An interested reader recently sent us a link to Executive Updates, a webpage on the Governor's website. There is a wealth of information on this site concerning how the Governor views a wide variety of policy issues. There are back issues of two electronic newsletters produced by the Governor's office--Inside Track and Building the Future. In addition there are a number of policy briefs such as Protecting Workers Compensation Insurance and Alaska Businesses and Responsible Stewards of Alaska's Environment.

Legislation has been introduced in Alaska and elsewhere in recent years to expand accessibility to gambling, and to expand the types of gambling opportunities in order to increase State revenues. However, there is a growing body of research from relatively independent and credible sources that calls the cost/benefit considerations into question.

See, for example, the comprehensive and well- documented Report to the National Gambling Impact Study Commission researched and written by the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center. Among other topics, the authors analyze pathological gambling, youth gambling, and the community impacts of gambling. See also The Social and Economic Impact of Native American Casinos, authored by two economists from the University of Maryland. Note that these are just two examples of a growing body of research literature in this field. Clearly, any public policy which considers the expansion of gambling in Alaska must be informed by the existing socio-economic research.

According to a new study by The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), "...the substantial majority of American households ultimately will be made worse off by the tax cuts, because the tax cuts ultimately will have to be financed. Different methods of financing would generate variation in the particular results, but this basic finding that most households end up being worse off is likely to continue to hold unless a significant portion of the tax cuts themselves are repealed." The summary and the full report, entitled The Ultimate Burden of the Tax Cuts, are available on the CBPP site.

Late last year, a report entitled Descriptive Analysis of Sexual Assaults in Alaska was released by the University of Alaska Justice Center (note: the report is a very large PDF file which will take a while to download). This is a statistical review of 541 cases of sexual assault that occurred in Anchorage during the years 2000 and 2001. The report is profusely illustrated with colored maps, charts, and graphs. Some of the findings are counterintuitive, and the authors discuss the policy implications in the conclusions. A series of one-page briefs, each of which highlights a particular finding, is available on the Anchorage Community Indicators page of UAA Justice Center.

Alaska Public Health Policy and Law -- This training will provide understanding on why public health laws are essential tools for public health practice, participants will obtain a working knowledge of the current models (Turning Point Model State Public Health Act) & its use as a tool for updating state, local & tribal public health laws. An in depth review of State statutes, Tribal health regulations & how to research public health law will be incorporated.

Strategies For Successful Program Planning, Evaluation, and Survey Design -- Participants will be given the framework to plan and evaluate the effectiveness of the programs they manage. The course will cover the importance of using effective data collection tools including surveys, key informant interviews, focus groups, and observation to successfully measure program process and outcomes. A variety of practical tools will be provided and can be taken back into the Alaska work environment for on-going program improvements.

These Alaska Public Health Institute training sessions will be offered Sept. 28-30th, 2004. The registration deadline is September 1st. More information is available on the 200 4 Alaska Public Health Training Institute page of the State of Alaska website.

email: ldweiss@acpp.info

phone: 907.240.4141

web: http://www.acpp.info