Economy / Fiscal Policy

In November 2025, Mayor Suzanne LaFrance briefly introduced a 3% sales tax proposal to the Anchorage Assembly.  ISER researchers examined the implications and outcomes of the proposal, identifying several key conclusions:

Resource industries like oil and fishing are characterized by boom-and-bust cycles – there are “good years” and “bad years.” In communities that are highly connected to a particular resource, these economic shocks are foregrounded in the public attention. But how well does news coverage of the shocks reflect the actual health of the economy?

ISER faculty have published results from their study of Alaska’s construction workforce. Commissioned by the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, the report examines Alaska’s workforce in nine priority construction occupations, including laborers, carpenters, electricians, and truck drivers.

Researchers from the UAA Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) discussed Alaska’s fiscal options on Zoom on Wednesday, Feb. 4.

Any fiscal option adopted by the state will have short- and long-term economic effects. ISER researchers hosted an event in Juneau to explain how various budget decisions may impact Alaska wages, employment, and outcomes by demographic. The presentation built from ISER’s recent evaluation of 11 primary fiscal options, along with three variations, that assessed the economic impacts of various budget options for Alaska.

On May 1, 2025, Commonwealth North, ISER, and Build Alaska’s Future co-hosted a virtual economic forum featuring ISER economists discussing Alaska’s economic trajectory in light of federal policy changes by the current administration. Titled “How Shifting Federal Dollars Impact Alaska’s Economy,” the event underscored the state’s heavy reliance on federal funds, the growing role of the Alaska Permanent Fund in state revenue, and the challenges posed by ongoing federal policy shifts. After opening remarks by Dr. Scott Goldsmith, former ISER Director and economist, Drs.

What happens in D.C. doesn’t stay in D.C. — it directly affects Alaska’s economy.
Join us for a fast-paced and fascinating Economic Forum that dives into the outsized impact of shifting federal dollars on Alaska’s economy. From workforce and infrastructure to natural resources and supply chains, hear from the experts tracking how federal spending affects every corner of the state. Whether you’re in the public sector, private industry, or simply passionate about Alaska’s future — this is the event for you.

AACA Testifies to the Alaska House Transportation Committee

The Executive Director of the AACA, Will Day, collaborated with Troy LaRue, Director of Alaska’s Statewide Aviation Division of the DOT, Dan Knesek from Grant Aviation, and Dr. Mike Jones of UAA’s Institute of Social and Economic Research. Together, they informed Alaska’s House Transportation Committee about the effects of unreliable AWOS and ASOS systems throughout the state.

Taxes for higher-income Anchorage residents would increase more than taxes for middle- and lower-income residents under a municipal sales tax initiative proposed by a coalition of Anchorage business and civic leaders. However, middle-income residents would pay three times the percentage of income as higher-income residents, and only one-fourth of the percentage paid by lower-income residents.