Archive for the ‘Fiscal Policy’ Category

Film Tax Credits in Other States-Folly or Not?

We have heard much about Alaska’s film tax credit incentive and whether or not it benefits the State as a whole or only special interests. Forty states offered similar tax credits in 2010. Many of these states have now abandoned these credits because they do not create the promised jobs for their...
November 29th, 2011 | Fiscal Policy, Policy, tax changes | Read More

Do AWWU Plumbers Deserve a Pay Raise?

The Anchorage Assembly voted down the three year nearly 15% increase in wages for plumbers (most at AWWU). Was this the right decision? The average AWWU plumber receives about $109,000 annually in pay and benefits; the average Anchorage non-AWWU plumber gets about $68,000 annually(not including benefits,...
August 31st, 2011 | Collective Bargaining Agreements, Fiscal Policy, Recent News | Read More

Cadillac Benefits For Me, But Not For Thee

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PL111-148), perhaps the most far reaching social and economic legislation since the 1930s. There are many unintended consequences resulting from this 2,400 page document which will impact most Americans....
June 1st, 2011 | Fiscal Policy, Health Care, Recent News | Read More

MOA Grant Funded Payroll Now Available

The Alaska Policy Forum has now made available the payroll data for positions inside MOA that are grant funded. Visit the MOA payroll data homepage and click on the blue block titled “Grant Funded Positions.”
March 23rd, 2011 | Fiscal Policy, Transparency | Read More

Anchorage School District Payroll launched

The Alaska Policy Forum has set up a series of websites for the citizens of Anchorage and MatSu to view the salaries and benefits of civil servants inside local government. The data can be navigated by a clickable flowchart. The goal is to acquaint users with the structure and layout of local government...
March 21st, 2011 | Fiscal Policy, Transparency | Read More

Mat-Su Payroll Portal Launched

Mat-Su Payroll Portal Launched
Anchorage, Alaska – Continuing with its efforts to advance government transparency, the Alaska Policy Forum has launched a new portal which allows citizens in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough to view the salaries of its public employees. Like the previously launched website, the data can be navigated...
March 8th, 2011 | Featured, Fiscal Policy, Recent News, Transparency | Read More

Payroll Database for Anchorage Now Online

Payroll Database for Anchorage Now Online
The Alaska Policy Forum has launched a transparency website for the Municipality of Anchorage payroll. The website allows citizens to view payroll and benefit data for nearly all Municipal employees by navigating an organizational chart. The data provided lists the employee, the position title, bargaining...
February 21st, 2011 | Featured, Fiscal Policy, Recent News, Transparency | Read More

Nevada Governor-Elect seeks to link agency budgets to goals

Gov. Brian Sandoval said he favors switching how Nevada government spends money to a “performance-based” budgeting system in which state agencies must meet pre-set goals and requirements. (Read more…)
January 21st, 2011 | Fiscal Policy | Read More

More Please: Prioritization of Spending Programs

The governor called a press conference after the election to outline his transition process, and to call for input from citizens over the next four years, stating, We want the strongest ideas to emerge – ideas that will take our state forward, create opportunities and strengthen the economy. One thing...
November 8th, 2010 | Fiscal Policy | Read More

Startling state unfunded liabilities

(NCPA) NCPA’s Unfunded Liabilities report takes a sobering look at state pension plans. Alaska’s unfunded liabilities are 42% of the state’s GDP. Read the report <here>
September 24th, 2010 | Fiscal Policy | Read More

America under tax burden

(Heritage Foundation) With Bush-Era tax cuts set to expire and the new health care law ready to start collecting, The Heritage Foundation takes an in-depth look at the general financial health of the country in the coming years. Read the report <here>
September 23rd, 2010 | Fiscal Policy | Read More

$9 million in stimulus propaganda

(CNSNews) Taxpayers have spent over $9 million to advertise work sites for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects. Read the article <here>
September 21st, 2010 | Fiscal Policy | Read More

$2 million per stimulus job in L.A.

(FOX) Los Angeles has released a report on job creation/retention directly related to the recent stimulus package. $111 million dollars has provided only 55 employees with continued employment. Read the article <here>
September 17th, 2010 | Fiscal Policy | Read More

Decadent deficiency: L.A. county schools

(Heritage Foundation) $578 million dollar schools, school districts building when in $640 million dollar deficits, and less than half of students graduating high school sum up L.A. county, a perfect candidate for school choice. Read the article <here>
September 14th, 2010 | Education, Fiscal Policy | Read More

$50 billion for organized labor

(Heritage Foundation) A close look is taken at the outcome of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, pertaining to infrastructure; what it has done, and what it has not. With the proposal of another infrastructure spending spree, costing taxpayers $50 billion, the question of union pandering arises. Read...
September 9th, 2010 | Fiscal Policy | Read More

Audio: The Failed Experiment of Pension Bonding

In 2008, the Alaska Legislature passed House Bill 13, which authorized the selling of bonds (debt) for investment to fill the $10 billion pension gap in PERS/TRS. But Steve Malanga from the Manhattan Institute says pension bonding is an idea that has been attempted in other states with some terrible...
August 31st, 2010 | Fiscal Policy, Recent News | Read More
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