Gov. Bill Walker is planning to analyze three big state-owned corporations with an eye toward combining some of their operations or even consolidating them.
On Thursday morning, Walker held a press conference to announce that the state will begin considering whether to merge aspects of the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation and the Alaska Energy Authority.
“At the end of the process, we can’t say what it’s going to look like with the three agencies,” he said.
Walker said the state’s goal is to find efficiency and determine whether the state-backed corporations could be doing more to support economic development.
“Alaska does not need to be an economic downturn, and as governor of this state, I will do everything in my power to ensure that does not happen,” the governor said.
The state study begun by Thursday’s executive order is expected to be complete in time for next year’s session of the Alaska Legislature.
In a press conference Thursday morning, Rep. Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski and Speaker of the House, said that in conversations with the governor, “the governor did ask for probably half a million dollars” to conduct the study.
“We’re willing to work with the administration on that,” he said.
Both the governor and Chenault said that if the study did find a merger warranted, it would require legislative approval.
The governor’s order follows a suggestion from some legislators that the state consider a merger between the AEA and AIDEA. The suggestion was contained within the budget for the Alaska Department of Commerce and overseen by Rep. Lance Pruitt, R-Anchorage, who was enthusiastic about the governor’s idea on Thursday.
“I actually applaud him for following what the Legislature has indicated with our intent language,” Pruitt said. “Right now, we should be thinking about government differently.”
• Contact reporter James Brooks at james.k.brooks@juneauempire.com.
