The crisis isn’t just a short-term problem. State officials have known for decades that relying on oil to fund the budget is risky as prices and production have declined. But year after year, they have failed to agree on a solution to finance school repairs and renovations.
Alaska is one of only two states without an income tax or statewide sales tax.
Average annual spending on education facilities declined by nearly 60% after 2014, the year oil prices plummeted, according to a 2021 report by the University of Alaska Anchorage. Overall spending on rural facilities is now less than half of what the National Council on School Facilities recommends.
Those darned consequences, they keep showing up.
Par for the course for a Republican spawning pool.
Also, par for the course when you build your whole economy around an extractive industry with no thought about what comes after (see also; basically all of West Virginia)
By design. This isn’t a surprise to the Republicans. This was intentional. How else are they going to keep their workforce under educated and pliable for the wealthy class to exploit without them having a shot at escaping?
Ive been assuming since Sarah Palin that Alaska is majority idiots.
As planned. Don’t want any leftist uprisings.
Don’t they get a kickback from the oil wells? I guess take that away and use it cause the feds aren’t coming to help you now
Problem is oil has gone down since it’s high point. I know why didn’t gas prices go back down, it’s a mystery.
Alternative Headline:
Alaska Government Keeps Taxes Low, New Government Projected to Raise TaxesPretty sure they will blame Obama and Biden for this
