[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6261020,"mediaKeyId","3125157-0707347bceab95aa58475416af6a5cfc","parentId",3125157,"title","Sponsor introduces House Bill 152 to fund education with a head tax plus a 4% top‑rate income tax; committee schedules further hearings","audioSeconds",5023,"startMs",5030000,"endMs",6938,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3125157-0707347bceab95aa58475416af6a5cfc&start=5030&end=6","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3125157-0707347bceab95aa58475416af6a5cfc/thumbnail_5030000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6261020/Alaska/Sponsor-introduces-House-Bill-152-to-fund-education-with-a-head-tax-plus-a-4-toprate-income-tax-committee-schedules-further-hearings","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261020-33c6953f4ca2777df8a54e90bd82064a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773568399&Signature=F-JDvIcK~YR7lV0jSe5nwserBViTW5irGYL3c775y0Q-6ayd3czlNTSvn3HJ3y9BD8WSk0q8hxnUdvVK~oiVifk5n~AEMMd0whxKBFqdJT9srixzfky~O7MTOq0~Poh1pJgjI-tm58DPKsocHY~fxhlR7NrmOFTw~cnnuu8at3d30N~g4xKQ5SijNoMR8KaCVFSG9v8dyJFa8yfiD1haHoBDzwvRcPWycam7J~mw~5ET7NZ9uPJe-9yWg5oGJ5zMEfbaM1p2xsMh5ZrP6NvP7ckrL6wW93KIsKktQuUXjUJ91kkQJG6S3lCvsYrP8f1m0L-Q1xeCzsOoEvudcxcQ~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alaska Legislature","date","2025-04-24T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Galvin introduced House Bill 152, a proposal to create a broad‑based revenue source for public education that combines a per‑person head tax with a high‑earner income surtax.

Galvin told the committee Alaska has a constitutional responsibility to provide a quality education and that current funding levels and volatile oil revenue leave schools and teachers underfunded. “HB 152 proposes 2 steps,” Galvin said: “Firstly, a $150 per person education head tax for anyone who earns wages or self employed income. Secondly, a 4% flat income tax on individual earnings would be taxed on the dollar amounts over $150,000 or dollar amounts over $300,000 if you are filing jointly.” She said the bill also closes an “S‑corp” loophole for business income so profit taken through S corporations will be treated like wages for purposes of the tax when it exceeds the thresholds.

Staff walked the committee through tax design choices: using federal adjusted gross income (AGI) as the base, a standard deduction (the introduced draft uses a $150,000 single filer threshold and $300,000 married filing jointly threshold for the 4% surtax), and a flat 4% rate applied only to dollars above the threshold. The sponsor and staff emphasized they designed the measure to limit burden on lower‑ and middle‑income residents and to target high earners and nonresident workers who earn in Alaska.

David Chang, staff to Representative Galvin, cited modeling and said the fiscal outcome depends on policy levers. He told the committee the introduced draft was predicted to raise between $250 million and $300 million from the income provision and that including the $150 head tax brings projected revenue to about $350 million (staff attributed the higher total to the combined measures and noted estimates vary by model and base definitions). Department of Revenue’s fiscal note was cited by an invited witness and committee members as estimating roughly $300–$350 million in short‑run revenue; individual estimates vary.

Brett Watson, an economist at the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) invited to testify, said ISER prepared a back‑of‑envelope estimate that was lower than the Department of Revenue’s fiscal note but noted limits: Alaska currently has no state income tax, so no state income‑tax filing data exist to observe taxpayer behavior and the analysis is static (it did not model behavioral responses such as changes in labor supply or residency). He urged the committee to treat initial numbers as preliminary and noted the Department of Revenue fiscal note provided one standard short‑term estimate range.

Sponsor and staff also discussed implementation and administrative costs. They told members infrastructure and software costs would be the primary Department of Revenue expense to implement collection; employer withholding and reporting burdens should be minimal because employers already report wages to state labor systems. Staff said only about one quarter of Alaska households would have earnings high enough to pay the 4% surtax under the introduced thresholds, and that the proposal was designed to minimize paperwork for most taxpayers by relying on federal AGI and common tax‑preparation tools.

