Contributed by Bill Walker & Heidi Drygas
With the opportunities Alaska holds, our possibilities are literally endless. It’s time to unleash Alaska’s full potential again and that’s why, as two lifelong Alaskans, we are running for governor and lieutenant governor.
Bill Walker served as Alaska’s 11th Governor (2014-2018) as an Independent and Heidi Drygas served as Alaska’s Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development during Governor Walker’s term. Bill, a former Republican, and Heidi, a former Democrat, are running as Independents, without party labels. The Walker/Drygas team will work for all Alaskans and with leaders across the political spectrum as we strive to rebuild Alaska.
A Strong Economy. This is the number one concern of Alaskans as shown in every poll and in all of our conversations around the state. Alaskans want to feel confident in our future.
But in recent years more people are moving out than moving in, and a sense of uncertainty has many Alaskans nervous. We are challenged by high costs, especially for energy and health care; a shortage of housing and child care; and a lack of economic diversification. Most of all, we are stymied by seesawing state revenue – which means unpredictable impacts on local taxes, education funding, school debt reimbursement, ferry schedules and more.
Fortunately, we have the tools to rebuild our economy. We have abundant natural resources; and we have rich and varied resources valued by the economy of the future – such as clean air, clean water, and renewable energy resources. And we have an $80 billion nest egg: our Permanent Fund, which can help bring the fiscal stability we need to thrive.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. Thanks to the hard work of our Congressional delegation, we have a transformational opportunity to invest billions of dollars to improve infrastructure across Alaska. Eligibility for many of the funds requires action on the state’s part. Our administration will fight for every dollar we can to improve Alaska— from ports to ferries to airports to roads to energy systems. We must not let this once-in-a-lifetime chance pass us by because of the dictates of partisan politics. This is not blue money or red money, by the time it gets to Alaska, it’s all green, and the late great Senator Ted Stevens made no apologies for bringing every green federal dollar possible to Alaska.
Fiscal plan. We will build a durable, honest, and balanced fiscal plan. Alaska has hitched itself to a rollercoaster ride of rising and falling oil prices. This makes it hard to plan. Sometimes promises are broken – the state went back on its promise to repay school construction debt, for example, forcing unanticipated costs onto local communities. Sudden windfalls can be problematic too: projects get funded without proper vetting, or programs are launched that can’t be sustained.
Fiscal planning is key to providing stability, and stability is key to strength. A solid fiscal footing will provide the predictability we need to hire and keep good teachers, retain and attract qualified police officers, and improve and maintain our roads and bridges and ferry system.
In Bill’s first term in office, he successfully reduced Alaska’s financial shortfall by 75% despite historically low oil prices. There is more work to do. Alaska needs a stable fiscal plan developed with common sense, nonpartisan, practical solutions.
Resource Development. Alaska is a resource state. Our constitution includes an obligation to develop our resources for the “maximum benefit of Alaskans.” To us that means that: (1) resource extraction jobs should go to Alaska residents; (2) we don’t create financial incentives where they are not needed; (3) our resources do not get stranded because of access disputes by producers; (4) we have the lowest cost of energy in the nation, not the highest; and (5) we start making products in Alaska rather than paying a premium to get those same products shipped to us.
Alaska also boasts abundant clean water, clean air, unobstructed salmon streams, and renewable resource potential – resources that are becoming increasingly valuable as the world recognizes they are not infinite. With broad vision and innovative thinking, Alaska can lead and thrive in the economy of the future.
Education. People are the foundation of any economy. Our schools need budgets that parents and educators can count on. We must make salaries and benefits for our educators competitive to curb the significant outmigration of teachers. A great education for our children is the greatest resource development investment we can make.
Permanent Fund and the PFD. As oil flow continues to decline, the Permanent Fund has become Alaska’s new golden goose. At more than $80 billion today, we are only about $20 billion from being able to live off the earnings of the Fund in perpetuity. We could become the first and only state to be tax-free with 100% of our government services funded from Permanent Fund earnings, with enough funding for a capital budget AND a sustainable PFD each year. With wise stewardship of our financial resources, and working collaboratively with the legislature, we will grow the fund to support this and future generations of Alaskans.
These are just a few of our priorities for Alaska. No team will work harder and we would be honored to serve you again.