Reply #15: Things aren't bad here...

[Blue_In_AK]

The high oil prices have helped Alaska quite a bit. Our legislature tried to pass a very large budget with all kinds of goodies for everybody, but the new Guv vetoed a lot of it in the interests of fiscal responsibility. We go boom and bust up here, so she's trying to shore up for any future downturn. The Alaska Permanent Fund is doing great, up to $40 billion now, having gained $10 billion in the last three years.

I think all in all, Alaska's doing all right, although there are always segments of the economy that could do better.