Finding sound solutions to fiscal challenges.

• Author: Walker, Bill
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: Economic Outlook

Recent editorials commenting on Alaska's revenue projections and declining oil prices have said I must be crazy for wanting to be Governor at this point in our state's history. With oil prices projected around $65 per barrel for the year ahead, some say Alaska's economic future looks less than rosy. However, having been in this position for a few weeks now, I can say with the utmost conviction that my passion for leading our great state has never been stronger. I firmly believe in doing the best with the cards you are dealt, and that with adversity come resilience and creativity.

With that in mind, Lieutenant Governor Byron Mallott and I are determined to find sound solutions to the fiscal challenges that lie ahead. Will that call for some belt-tightening? Absolutely. But with a more realistic assessment of Alaska's revenue stream, we can shape our expectations appropriately and make smarter decisions around funding our state government. Ultimately, this will allow us to better serve the people of Alaska for generations to come.

This must start by addressing the high cost of energy throughout the state. For so many people living in rural and interior parts of Alaska, it is not uncommon to pay more for monthly heating bills than a mortgage or rent payment. This can put families in the most dire straits, losing basic necessities like heat and electricity when the bills cannot get paid. As a child, my family lived through these struggles, sometimes going without electricity and running water during Delta Junction's cold winter months. While such living conditions may have been conceivable fifty years ago, today it is unfathomable. This environment is having devastating effects on local economies, and...