March madness.

• Author: Harrington, Susan
• Position: FROM THE EDITOR - Editorial

By the time this March issue of Alaska Business Monthly is published the state may be close to passing the FY2017 Operating Budget. An interesting and unprecedented measure passed the Alaska State House of Representatives by a vote of 38-1 on February 8.

House Concurrent Resolution 23

Suspending Rule 23(a), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, relating to measures in possession of standing committees and special committees of the Alaska House of Representatives, and Rules 20, 21(c), and 24(a), Uniform Rules of the Alaska State Legislature, restricting committee meetings of the Alaska House of Representatives to measures that substantially relate to and have as their primary purpose appropriating, raising, or allocating state revenue, until the Alaska House of Representatives passes a state operating budget to the Alaska Senate. Efforts by the Alaska House of Representatives could possibly be likened to the NCAA's March Madness with both spending and revenue possibilities facing sudden death elimination. Team Permanent Fund Earnings is pitted against Team State Income Tax. State Income Tax loses. Team Permanent Fund Earnings advances to a match with the dangerous Team New Resource Industry Taxes. New Taxes loses. Similarly, Team PFD Only is pitted against Team Share Earnings to Fund State Government. In this election year, the winner of that match is anybody's guess.

Appropriations brackets could pit Health and Social Services against Education and Early Development, Corrections against the University of Alaska, Transportation against Public Safety, Oil Tax Credits against State Assistance to Retirement, the Legislature against Administration. More likely the bracketology will include line items throughout the $6.8 billion FY2017 Operating Budget submitted by Governor Bill Walker.

It's commendable that the Legislature is tackling the budget during regular play...