Shelley Hughes
Solutions over SoundbitesFiscal Strength
Forging Alaska's Fiscal PathAlaska is facing real fiscal challenges. State revenues are about $4 billion less than they were a dozen years ago when oil prices were high. Savings are low, and the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) is at risk if we don’t act. We will be facing more than $1 billion shortfalls in coming years. Our state government is currently too large for our small population and economy—but together, we can fix this!
“Alaskans, we can do this. And when we do, we will unleash a new era of prosperity for our great state. Why? Because people and businesses are drawn to states with stable fiscal foundations—and they avoid those that chase them away with constant new taxes and fees. Stability attracts investment; instability drives it out. Let’s choose fiscal stability and secure Alaska’s future.”
Four-Part Comprehensive, Long-term Fiscal Plan
1️⃣
Right-Size Government
- Establish an independent “Sunset Commission” to audit agencies, hear public testimony, and submit recommendations to legislature in bill form.
- If legislature doesn’t take up bill, the agency “sunsets.” Usually bill is taken up.
- This approach has saved other states hundreds of millions and improved efficiencies and effectiveness of agencies
2️⃣
Establish a Spending Cap
- Pass a reasonable spending cap in the Constitution.
- Ensure it includes a release valve for capital projects when adequate savings.
3️⃣
Protect the Permanent Fund and a Fair PFD
- Protect the Permanent Fund constitutionally.
- Safeguard a fair PFD constitutionally.
4️⃣
Substantially Expand Alaska’s Tax Base to Increase Revenue
- Build energy projects in addition to the gasline to result in cheap power.
- Welcome new industries and businesses through business-friendly policies, including a lower corporate tax rate.
- Diversify and expand the economy through new projects and industries, including additional oil and gas developments, mining, forestry, agricultural exports, data centers, technology hubs, and value-added processing/manufacturing.
- Adopt a taxpayer bill of rights in the Constitution to ensure revenue measures are temporary, limited, do not raise existing rates, and are approved by voters.
“Alaska needs a long-term comprehensive fiscal plan—not just band-aids. Let’s align our resources with our values and invest wisely in the future.”
A Few of Shelley’s Additional Solutions
- Reduce Medicaid rolls and costs through training able-bodied recipients for good jobs and transitioning individuals to step down coverage. Build our needed workforce while opening doors for individuals to successful and fulfilling lives free of government dependence.
- To control education spending: limit spending on school district administrations; incent shared administrations between districts; allow districts to join state health insurance pool when other coverage is more expensive.
- Ensure the federal government meets its legal and funding obligations for Alaska Tribes that will improve all Alaskan lives.
- If land values increase along TAPS and the gasline route, consider directing the increase in property tax revenue to the state.
- Ensure the Permanent Fund growth rate meets benchmarks; if not, replace board members.
Media & Articles
“So far, I’ve outlined solutions other candidates haven’t. But watch, they’ll probably start borrowing them! They’re good ideas for Alaska, so I don’t blame them. It takes knowing the issues more fully and understanding why and how the solutions will work, however, to effectively implement them. I’m ready to work with Alaskans to do exactly that.”
New Industry. Broad Economy. Cheap Energy.
Unleashing Alaska’s Potential“I have a bold vision for Alaska and it’s achievable. It’s time we realize the wealth that is under our feet and the wealth that is within the people of Alaska.”
Government cannot grow our economy. Growth comes from the ingenuity of individuals, the teamwork of innovators and investors, and the determination of hardworking Alaskans. The role of government is to create the conditions for success. That is why as your governor, I will be focused on accessing affordable energy, reducing regulatory and tax burdens, promoting innovation, and building the infrastructure our state needs. This is how we open doors to new opportunities.
In Alaska, we must be clear-eyed: while we are a resilient people, our fiscal challenges are real. The key is a stronger private sector, I stand ready at the helm to navigate the rough waters until we achieve a robust, diversified economy that secures opportunities for Alaskans now and in the future.
“Together, we’ll build an Alaska as strong and boundless as the land itself.”
First things first.
Right out of the Gate
- I will work relentlessly with President Trump, with federal partners, and our state agencies to expedite existing resource projects to the production stage.
- I will move forward efforts to bring natural gas to the railbelt and for export.
Cheap Power
- I will focus on access to affordable energy for all with specific solutions in mind to get us there.
