Petersburg Pilot -

Alaska is in a fiscal mess and Gov. Mike Dunleavy is making it worse.

The state has spent almost all of its easily accessible savings. Budget cuts have hit hard at essentials such as the ferry system, university and some social service programs. Our credit rating is at risk. And yet the governor acts like next year or the year after is soon enough to figure it out.

Calm and thoughtful is good, irresponsible is bad.

Dunleavy's plan is to spend from the Permanent Fund until a better idea comes along. Just take billions of dollars more from fund earnings to plug budget gaps and pay super-sized di...