By SEN. ROBB MYERS
In recent weeks, committees in the Alaska Legislature have been hearing some critical bills from the Senate Republican caucus, particularly those tied to fiscal policy, and we’re hopeful to keep the momentum going. As we push forward, we must not lose sight of why these measures matter. This isn’t just about stretching dollars or getting the most bang for our buck—though fiscal responsibility is key. It’s about something bigger: the health of Alaska’s private economy, which extends far beyond the walls of the Capitol.
Our state has faced its share of economic turbulence in recent years—Covid, volatility in the oil industry, and more. Yet these ups and downs mask a deeper, more persistent problem. Alaska’s job market peaked in 2012 and has been sliding ever since. Our state’s GDP peaked then as well. Yes, we’ve seen some modest job growth recently, but too many of those positions are filled by out-of-state workers. Why? We’re failing to build an economy that gives Alaskans enough hope to stay, invest, and raise families here.
A chance encounter a few weeks before Christmas drove this home for me. Driving south from Prudhoe Bay, I stopped to help a man with his truck on the Haul Road. His rig had Montana listed as home, and I asked what brought him so far north. He told me he’d lived here for most of his life, driving that same road for 20 years, until 2020 hit. Between Covid and the state’s economic struggles, he left for Montana.
Now he’s back temporarily, lured by good pay, but he’s not staying. His wife and kids remain down south. He doesn’t see a long-term future here—and that’s the crux of our problem. We don’t give either people or business hope that Alaska is anything more than a short-term bet.
Alaska’s government spending lies at the heart of this challenge. We’ve got to get a handle on our spending. Any one piece of spending is easily justifiable, whether it’s education, Medicaid, or capital projects. But the problem is that the aggregate is overburdening us. We are going to have to start prioritizing our spending based on the results in the rest of the economy–not just prioritizing our spending based on what is popular politically at the time.
This raises tough but necessary questions: How do we measure the success of our spending’s impact on the economy rather than just by how much we pour in? What signals are we sending to businesses considering investment here—are we partners or predators waiting to pounce when the state’s coffers run dry?
Talk of “new revenue” is swirling, but let’s be clear: That’s a tax, plain and simple, pulling more from an already strained private sector. If we don’t refocus on fostering a thriving private economy, there won’t be anything left to tax. We’ve spent a decade talking about the importance of maintaining government services. What’s the point of services if we have no one left to serve?
The stakes are high. People are leaving Alaska, and government services mean little if there’s no population to benefit from them. To secure Alaska’s future, we must prioritize results over rhetoric, economic vitality over short-term wins. The private sector isn’t just a resource to tap—it’s the foundation of our prosperity. Let’s start acting like it.
Senator Myers represents Alaska Senate District Q, which includes Chatanika, Fox, Two Rivers, North Pole, Eielson Air Force Base, Salcha, Anderson, Clear, Cantwell and Healy.