“Natural gas for the railbelt and for export is essential. But in a state with 3 million lakes and 12,000 rivers, I will also work to harness hydro to a greater degree. If we add hydro power to what will be abundant natural gas power, it will lower our energy costs to such a degree that we’ll be competitive with the lower 48. Adding microreactors to the mix may make sense.
The bottom line: cheap energy will spur economic opportunity and growth like nothing we’ve ever seen. It will be a game-changer. As your governor, I will be laser-focused on accessing affordable energy for all Alaskans.”
Oil & Gas
- Ensure a stable fiscal environment to welcome and maximize investment in existing and in new projects
- Expedite Willow, Pikka, Sockeye and other existing projects
- Partner to build, maintain needed roads
- Provide support to expedite and build gasline, gas treatment plant, and liquefaction plant
Mining
- Let’s lead: Alaska holds 49 of 50 critical minerals
- Cheap power will result in more mines throughout state
- Mines in rural areas will be economic bases to communities and regions
- Mined minerals + low energy cost = added-value processing potential
Other Industries
- Unlock value-added industries: refining, processing, manufacturing.
- Position Alaska for AI data centers and tech hubs.
- Revitalize logging with new technology.
- Grow agriculture in-state and for exports; increase food independence.
- Strengthen fisheries; work through complexities. Solve bycatch problem.
- Expand tourism through improved transportation infrastructure.
Strategic Opportunities
- Arctic shipping routes = global advantage.
- Build Alaska to Alberta (A2A) Rail, Northern Rail, and Mat-Su Rail Extension.
- Push for new roads to resources, communities, opportunities.
- Explore satellite farms, pharmaceuticals, and other emerging industries.
Land & State Rights
- Federal government controls 62% of Alaska yet less than 1% of New York. Unacceptable.
- Alaskans deserve equal footing with other states.
- Fight to restore large swaths of federal lands to state.
- Release more state lands for private land ownership.
“I’ve been a champion for our state’s rights for years and I won’t back down. Our founding fathers intended the power of the federal government and the states to be balanced. They never imagined the mammoth federal government and the reach of its power. I’m sure if they could have foreseen the federal land grab of 62% of Alaska, they would have pounded their fists on their desks and penned letters of protest with their feather quills. I am confident they would support our fight to restore federal lands to Alaska.”
Successful Students. Thriving Workforce.
Opening Doors for Alaskans“If we are brave enough to restructure education, we will open doors for our students and young people that would otherwise remain closed. Let’s stop the brawn and brain drain. Let’s ensure homegrown Alaskans get training for great jobs!”
Alaska spends nearly a billion and a half dollars on education each year — among the highest per-student spending in the nation — yet our academic performance ranks near the bottom. This is unacceptable. We owe every child, in every community, the chance to succeed. Right now, we are failing too many of them. That must change.
“I care about every single child, no matter where she or he lives in our great state. We are failing our children and it is wrong. It’s time for education transformation in Alaska.”
It’s time to ensure proven methods of teaching for reading and math – that result in improved student outcomes – are the norm in schools. It’s time to ensure funding is targeted to strategies that increase academic results and graduation rates, such as career and technical education, reading specialists, and teacher retention.
No child should be trapped in a failing school. Parents deserve real choices — whether that’s a neighborhood public school, a charter with a STEM focus, a strong homeschool program, or a private school. School choice lifts all boats, improving outcomes for every student, including those in traditional classrooms. I will work to ensure families across Alaska have access to the options their children need.
We must redirect dollars from administration to classrooms. Consolidating administrative functions across small districts, allowing districts to join the state employee health pool, and rewarding teachers who drive student mastery are all commonsense steps to put resources where they matter most. At the same time, we must ensure competitive salaries, supplemental retirement options, and fair 401K contributions so Alaska can recruit and retain excellent teachers.
Education is the great equalizer — but only if students truly learn, master skills, and are motivated to pursue opportunities beyond high school. That means expanding access to technical and vocational training, degree programs, and employer partnerships and training centers that prepare adults for good careers here in Alaska. Together, we can stop the “brawn and brain drain” community by community and ensure that high-paying jobs in our state go to Alaskans first.
“As we work to access cheap energy which will spur tremendous economic growth, we must at the same time see that our students are ready for the opportunities that will be awaiting them due to that boom.”