Representative Kerrick gave the invited testifier five minutes; committee members asked clarifying questions about revenue estimates, nonresident workers and choices of thresholds. Representative Kerrick set the bill aside for further consideration and scheduled an additional hearing the following week.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","04/24/2025 03:15 PM House STATE AFFAIRS","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Galvin introduced HB 152, a proposal combining a $150 per‑person head tax and a 4% surtax on AGI above $150,000 ($300,000 joint) to raise state funding for K‑12 education.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Alaska, Alaska","taxId",78559,"location","Alaska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6261025,"Permanent Fund Corporation and sponsor outline proposed constitutional change to move to a percent‑of‑market‑value payout (HJR 10)",3553,1607000,5160000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3125157-0707347bceab95aa58475416af6a5cfc&start=1607&end=5160","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3125157-0707347bceab95aa58475416af6a5cfc/thumbnail_1607000.jpg","/articles/6261025/Alaska/Permanent-Fund-Corporation-and-sponsor-outline-proposed-constitutional-change-to-move-to-a-percentofmarketvalue-payout-HJR-10","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261025-b77f37be42437cdbca052e5fcb41ee3d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773568399&Signature=E91pymZv32iJWXQM2MKdqwaJ3J4eYutm6MhU0dGrMHLDhXai9JyOQinCDyRYRclV~VXNwH0ArugjGe-gOI94C5ljctApFVMxlE~Q5P-AvGAm-DbYnyWvs6sMn-AVb9JJQSfr~3RbsiIK~FqtJ8t3S7xNV2J80hzVE7rURUEAgV5LTHHmIGKCJszMP9bOtE8e0nw0x5DHZY1UbLADfERXuV8HfnnxR6kyZGqzbqGGOqZHwn22SMbTSfYxITltA9jzmV3uJiSHw~5i0OXIV04kFZS~vOPAR7Ia~pI0QLWXG~KpXFv5ISPJjTboFJ7NqCX5Z6vNggacRJHNVD9ctHUVSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Schrage introduced House Joint Resolution 10, which would place a constitutional amendment on the ballot to change how the Alaska Permanent Fund is treated and how appropriations from it are determined.

Devin Mitchell, chief executive officer and executive director of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation (APFC), and Marcus Frampton, APFC chief investment officer, presented the corporation’s rationale for a single‑fund endowment model with a percent‑of‑market‑value (POMV) draw. Mitchell summarized the proposal’s three goals as “respect, protect and provide”: respect the sacrifice of prior generations, protect the fund from one generation taking an outsized share, and provide predictable annual transfers the state relies on for the permanent fund dividend and other general‑fund needs.

Mitchell explained the current two‑account construct: a principal (often reported near $59 billion) and an earnings reserve account (ERA, often shown around $10 billion), yielding a roughly $80 billion total figure. He told members the accounting treatment of unrealized gains creates mismatches between what is accounted as principal and what is actually spendable; for example, the APFC noted approximately $3.7 billion available for a FY‑27 POMV draw and estimated FY‑26 POMV at about $3.8 billion and a FY‑27 projection near $4.0 billion under a 5% draw of a five‑year average market value.

Mitchell and Frampton told the committee the current statutory framework requires realized income to flow into the ERA before it becomes spendable, which can create shortfalls when investment gains are largely unrealized. APFC staff said FY 2025 was the first year since the percent‑of‑market‑value era began in which there was a projected inability to fund the coming year’s POMV transfer under the current construct and described a roughly $400 million shortfall in that context.

Presenters discussed the tradeoffs of a 5% draw: Mitchell said 5% should likely be treated as a maximum draw and that lower draws (4–4.5%) reduce the probability of principal erosion over long horizons; APFC staff noted the trustees view the POMV constitutional change as a structural, durable fix that aligns accounting and investment portfolio practice.

