This past week was only the second of the 2016 legislative session, and it was a busy one. With the State of Alaska facing an unprecedented… Continue reading
John Naisbitt, futurist and author of Megatrends, observed that in America’s participatory democracy, “Leadership involves finding a parade and getting in front of it.” Applying… Continue reading
The Alaska Democratic Party might be a little less democratic if party delegates decide to adopt a rule change at their May meeting.A spokesman told… Continue reading
Just as the Empire predicted in its first editorial of 2016, “The Road” has again made headlines.The first salvo of the Juneau Access controversy was… Continue reading
“The budget, the budget and the budget.” That’s how my colleague - Sen. Click Bishop - outlined the Alaska Legislature’s top three priories this year,… Continue reading
This is the second segment of a commentary on Alaska’s fiscal crisis. The first part appeared in Wednesday’s Empire.Gov. Bill Walker in a July 1,… Continue reading
The following editorial first appeared in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner:Gov. Bill Walker didn’t mince words much in this year’s State of the State address, delivered… Continue reading
Editor’s note: This My Turn will run in two parts. The second will publish Thursday, Jan. 28.Gov. Bill Walker’s plan to solve our $3.5 billion… Continue reading
The following editorial first appeared in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: In deciding a lawsuit by the Ketchikan Gateway Borough over required local contributions to schools,… Continue reading
Our state government has been spending close to $5,000 nominally per person more than it brings in through revenues for two fiscal years now. Anyone… Continue reading
The following editorial first appeared in the Peninsula Clarion: Among the bills filed for the legislative session is a measure to prohibit the Alaska Department… Continue reading
When the clock ticks towards midnight on Jan. 31, there’ll be no crowds in New York’s Times Square and families and friends won’t be gathered… Continue reading
Sarah Palin has made me sad. That’s something that I never thought would happen, particularly since I made a small cottage industry of defending her… Continue reading
Senate President Kevin Meyer should look at putting Sens. Pete Kelly and Anna MacKinnon on a shorter leash. The two Senate Finance Committee co-chairs aren’t… Continue reading
In a recent meeting with our lobbyists and legislative delegation, the City and Borough of Juneau Assembly heard more bad economic news. It’s no secret… Continue reading
Change is not for the risk averse. It is scary stuff that takes us out of our comfort zones and into the unknown.It’s also how… Continue reading
Welcome back, members of the Alaska Legislature. We wish you were returning under better circumstances.When the last Legislative session began in January 2015, oil prices… Continue reading
By now, most of you know we have a budget challenge.Over the past two years, Alaska’s oil revenue has plummeted by 88 percent, mainly due… Continue reading
Mentoring. It’s a word we hear nearly every day. It describes a powerful component of our development — our development in education, in sports, in… Continue reading
This newspaper once referred to Gov. Bill Walker as a rogue while endorsing his opponent, Sean Parnell, during the 2014 election. In recent weeks Walker… Continue reading