Trawler Bycatch
Stopping the Pillaging of our Oceans“We’re going to once and for all, stop the pillaging of our oceans, which is stealing fish from our tables and fish from the very livelihoods of Alaskans. It’s like strip mining.”
- Alaskans First:
- “This is a state’s rights issue. Alaskans first.”
- Balanced Approach:
- “I am pro fishing, pro sport fishing, pro Alaskans harvesting for subsistence and personal use, pro commercial fishing… The fishing industry is good for Alaska, but so are fish for Alaskans.”
- No More Indiscriminate Fishing:
- “There can be no more poorly audited fishing. It’s too late for easy answers.”
The largest issue is the scale of bycatch:
- 141 million pounds per year (1.4 billion pounds per decade)
- 43,000 king salmon wasted annually
- 5 million pounds of halibut wasted
- 3 million pounds of herring wasted
- Even a killer whale was wasted
The impact of bycatch:
We see declines in crab, salmon, gray whales, seabirds, fur seals, and halibut size.
“That’s 16,000 pounds of waste per hour.”
Three-Pronged Plan
1.
Reform the North Pacific Fishery Management Council
- Replace six Alaskan seats with aligned members.
- Push for common-sense regulations:
- Limit chum salmon bycatch.
- Prohibit mid-water trawlers from bottom fishing.
- Prohibit trawling in halibut nurseries.
- Add “at-will” language for council appointments in Magnuson-Stevens Act.
“Day one as your governor, my Alaska Department of Fish and Game commissioner will make no-nonsense motions for these regulations.”
2.
Set Precedent in State Waters (0–3 miles)
- Require 24/7 electronic monitoring and cameras.
- Deploy trained observers with enforcement duties.
- Authorize undercover troopers as observers.
- Impose severe penalties:
- Example: $1 million for disturbing floor habitat, $100,000 per wasted fish.
3.
Federal Action
- Work with delegation to amend Magnuson-Stevens Act:
- Add at-will council membership language.
- Define Pollock as forage fish.
- Ratchet down bycatch quotas as biomass declines.
- Ensure bycatch limits never exceed subsistence limits.
“I am the people’s candidate. I am not owned by big interest. I am Alaskans’ candidate.”
Media
Alaskan Resources
Maximizing Viability of Our Natural Resources“Once we achieve cheap energy, there’s no better place than Alaska for added-value processing of our resources.”
A cross-sector view of Alaska’s resource economy—jobs and economic magnitudes—grounding policy choices across oil & gas, mining, fisheries, tourism, and forestry. Data are drawn from the RDC questionnaire and provide a shared baseline.
Policy & Action Plan
- Align sector policies under a unified master plan for infrastructure, permitting, and workforce.
- Use cheap energy as a common enabler for mining, data centers, value-added processing, and manufacturing.
- Pursue land transfers and homesteading to expand private ownership supporting timber, farming, and housing.
Key Data Points
- Tourism: 3M visitors (2024), $4B direct spending, 48,000 jobs (Industry section).
- Fisheries: $6B economic activity, 48,000 direct jobs (+10,500 secondary), bycatch issues documented (Industry section).
- Mining: 11,400 jobs (direct & indirect), $186M state/local taxes (Industry section).
- Oil & Gas: $180B cumulative revenue since statehood; 2,700 new jobs by 2028 (Industry section).
“An appropriate role of state government is to provide for infrastructure and roads.”
Resource Policies
🛢️Oil & Gas
Oil production has historically been the engine of Alaska’s economy, funding up to 90% of unrestricted General Fund revenues and generating over $180 billion since statehood. With $14 billion in new projects and 2,700 jobs projected through 2028, this sector remains critical for Alaska’s fiscal stability and future growth.
Policy & Plans
- Stable taxes and streamlined permitting.
- End NPR-A restrictions; remove Biden-era limits.
- Support ANWR full development and North Slope expansions.
- Promote GTL (gas-to-liquids), plastics, and Agrium fertilizer revival.
- Suspend property taxes during construction phases.
- Push export market opportunities and shorten discovery-to-production window to 2–3 years.
- Workforce development integrated with K-12 education.
Key Data Points
- Funds up to 90% of Alaska’s unrestricted General Fund revenues.
- $180 billion in revenue since statehood.
- $14 billion in new projects through 2028.
