The State of Alaska faces persistent budget challenges resulting from declining oil prices and production. Because current major revenue sources—petroleum and the Permanent Fund (POMV)—are not explicitly tied to internal economic activity, there is an "Alaska disconnect" between state growth and public revenue.

ISER researchers evaluated 11 primary fiscal options + three variations. These included changes to state spending, broad based taxes, and businesses taxes. Nine of these options were selected to match those ISER evaluated in 2016. In addition, ISER modelled two new options related to business taxes. ISER also evaluated three variations of these options.

Any options implemented will have impacts on the Alaska’s economy and people both in the short and long run. Those impacts include changes in the number of jobs, income, and the state’s value added activities. Further, impacts might be felt differently for higher and lower income households.

• Read more about this project here.

Older Alaskan's are contributing more to the state's economy than ever before. This project aims to update a 2006 ISER report that examined the economic contributions of older Alaskans. Preliminary analysis suggests that as of 2023, retired Alaskans aged 60+ generate roughly $6.7 billion dollars in direct economic activity, which is significantly larger than the annual value of seafood harvests, mineral production, and tourism in the same period. This report further discusses how this contribution is likely to evolve over time and highlights some of the unique challenges an aging population presents for the state.

• Slides from Alaska Commission on Aging's December 2025 Board Meeting