Dunleavy leaders stonewall on ‘honest’ budget analysis

It appears the Dunleavy budget plan is to stonewall the Legislature as long as possible on the economic impacts of his devastating budget plan, while surrogates spout anti-government ideology and call it good.

Dermot ColeMarch 7, 2019 Comments

The economics of Alaska political turkeys

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s claim that he intends to cut the University of Alaska budget only 17 percent instead of 41 percent is utter, total, complete nonsense. The governor and his press secretary should know better than to selectively massage numbers.

By Terrence Cole

Dermot ColeMarch 7, 2019 Comments

Governor's office skips budget analysis, opting for economics doubletalk

The battle comes down to this: Dunleavy wants to pay hundreds of millions more in Permanent Fund dividends and he doesn’t want any tax increases or new taxes. What he wants to do is cut a wide array of state and local services and claim he has no choice. That’s not true. He has made the wrong choices.

Dermot ColeMarch 6, 2019 Comments

UA President says Dunleavy budget cut would mean end of 1,500 faculty, staff jobs

“With a $134 million cut, UA would have no choice but to immediately eliminate academic programs mid-stream, along with about 1,500 faculty and staff that support students in those programs,” UA President Jim Johnsen said.

Dermot ColeMarch 6, 2019 Comments

Dunleavy spams University of Alaska staff, students with same-old budget spin

Dunleavy has no explanation for the massive cut, other than the same weak excuse given for every budget cut from the ferry system to public broadcasting and health care—the state has no money and he opposes taxes.

Dermot ColeMarch 5, 2019 Comments

Trump's unhinged ANWR story again contradicts Sen. Dan Sullivan's version of reality

On Saturday, Trump returned to another version of the ANWR creation story at the Conservative Political Action Conference in a two-hour talk-a-thon. Any poor man who gave that performance on a street corner would be hustled off to counseling.

Dermot ColeMarch 5, 2019Comment

State officials peddle false statistics on state education funding

The false claim fits the unfortunate pattern of the Dunleavy administration in misusing statistics to promote its radical attack on K-12 public schools and the University of Alaska.

Dermot ColeMarch 4, 2019 Comments

SB 21 was oversold by proponents who went far beyond saying 'decline rate will decrease'

The new argument from Republican mouthpiece Suzanne Downing, which echoes what economist Ed King of the Dunleavy administration has said before, is that North Slope oil production is increasing even though it is decreasing. So oil is down, but it’s up, a Jedi mind trick.

Dermot ColeMarch 3, 2019 Comments

The heartless poison pen letter to Pioneer Home residents about charging $15,000 a month

Gov. Mike Dunleavy should cease and desist with his plan to start charging some Pioneer Home residents $15,000 a month. The regulations now in the works for this bone-headed move should be canceled by the governor.

Dermot ColeMarch 2, 2019 Comments

Matherly makes a mistake by vetoing anti-discrimination ordinance

I think it was a bad move by Fairbanks Mayor Jim Matherly, made with one eye on his re-election campaign.

Dermot ColeMarch 1, 2019 Comments