculum decisions are made at the local level—empowering families, improving educational outcomes, and reducing government waste.
Ban federal education funding with ideological conditions.
Alaska’s schools should teach how to think—not what to think.
Step 4: Reclaim land and resource control
Over 60% of Alaska’s land is federally controlled, and state agencies collaborate with Washington to restrict land use, hunting, and development.
Agencies to Dismantle or Reform:
Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) – Continue to streamline its permitting processes, environmental oversight, and balance development of state lands for the benefit of Alaskans.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) – manage Alaska’s natural resources for the benefit of all Alaskans.
Other Agencies for Evaluation – Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC), Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED), Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA), Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF), Alaska Department of Revenue (DOR), Alaska Department of Administration (DOA), and Alaska Department of Law (DOL).
Solutions:
Pass a Land Sovereignty Act to prevent federal agencies from unilaterally seizing or restricting Alaska’s land and resources without explicit state approval, ending backdoor deals that undermine local control.
Expand private land ownership opportunities to break the bureaucratic stranglehold that keeps vast areas of Alaska locked away from responsible development, resource use, and community growth.
Strip DNR of its ability to enforce federal environmental policies, preventing it from acting as a local enforcer for Washington’s anti-development agenda and restoring its duty to serve Alaskans, not federal regulators.
End bureaucratic stalling and forced dependency by immediately convening meaningful negotiations between Alaska Native communities, sport hunters, and commercial interests—resolving land-use disputes through transparent agreements rather than indefinite delays that serve only to maintain federal and bureaucratic control.
Alaskans—not Washington bureaucrats—should control Alaska’s land.
Step 5: Reform or dismantle Alaska’s health bureaucracy
Alaska’s healthcare system is burdened by inefficiency, regulatory delays, and high costs driven by bureaucratic mismanagement.
Agencies to dismantle or reform:
Alaska Department of Health (DOH) – Fails to control Medicaid costs, creating an unsustainable financial burden.
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (DCCED) – Licensing delays contribute to healthcare provider shortages.
Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority (AMHTA) – Lacks transparency in spending and program effectiveness.
Other agencies to evaluate – Division of Health Care Services (DHCS), Health Facilities Licensing and Certification Unit, Office of Children’s Services (OCS).
Solutions:
Audit and reform Medicaid to prioritize direct patient care over administrative waste.
Streamline licensing to get more doctors and healthcare providers into the system.
Encourage private-sector competition to lower costs and improve services.
Redirect mental health funds to real-time crisis intervention services instead of administrative overhead.
Step 6: Reform or dismantle Alaska’s welfare bureaucracy
Alaska’s welfare system is managed by agencies that fail to efficiently deliver assistance.
Agencies to dismantle or reform:
Alaska Department of Health (DOH) – Administers Medicaid, public health initiatives, and various welfare programs.
Alaska Department of Family and Community Services (DFCS) – Needs oversight for child welfare programs.
Division of Public Assistance (DPA) – Administers financial aid programs like Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP).
Other agencies to evaluate – Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DOLWD), Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Commission on Aging, Mental Health Board, Disabilities & Special Education Council, and Statewide Suicide Prevention Council.
Solutions:
Streamline administrative processes to reduce delays in assistance.
Improve accountability through audits and public reporting.
Shift programs to community-driven initiatives.
Final Step: Restore power to the people
Alaska’s deep-state bureaucracy must be dismantled. Every agency that serves special interests instead of citizens must be reformed or abolished.
The Alaska State Constitution’s Declaration of Rights states:
“All political power is inherent in the people. All government originates with the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the people as a whole.”
The government exists to serve Alaskans—not to rule over them. The time to reclaim Alaska is now.
Michael Tavoliero writes for Must Read Alaska. Stay tuned for Parts II and III of this series, later this week.
