Click here to view a PDF of the press release in a new tab. For Immediate Release April 1, 2020 Contact: Melodie Wilterdink (410) 725-9079 Melodie@AlaskaPolicyForum.org A RECOVERY AGENDA FOR ALASKA […]
Alaska Has the Highest per-Person Spending on Health Care
By Bonner R. Cohen This article was originally published by The Heartland Institute on March 11, 2020. Average annual health care spending for people with employer-sponsored insurance rose to an all-time high in […]
Innovation, Information, and Ingenuity Can Fight COVID-19
By Grace-Marie Turner This article was originally published by the Galen Institute on March 20, 2020. The coronavirus crisis has, in a few short months, reshaped our lives, the world economy, and our […]
Recovery Agenda for Alaska
Alaska Policy Forum commends Alaska policymakers for taking quick action in response to the unprecedented COVID-19 emergency. We applaud the extension of the tax filing deadline, expanding distance delivery and virtual schools, emergency […]
Plastic Bag Bans Put Workers and Consumers at Risk during Pandemic
At the time of this writing, the cumulative number of cases of COVID-19 in Alaska had reached 59, and the first signs of community transmission are being seen. Given the seriousness of the […]
Flattening the Coronavirus Curve Shouldn’t Be Shouldered Solely by Private Businesses
By Win Gruening This op-ed originally appeared in the Juneau Daily Empire on March 19, 2020. In the space of a few short months, our world has been abruptly upended. On March 11, the […]
Alaska Should Consider Changing Its Kindergarten-Start Birthdate Policy
It is time for Alaska to consider a June 1 kindergarten birthdate rule. Most Alaskan students are not showing up for kindergarten fully ready for school. That is especially true for the very […]
Press Release: Alaska Workers Sue State, Union After Being Forced to Pay Union Dues
Click here to open the press release as a PDF in a new tab. Contact: Melodie Wilterdink, (410) 725-9079, Melodie@AlaskaPolicyForum.org Contact: Kristen Williamson, (773) 809-4403, Media@LibertyJusticeCenter.org For Immediate Release March 12, 2020 ALASKA […]
Creed v. ASEA — Two Alaska Workers Sue the State and ASEA over Forced Union Dues Payment
On March 12, 2020, two Alaska state employees filed a lawsuit against the state and the Alaska State Employee Association for forcing them to pay union dues against their will. In fall 2019, […]
Trouble Leaving Your Union? We Can Help.
The Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME means government workers cannot be required to turn over their pay to a union as a condition of working in public service. Public employees are […]
How Can I Stop Having the Union Take My Pay?
If you are a government worker who is currently having union dues or fees deducted from your pay, you can stop the deduction and keep your pay. The decision to stay in or […]
Government Workers: 6 Things You Should Know About Your Rights
If you work for a local, state, or federal government entity – a state agency, public school district, city hall, or another government body – you have the right to decide whether you […]
Top 10 Myths and Misconceptions Surrounding The Alaska Reads Act
By Bob Griffin Myth 1: ALL research indicates students should ALWAYS be socially promoted, even if they are far below expected proficiency in reading in 3rd grade. Reality: Figure 1 lists 14 studies […]
Press Release: Constitutional Spending Limits Can Work, But Alaska’s Does Not
Please see below the press release for APF’s policy brief, “Tax and Expenditure Limits: A 50-State Comparison.” Read the brief here. Click here to open the PDF in a new tab.
Tax and Expenditure Limits: A 50-State Comparison
Click here to open the PDF in a new tab. Click here to download the Excel file of figures and tables. State Policy Decisions Affect State Competitiveness Over the past decade, Alaska has lost […]
Financial Transparency Requirements for Union Intermediate Bodies
The following comments were submitted to Regulations.gov on February 18, 2020. The Department of Labor should subject union intermediate bodies which are composed of only public employees to the same financial transparency requirements […]