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Matt Acuña Buxton

Matt is a longtime journalist and longtime nerd for Alaska politics and policy. Alaska became his home in 2011, and he's covered the Legislature and more in newspapers, live threads and blogs.

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Dunleavy pledges shutdown, demands Legislature appease House Republican minority

He's apparently clueless about why the budget votes came up short but says while they're at it why not consider passing that big dividends after all.

Dunleavy pledges shutdown, demands Legislature appease House Republican minority
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In night of excuses, Republicans vote against budget, the PFD, PCE, scholarships and oil credits

The budget passed but without a successful revote on two key provisions, there's a lot that will go unfunded or underfunded.

In night of excuses, Republicans vote against budget, the PFD, PCE, scholarships and oil credits
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As end nears, legislators look to spread the pain if compromise fails

The failure of the three-quarter vote has largely meant pain for rural Alaska. The compromise seeks to spread the pain of failure broadly.

As end nears, legislators look to spread the pain if compromise fails
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A $1,100 PFD or consequences

A last-minute deal ties half of the PFD funding, nearly a dozen capital projects, several popular programs and oil tax credits to the all-important Constitutional Budget Reserve vote.

A $1,100 PFD or consequences
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'I don’t believe it.' Legislators trash Dunleavy's dividend plan

Several weeks of hearings that have revealed glaring holes and unrealistic assumptions culminated Friday in a Senate Finance Committee hearing where senators took turns trashing the plan.

'I don’t believe it.' Legislators trash Dunleavy's dividend plan
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'Pick. Click. Pay your taxes.' Or don't.

Legislators kicked the tires on alternative PFD/budget proposals that wouldn't leave the hard questions for later. But the question remains, who pays?

'Pick. Click. Pay your taxes.' Or don't.
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The ‘$100,000 dividend’

The oil boom led to the creation of the dividend and the repeal of the income tax, which meant wealthy Alaskans reaped much of the benefit.

The ‘$100,000 dividend’
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Who's the worst legislator?

You'll decide! (But it's probably Sen. Lora Reinbold.)

Who's the worst legislator?
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‘The governor’s plan works fiscally IF’

The governor's PFD plan adds up, but only if everything goes exactly, perfectly right.

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Don’t call it an income tax, call it an income fee

Lessons from Colorado's time under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

Don’t call it an income tax, call it an income fee