Committee members asked about time‑smoothing, effective draw rates, probabilistic modeling of ERA failure, and whether a single‑fund model would increase the risk of invading principal in a prolonged market downturn. APFC staff replied that either construct could see principal decline in a deep market loss, but the current two‑account model produces mismatches and a higher short‑term risk of failing to fund transfers. APFC and legislative finance modeling were cited as showing a non‑zero probability of ERA failure within the next several years under current practice.

Questions also touched on asset allocation, liquidity needs, private equity exposure and whether a single‑fund model would affect nimbleness. APFC said the investment policy would still need liquid assets to meet cash flow and that a single‑fund system would not, by itself, justify an unconstrained move to illiquid, high‑return investments.

Representative Kerrick set an amendment deadline of 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, and the committee set HJR 10 aside for further consideration with a scheduled follow‑up hearing the next week; Mitchell and APFC staff were asked to return for additional modeling and performance discussion.","Representative Schrage introduced House Joint Resolution 10, a proposed constitutional amendment to change Permanent Fund financing to a single‑fund endowment with a percent‑of‑market‑value payout.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6261030,"Committee sets amendment deadline and reserves further action on conflict‑of‑interest abstention resolution (HCR 2)",392,1316000,1708000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3125157-0707347bceab95aa58475416af6a5cfc&start=1316&end=1708","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3125157-0707347bceab95aa58475416af6a5cfc/thumbnail_1316000.jpg","/articles/6261030/Alaska/Committee-sets-amendment-deadline-and-reserves-further-action-on-conflictofinterest-abstention-resolution-HCR-2","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261030-034ee0d7c5a7b4565d03fdee40363501/orig.mp4?Expires=1773568399&Signature=Nf-2MZlTXDdVCL0W9IaRnw7HSZedjQvnrs7SF8Y8lDxjMJ4u94jqliHFkSQMKn2rhpFCLdipJfBYqQ1pzlvoY87hryLrbtWG9erPSKZu8Ss1szZcCIakkgXh-Zji15BTKetmv8UEyoGwrpySzmYlz6~WXyDxH99w8RXYOa2lVIcaFBrQTgLps9D0l8-x6ZkO-d5xN0EviAMmJa9f5swLCo~fQK29YtPHa2mRqhUi6usvXudKYPzXIhPHR4HGz5MvSVVFvWBhlO4YgjtSJMUX9fRSURbZsAr9srkNVYUu9BetL1t-wk4bs2~Z0WUoI0IJwH0d~~gLnXdNtezUVhXLUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House State Affairs staff presented follow‑up detail on House Concurrent Resolution 2 (HCR 2), the measure addressing the procedure for abstentions when legislators declare conflicts of interest.

Corey Ault, staff for Representative Mears, told the committee where HCR 2’s language establishes that “the question of granting permission to abstain shall be taken without further debate” (the sponsor’s staff pointed to line 14 of the draft). He also summarized legal guidance about committee versus floor obligations: AS 24.60.030(g) requires a legislator to declare a conflict in committee but only requires a request to be excused before a full‑house vote. In short, the HCR 2 procedure would typically not be required in committee except when a member explicitly asks to be excused.

Ault also reviewed a comparative review from the National Conference of State Legislatures and noted 15 chambers use a vote to determine whether an abstention is legitimate; of those, 12 use a simple majority and three use a two‑thirds threshold. He summarized the Alaska rule history: a majority threshold existed in the territorial legislature, changed to two‑thirds in 1967, and in 1969 moved to the current unanimous‑consent requirement; legislative research did not locate a conclusive record explaining the rationale for those historic changes.

Ault also listed states with written follow‑up requirements for conflict disclosures and records (Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Utah), providing the committee a reference set for comparison.

