NEA: Poor kids can’t learn

If we would have only known that it was so easy to improve student education by doing away with poverty. Maybe it’s time to resurrect President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty to solve our country’s education dilemma. Well, the National Education Association (NEA)  believes that education reform should be put on the back burner until [...]

Will Fire Island Wind Farm Affect People and Beluga Whales?

Construction has begun on the Fire Island wind farm which will provide a small amount of electrical energy at substantially higher prices for Chugach Energy Association customers. Some of the wind turbines, which were built in China by General Electric,  have already arrived for delivery to the Island. There are many questions when it comes [...]

Resettlement Camps Lead to Better Schools

Jonathan Rothwell at the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institute has completed a study to document the cost of housing and its relationship to school performance. It makes a difficult read. To describe it as ludicrous would be putting it very gently. Mr. Rothwell blames the lack of high performing schools on poor housing [...]

Should Alaska Measure Results of Tax Incentives When it Gives Them?

Many states give tax incentives to industries and companies to entice them to move to their state and hire locally and invest in their state. For example, there was much talk about film industry tax credits during the last legislative session. Many of these discussions centered around what do they bring to the state, how [...]

Alaska Preschool Spending: Does It Work?

The Alaska Legislature is considering whether to spend the funds to set up preschool. We interviewed Lisa Snell from the Reason Foundation to find out what studies show about the results of preschool when attempted in other states. Should Alaska Create a New Program for Preschool? (2.8MB)

Should Alaska Adopt a Federal Curriculum?

The Anchorage School Board voted to adopt what are known as Common Core Standards which lays the groundwork for a national curriculum.

Obamacare Exchanges Are a Poor Fiscal Decision

Health Insurance Exchanges are a bad idea, and Alaska should refuse to set one up. Alaska Policy Forum’s Jeremy Thompson and David Boyle interview Cato Institute’s Michael Cannon who explains why.

Quick Answers on Obamacare

Michael Cannon concisely answers several questions about the new federal health care law.

Knik Arm Bridge–State as Last Sucker?

by: Jamie Kenworthy

There may be no better Alaskan example of a big spending government project misrepresented as a “public-private partnership” than the Knik Arm Bridge, Alaska’s second and only surviving “Bridge to Nowhere”. This study examines the financial aspects of the Bridge project and looks at the long term financial impact to the State of Alaska.

Base Closures Regardless of Congress’ Approval

(Government Executive News) In testimony before Congress, the Department of Defense has stated that it will have to close bases to accomodate the sharp cuts in the defense budget. The Obama Administration has requested a new round of Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) processes. Even if Congress does not establish a new BRAC, the DOD [...]

Now Available: Ben Chavis DVD

Get your copy of Dr. Ben Chavis’ talk in Anchorage.

What is School Choice?

What might school choice look like for Alaska?

Alaska Health Care Exchange – Pros and Cons

APF explores some responses from people who may favor of the State of Alaska building an Obamacare Exchange.

How the governor can protect Alaskans from federal overreach on healthcare

How can the state stop the federal government from imposing penalties on private businesses, health plans, churches, and religious groups for refusing to pay for services that violate their conscience?

Should Zip Codes Determine Destiny?

Michelle Bernard, an African-American believes that school choice is today’s civil rights issue. Ms. Bernard notes that school choice is not a Democrat or Republican issue; it is primarily a white movement from which the primary beneficiaries are the poor, Hispanic and African-American children. She notes that if parents actually had the choice to choose [...]

Closing of Worst Schools in Chicago Stymied-Discrimination?

A very interesting thing is happening in Rahm Emmanuel’s Chicago. The Chicago Public Schools leaders are trying to close and overhaul 17 of the city’s failing schools. However, the Chicago Teachers Union is fighting this effort to improve education for minority students by filing a lawsuit to prevent the CPS action. Why would union leaders [...]