Sheldon Fisher didn’t champion any individual tax during his confirmatin hearing. Afterward, he said the biggest source of new revenue should be a draw on Alaska Permanent Fund earnings.
Government
Boom in gun sales sends $33 million in taxes to Alaska for wildlife conservation
The U.S. Interior Department announced Alaska’s share of a gun tax revenue: $33 million. That’s more than double what the state got just six years ago.
Bartlett Regional Hospital plans to expand rehab services
A $2.5 million expansion of Bartlett Regional Hospital would go toward a 4,000-square-foot addition to house the Rainforest Recovery Center. It would take pressure off of the emergency room.
Rep. Sam Kito III will not seek re-election
Rep. Sam Kito III is not running for re-election in the fall. Kito told the Juneau Empire he made his decision Friday due to financial concerns.
State elections division holds Alaska Native language summit
Alaska elections officials are struggling to put methods in place to translate the state’s election ballot into an array of diverse Alaska Native languages.
Wrangell Assembly approves new $9 million water plant
The Wrangell Assembly approved a new $9 million water treatment plant last week. The current plant hasn’t met the town’s needs for several years.
Feds to drop new habitat rules, ending state’s legal challenge
The Trump administration has agreed to rewrite rules that would have made it easier for the government to designate areas as “critical habitat” for endangered species.
State budget advances, but how to pay for it remains unclear
Fairbanks Democratic Rep. David Guttenberg opposed cuts proposed by minority caucus Republicans.
New state Forest Service leader has Alaska experience
“We spent 23 years together in Alaska and just having an opportunity to come back and re-engage with folks and work on Alaska issues has just been a dream of mine,” said incoming Regional Forester David Schmid.
Companies in foreign trade zones await more details on Trump tariffs
Manufacturers that operate in foreign trade zones may be able to evade President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, trade experts say. But there are a lot of unanswered questions about how the tariffs — which were justified on rarely-used national security grounds — will be applied in zones.