The committee took no public testimony on HCR 2. Representative Kerrick set an amendment deadline of 5 p.m. Monday, April 28, and set the resolution aside for a future hearing.","House State Affairs staff presented follow‑up detail on HCR 2, the measure proposing a revised procedure for abstentions on conflict‑of‑interest votes.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6261035,"House State Affairs committee forwards Kenai police chief David Ross to joint session for Alaska Police Standards Council consideration",670,540000,1210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3125157-0707347bceab95aa58475416af6a5cfc&start=540&end=1210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3125157-0707347bceab95aa58475416af6a5cfc/thumbnail_540000.jpg","/articles/6261035/Alaska/House-State-Affairs-committee-forwards-Kenai-police-chief-David-Ross-to-joint-session-for-Alaska-Police-Standards-Council-consideration","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6261035-d33b5f83f98ce39c94fea340457d47dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1773568399&Signature=W~uEmeudyCKa3iR2HwA~Ye7pe64iUpXfB8sjJB7WBd0oeijzIIQRwHek8hXZ9KOwJtRQg8wirUa6v9Vvo1b0sVXg4i5hMkFTY5NX9Qr4cCDuNB-bSRhc4nQ30m7govuU7rpvpTg6ZCSdl6lQ-B3mxitGsMuTgYFLYtQB4tHee82mRDY0twuZ3Cmew0DwdVz6reHMbLUKob7~x98~CvGelQhOeKwDqC8ASYrVUNxapEiryHbRf3XWkGNs3G2diemprYVOvdK4AsN00PDk3EPhg5yjis5sizpMhGedNQZdzG37ArVIYeRrov7C1oF5acMWJvMSirNNDLs9bysGVOm8kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Kerrick, chair of the House State Affairs Committee, opened the committee’s introductory hearing on the governor’s appointee to the Alaska Police Standards Council and asked the nominee to put his name on the record.

David Ross, police chief for the city of Kenai, told the committee he has been with the Kenai Police Department for almost 24 years, including about nine years as chief, and has served on the Alaska Police Standards Council for roughly three years. “I feel like during that time, the council has performed valuable work,” Ross said.

Ross described the council’s primary responsibilities as reviewing cases in which officers or corrections employees may lose certification and evaluating regulations that affect who can be hired or retain certification. He said the council must both remove people who should not be in the profession and consider rehabilitation for those who may merit a second chance.

Committee members asked about Ross’s training and priorities. Representative Hemschute asked whether Ross’s Department of Public Safety basic academy training was in Sitka; Ross confirmed it was in February 2001. Vice Chair Story asked him to elaborate on the “valuable work” he referenced; Ross said the council must balance public safety and professional standards while overseeing hiring and discipline rules. Representative Vance asked which training areas the council should prioritize; Ross listed critical-incident response, mental-health de‑escalation, domestic-violence response and use-of-force training and said Alaska has increasing demand for mental‑health-related response skills.

Representative Holland asked who is responsible for cultural training added to academy requirements; Ross said he believed it had been added to academy training but that statewide in‑service rollout has been inconsistent and suggested the Alaska Police Standards Council or the Department of Public Safety should provide uniform in‑service training rather than leaving it to each agency.

The committee opened and closed public testimony on the nominee with no speakers in the room or online. In accordance with AS 39.05.080, the committee “held a hearing on the following appointee and recommends they be forwarded to a joint session for consideration” — David Ross. The committee signed the report to forward the nomination; the chair noted the signature does not indicate how members will vote at any future joint session.

The committee then took a brief recess to complete the paperwork for the report and moved to other agenda items.","The House State Affairs Committee recommended David Ross, Kenai police chief, be forwarded to a joint session for consideration for one of the police chief seats on the Alaska Police Standards Council after an introductory hearing and public testimony period with no speakers in opposition.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sponsor introduces House Bill 152 to fund education with a head tax plus a 4% top‑rate income tax; committee schedules further hearings

Permanent Fund Corporation and sponsor outline proposed constitutional change to move to a percent‑of‑market‑value payout (HJR 10)

Committee sets amendment deadline and reserves further action on conflict‑of‑interest abstention resolution (HCR 2)

House State Affairs committee forwards Kenai police chief David Ross to joint session for Alaska Police Standards Council consideration