Possible Ferry Cancellations - Alaska

PA12DRVR wrote:

Alaska's in trouble but maybe something like this will finally stop the spend cycle.

...and pigs will really fly.

The real problems for Alaska started in 1959 with Statehood when the population of lawyers started to exceed the population of moose.

"Since the oil started flowing from the North Slope to Valdez, in the early 70s, the government of Alaska has been spending money like a bunch of drunken sailors." YEP...THIS MORE THAN ANYTHING....IMNSHO....CAUSED A SEA CHANGE IN ALASKA

"There have been a couple of bills introduced to start taxing Alaska residents, with an income tax and an excise tax. I can almost hear the screams over that idea.": YEP....BUT HAVING LIVED IN TEXAS AND WASHINGTON STATE....AK RESIDENTS HAVE NOTHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT EVEN WITH INCOME TAX ...AND WE USED TO HAVE IT.

"There have been several new expenditures proposed by the administration that will add new costs." YEP...PANDERING TO A CERTAIN CROWD BY THE GOVERNOR IMNSHO. NO DIFFERENT THAN SP WOULD PANDER TO A DIFFERENT CROWD.

Alaska's in trouble but maybe something like this will finally stop the spend cycle.

...and pigs will really fly.

The bottom line is that revenues for the State of Alaska continue to fall. Since the oil started flowing from the North Slope to Valdez, in the early 70s, the government of Alaska has been spending money like a bunch of drunken sailors. The money is running out and hard decisions have to be made, school funds look like they will be cut back along with all other divisions.

There have been a couple of bills introduced to start taxing Alaska residents, with an income tax and an excise tax. I can almost hear the screams over that idea. LOL I haven't spent much time with the full budget as it is floating around the halls in Juneau but it appears they are planning to dip into the reserve funds, not a good long range plan in my opinion. Interest earned on the reserve funds is a large part of the revenues the State earns each year, so to spend off some of the reserves doesn't seem smart to me, but they didn't ask me. LOL

There have been several new expenditures proposed by the administration that will add new costs.

Alaska tends to be a bit strange politically.. Most all revenues come from the rural areas of the state, fishing, timber, oil and mining, but the majority of Alaska residents live in the Anchorage Bowl area, so the political power resides in the Anchorage Bowl. Sort of a reverse Robin Hood arrangement So are the political powers in Anchorage going to be too worried about the SE tourist businesses, you can guess the answer about that, I bet. Most of the tourist businesses are not Alaska owned, including the cruise ships.

Have to wonder how much of this is a game of "chicken" being played by politicians. Makes no sense to me to cut services during the peak of tourist season when so many throughout the region depend on those dollars for their businesses. I feel really bad for what this is doing to their potential for a good summer.

Looks like the Alaska Fiscal Year is July 1 to end June. The Legislature has a week to run and will produce a budget. That gives the State agencies, including the Marine Highway, 2 plus months to plan and implement whatever changes are needed. Who knows, they may actually do that in an orderly manner. The Legislature may add funds, or not. BUT, the Marine Highway has to deal with unexpected system failures regularly, such as losing a ferry to mechanical issues or loss of dock space for any reason. You may want to consider giving them the opportunity to do the right thing.

We have paid in full reservations for Northbound from Prince Rupert with stops in Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau, Haines and Skagway to start on July 2, traveling with our pickup and TT. Looks like those may be in great danger of getting canceled. Makes me sick--not only for ourselves but for all of the businesses in that part of Alaska that depend on the Ferry service. This could be disasterous for the natives of that area.

Could be a mess. In January, we booked four legs on the ferry part of our southbound trip in August. Might need to start thinking about a Plan B. Could be horrible for the small communities that depend on tourism for their economic survival.

I am shocked...truly shocked.


Gary Haupt

Clicky: http://www.ktoo.org/2015/04/10/travelers-not-told-ferries-may-canceled/