This presentation provides an overview of initial findings and the design of a research project that examines the potential for nature based tourism in a range of Southeast Alaska communities.

This presentation discusses how various options for raising additional state revenue would affect Alaska households. We’ll start with a little history about state spending and explain why there is a state budget deficit, often called the “fiscal gap.” Then we’ll briefly describe all the options for dealing with the fiscal gap, but focus the rest of the talk on the big ticket items: using permanent fund earnings and establishing state sales or income taxes.

This presentation is a part of the Understanding Alaska research series. It includes charts and other graphical information on federal spending in Alaska. Key points include defense spending and procurment, civilian industry spending and procurement, and direct payments to individuals (social security, federal retirement, medicare, housing assistance and veterans benefits). This material was presented at the conference on “Improving Delivery of Federal Funding for Alaska Tribal Programs,” May, 5-6, 2003, Anchorage, Alaska

Since 1961… ISER has been enhancing “the well-being of Alaskans and others, through nonpartisan research that helps people understand social and economic systems and supports informed public and private decision-making.” (ISER Mission Statement)

This presentation includes a review of the sources of data, and presents preliminary findings on graduates of initial certification programs in Alaska. It's purpose was to collect feedback on what analyses to add, refine, and revise. Data is presented in a series of charts and graphs with interpretations. We matched teacher program graduation data with Department of Labor data on Permanent Fund Dividend applications – a proxy for Alaska residence. Most people are eligible for a PFD by the time they complete a teacher preparation program here, so we looked at graduates who completed their programs between 2001 and 2003, and PFD applications from 2003 to 2005. Only 10% did not apply for a PFD in 2003,. We expected that number to rise if teachers moved out of state. Teachers who leave Alaska schools but remain in Alaska continue to apply for the PFD; those who don’t apply have probably left the state. By 2005, 16% no longer applied for a PFD and were probably no longer in Alaska. Further information is available in a summary and full report with a similar title.

Alaska’s geography—its location, climate, topography, and resources—have driven Alaska’s economy in the past and define and constrain its opportunities for the future. Alaska has abundant natural resources—oil, minerals, forests, fish. In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, Alaska’s strategic location has contributed to the role of the military and more recently the international air cargo industry. Another Alaska natural resource--its natural beauty—represents an increasingly important natural resource. But Alaska’s remoteness from major markets, cold climate, mountainous topography, and permafrost make Alaska a costly place to extract resources compared with other parts of the world.