- 2,700 new jobs projected by 2028.
⚒️Mining
Mining is Alaska’s second-largest export commodity, providing over 11,400 jobs and contributing $186 million in state and local taxes. With vast reserves of critical minerals, Alaska can play a pivotal role in national security and tech supply chains.
Policy & Plans
- Mining is Alaska’s birthright; prioritize permitting reform and transparency.
- Build roads and ports to resources; repeal the Roadless Rule.
- Develop large-scale power plant near Healy using clean coal.
- Prepare for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by 2030.
- Restart Alberta-to-Alaska rail (A2A) discussions.
- Seek export markets and partner with Tribes for infrastructure funding
Key Data Points
- 11,400 direct and indirect jobs.
- $186 million in state and local taxes annually.
- Critical minerals essential for tech and defense.
🌲Forestry
Policy & Plans
- Repeal the Roadless Rule to revive timber industry.
- Promote value-added processing (biofuels, engineered products) beyond raw lumber.
- Consider moving forestry under Department of Agriculture.
- Seek export markets for forestry resources.
Key Data Points
- 129 million acres of forested land.
- Estimated 500 direct and indirect jobs in forestry sector.
🏞️Tourism
Policy & Plans
- Promote Alaska as a destination of choice; expand winter tourism.
- Integrate resource experiences (e.g., Fish for a day and mine for a day).
- Improve roads and infrastructure; keep Alaska Highway and Marine Highway viable.
- Support homelessness solutions for safe cities.
- Restart A2A rail discussions.
Key Data Points
- 3 million visitors in 2024.
- $4 billion in direct spending.
- Supports over 48,000 jobs.
- $126 million in state revenues and $88 million in municipal revenues.
🎣Fisheries
Policy & Plans
- Alaska-first management: prioritize subsistence, sport, and local commercial use.
- Aggressively address bycatch; enforce strict rules and penalties.
- Push federal reforms and exemptions; litigate if necessary.
- Enhance hatcheries and habitat management.
- Incentivize in-state processing and value-added products.
Key Data Points
- $6 billion in annual economic activity.
- 48,000 direct jobs and 10,500 secondary jobs.
- 141 million pounds of bycatch wasted per year.
- 43,000 king salmon wasted annually.
💰Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD)
Policy & Plans
- Oppose using an income tax to fund the PFD.
- Focus on fiscal discipline and cheap energy to grow the economy and expand the tax base.
- Consider (with voter approval) a constitutional amendment to create a separate permanent fund dedicated to the dividend.
- Fix the outdated constitutional spending cap and implement Sunset Commission efficiencies.
Key Data Points
- PFD & Revenue per-capita allocation: $2,982 (Appendix).
- Nine-year record of supporting full PFD despite political penalties (Q10).
- PFD’s multiplier effect in private sector noted as key economic driver (Q10).
🫎Wildlife/Game
Policy & Plans
- Rededicate the mission of the Department of Game (DG)
- Appoint a Game Manager as Commissioner of Fish and Game focused on abundance
- Modernize game management with advanced technology
- Reform the Board of Game (BOG) for timeliness, transparency, and reliability
- Prioritize predator control & intensive management
- Expand habitat & access projects
- Strengthen local Advisory Committees (ACs)
- Expand partnerships for science, funding, and workforce development
- Clarify subsistence & state authority
Shelley will work to…
…promote business-friendly policies to advance opportunities for new industries, innovative companies, entrepreneurships, and expanded responsible resource development.
…work to ensure great schools, good roads, and safe communities.
…uphold family values and the value and dignity of every person including the unborn.
…stand strong for our state’s rights and for our fundamental individual liberties, including our 2nd Amendment rights.
…work to limit government costs while ensuring essential services for Alaskans, including for our most vulnerable populations, while ensuring our state government serves Alaskans well.
…THE FUTURE OF ALASKA IS IN THE BALANCE… COMPETENCE IS CRUCIAL!
Shelley Hughes is the solid choice for governor because…
Accessible and accountable
Hughes looks out for us while working to get Alaska on fiscal track.
A proven leader
Senator Hughes is a "solution-visionary" who does her homework and brings people together to make it happen.
Diligent, calls a spade a spade, and fights for us—not special interests.
Shelley raised her family in Alaska and works tirelessly to ensure our bright future. She's on our side.