Economic impact of Dunleavy budget policy

An Alaskan resident for 31 years, I had been visiting Alaska for military and professional reasons since the 1960s. Since 2017, I have been “unretired” and work as an analyst. Governor Dunleavy’s proposed budget alarmed me immediately. I wrote an economic analysis for the Senate Finance Committee within days. I concluded that, after the longest recession in Alaska history, we should not drive it back into recession, or perhaps into a depression. My initial analysis was later confirmed by professional economists.

Governor Dunleavy has been unwilling to work with the legislature which, with great difficulty, overcame many divisions to come up with a reasonable budget incrementally moving us toward a better balance between income and costs. Instead, he issued a record number of vetoes decimating years of hard work from Alaskan leaders and devastating many important institutions. He shows no awareness that a governor is a steward who needs to guard the interests of all Alaskans. His pledge to fund “vital” services was not kept. We dare not wait four years to replace him.

Sincerely yours

Sid Trevethan