Things almost happened in 2017.<\/p>\n
The Alaska Legislature almost shut down state government. Lawmakers almost revived the state\u2019s income tax. They almost diverted a portion of the Alaska Permanent Fund to general expenses.<\/p>\n
The results of 2017 indicate big things may be around the corner.<\/p>\n
Gov. Bill Walker returned from China with promises for a new gas pipeline. Attention to sexual harassment brought light to an issue that Alaska\u2019s women have been dealing with for years. The state\u2019s marijuana and alcohol industries dealt with a change in a change in recreational habits.<\/p>\n
When it comes to the top 10 state issues of 2017, they all have one thing in common: Alaska is at a turning point. If you\u2019re a pessimist, it\u2019s a precipice \u2014 with the state poised to jump off the other side. If you\u2019re an optimist, it\u2019s a chance to change things for the better.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll decide which is which in 2018.<\/p>\n
1. Averting a shutdown<\/span><\/p>\n The Alaska Legislature\u2019s brush with a government shutdown<\/a> is the top story of the year. No other topic had the potential for such broad consequences, and none was tied into so many other issues. The near-shutdown was a result of budget conflicts that have extended for years, and it has the potential to return in 2018.<\/p>\n 2. Crime and punishment<\/span><\/p>\n Whether its source is opioid addiction, the ongoing statewide recession, or flaws in criminal justice laws, Alaskans coped with a significant crime wave in 2017. Anchorage saw a new record for homicides and car thefts. In Juneau, burglaries and robberies garnered attention. The Alaska Legislature devoted an entire special session to the topic<\/a>. This, like No. 1 on the list, touched almost everyone in the state.<\/p>\n 3. Sexual harassment in the Legislature<\/span><\/p>\n A national wave of attention to sexual harassment issues arrived in the Alaska Legislature late in the year, with significant consequences. One state senator was investigated and cleared, while a state representative resigned<\/a> after being accused of sexual harassment by several women. The Legislature is revising its own policies on dealing with harassment.<\/p>\n 4. Permanent Fund changes<\/span><\/p>\n The Alaska Legislature didn\u2019t fully pull the trigger on changes to the way the Alaska Permanent Fund\u2019s proceeds are handled, but it certainly put a round in the chamber and took aim. The House and Senate have each approved plans to use some of the proceeds of the Permanent Fund for regular expenses, an act that would have reprecussions for the future of the fund and \u2014 by extension \u2014 to the dividend<\/a> paid to every Alaskan.<\/p>\n