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.
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On April 1, 2020, Commonwealth North hosted a debate “How Permanent is Permanent?” between Ralph Townsend (ISER Director) and Craig Richards (chair of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation Board of Trustees and former Alaska Attorney General.) Because of the COVID-19 restrictions on meetings, the debate was conducted via Zoom.
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Two emeriti ISER directors, Scott Goldsmith and Gunnar Knapp, debated how best to manage the Permanent Fund at a Commonwealth North lunch at the Petroleum Club on November 8, 2019. The specific resolution for the debate was: “Resolved: The Alaska Constitution should be amended to specify that the Permanent Fund should be managed as an endowment, with a limited and sustainable annual distribution.” Under the format of the debate, a coin was flipped at the beginning of the debate to determine which side each debater would defend.
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Director of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) and Professor of Economics, Dr. Ralph Townsend, will participate in an upcoming debate with ISER’s former director and Professor Emeritus of Economics, Dr. Gunnar Knapp. Moderated by another former director of ISER and Professor Emeritus of Economics, Dr. Scott Goldsmith, the discussion will focus on whether the Permanent Fund Dividend should be constitutionally structured as an endowment and what that would mean to Alaska’s finances and dividend program going forward.
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Updated on June 27, 2014
On Friday, June 27, Scott Goldsmith, professor emeritus of economics at ISER, will host a technical workshop, open to the public, to discuss the model used in his recent analysis (pdf, 2.6MB) of future revenues under the state’s old method of taxing oil production, called ACES, and the new method that went into effect in January, known as SB21 or MAPA.
When: Friday, June 27, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: UAA Consortium Library, Room 307. Parking is free on UAA campus this week.
Available for download:
Analysis (pdf, 2.6MB)
Analysis model (.xlsx, 234KB)
Presentation - May 1, 2014 (pdf, 3.95MB) to the Resource Development Council
Presentation - June 25, 2014 (pdf, 3.45MB) to Commonwealth North
If you are planning on attending the workshop, please RSVP by calling (907) 786-7710 so we know how many to expect.
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A presentation by Scott Goldsmith, professor emeritus of economics at ISER, to Commonwealth North, examining whether the state government is saving enough of its petroleum wealth to sustain economic prosperity into the future—and if the state isn't saving enough, how it could.
Download the PDF (3.5MB)