- Democracy depends on citizen participation,
- Alaskans have a lot of good ideas that should be shared,
- Polarization is not the way our communities and state should function, and
- By respectfully exchanging ideas with one another, we can work toward solving the problems facing our community, state, and nation;
Alaska Common Ground invites you to join us in an effort to enhance our democratic way of life by engaging Alaskans in respectful conversations. We work to build a better understanding on important public policy issues through forums, group discussions, policy papers and public service announcements.
Can We Talk?
Protecting the Permanent Fund:
The Board of Trustees’ Recommendation for a Rules-Based Permanent Fund Endowment Model
January 7, 2025, 5:30-7:30 pm at 49th State Brewing and online
Co-hosted by Institute of the North
For more than 20 years the Alaska Permanent Fund Board of Trustees have recommended making a structural change to the Alaska Permanent Fund to avoid this risk, and to modernize the Fund into a “Rules-based Permanent Endowment.” The Trustees can recommend them, but it takes action by the Alaska Legislature to make changes to the Alaska Permanent Fund and may involve a constitutional amendment.
Ballot Measure 2: Repealing Ranked Choice Voting
Watch our October 4 Forum here!
On the November 5 ballot, Measure 2 is titled “An Act Restoring Political Party Primaries and Single-Choice General Elections” and would repeal Alaska’s ranked choice voting system adopted by voters in 2022.
As part of ACG’s long-standing tradition of public forums around ballot initiatives, we invite you to a discussion on Ballot Measure 2, with panelists making their case for “Yes: Repeal Ranked Choice Voting” and “No: Keep Ranked Choice Voting.”
The ranked choice system created an open nonpartisan primary where all candidates appear on one ballot. The four candidates with the most votes in the primary election then have their names placed on the general election ballot. It also established ranked choice voting for the general election. Voters have the option to “rank” up to four candidates in order of choice. If the initiative passes and ranked choice voting is repealed, Alaska will return to the closed primary and single-choice general election system it used prior to the change in 2022.
Information about the bill, including the language that will be on the ballot, can be found here.
Alaskans for Fair Courts
Join Alaska Common Ground for a discussion of the judicial selection and retention processes embedded in Alaska’s Constitution, the vision of those who framed these processes, how that vision has manifested today, why it continues to be relevant, and make the case for why it important to retain high-quality judges who are not beholden to partisan, political or other outside influence. Speakers also addressed the role that the Alaska Judicial Council plays in performing rigorous, nonpartisan, comprehensive evaluations of judicial applicants and judges who are eligible to stand for retention, and potential risks to the integrity of Alaska’s judiciary.
Presenters included retired Judge Elaine Andrews; Donna Goldsmith, Co-Chair, Alaskans for Fair Courts; and Tom Begich, Senior Strategic Advisor to Alaskans for Fair Courts. There will be time for questions.
Bring the Future Back North
The pros, cons and costs of returning to a defined benefit retirement system for state employees
Alaska is losing its population aged 18-64 and a third of our youth leave the state and never return. Our skilled public sector workforce is being educated and trained here in Alaska, but too frequently now moving for jobs with better benefits in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, and elsewhere.
Senator Cathy Giessel and Fate Putman, former Department of Revenue staffer, will a plan that they believe will stop the bleed of Alaska’s youth and skilled public sector workforce out of state – a return to a defined benefit retirement system for state employees.
Progress Towards a Sustainable Alaska Fiscal Plan?
Alaska Common Ground hosted a fiscal planning discussion on May 22 with three veteran journalists who gave us their perspectives of what happened and didn’t happen during the legislative session, what is likely to happen going forward, and how Alaskans and organizations can best encourage and influence progress towards a sustainable fiscal plan.
Moderator: Gunnar Knapp, Professor Emeritus of Economics and former Director, UAA Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER)
Panelists:
- Tim Bradner, Publisher, Alaska Legislative Digest
- Larry Persily, Publisher, Wrangell Sentinel
- Nat Herz – Publisher, Northern Journal
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