ISER Talk: 'Challenges and Choices: Understanding Alaska’s Fiscal Situation,' Jan. 7

Wednesday, Jan. 7, 12-1 p.m. Diplomacy Building, Fifth Floor, Conference Room

Falling oil prices over the past several months have added to the fiscal challenge Alaska's state government already faced: North Slope oil production, which has largely paid for government operations since the 1970s, is less than a third of what it once was. Gunnar Knapp, director of the Institute of Social and Economic Research, and Cliff Groh, chair of Alaska Common Ground, are planning a series of presentations to help Alaskans understand the state's fiscal situation.

Their presentations at ISER will be the first in that series, and they will encourage the audience to ask questions and offer suggestions for improvement. Gunnar Knapp will describe the fiscal situation, providing an overview of the state's revenues, expenditures and savings. Cliff Groh will discuss the challenges that situation poses and outline the options for dealing with them.

Their talks will be shortened, updated versions of some of the presentations from an Oct. 4 forum on Alaska's fiscal future, co-sponsored by Alaska Common Ground and ISER. Videos from that forum are available at akcommonground.org/alaskas-fiscal-future.

The speakers will not advocate for any specific option or course of action, but rather they hope to help set the stage for an informed discussion among Alaskans about the state's fiscal situation, challenges and choices. Please join us.

The Diplomacy Building is located at 4500 Diplomacy Drive, at the corner of Tudor Road and Tudor Centre Drive. Parking is free. Call (907) 786-7710 if you need directions.

Note: Those who can't attend in person can join us remotely over the web or call (907) 786-6755, Conference ID: 475905. A recording of the talk will also be posted on the ISER website (www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu).

January Archive