Some Alaskans are pushing back against a request by a billionaire to take a controlling interest in GCI Liberty, the state’s dominant telecommunications provider.

GCI Liberty and John Malone, a Colorado billionaire and one of the largest private landowners in the U.S., are also asking the Regulatory Commission of Alaska for a waiver to keep secret financial statements associated with the proposal. They argue in part that public disclosure could cause financial harm.

The Alaska Beacon first reported on the requests on Monday.

More than 40 individuals have commented against the proposal and the requests for secrecy in a comment period that ends at 5 p.m. Tuesday before the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. The majority of the comments were uniquely written, not form letters.

Many said they oppose giving one person, particularly a non-Alaskan, control of a company that plays a vital role statewide, providing services in more than 200 Alaska communities.

Malone filed his request with the agency early this month.

The chair of GCI Liberty, Malone holds 53.5% of the aggregate voting power at GCI Liberty, the agency says.

But his voting power is restricted to 49.32%, based on agreements entered into by entities related to him, the agency says.

“GCI Liberty and Dr. Malone seek approval for Dr. Malone to increase his voting power to above 50% of the aggregate voting power of GCI Liberty, a level that would constitute control of GCI Liberty and its certificated subsidiary GCICC (GCI Communication Corp.),” the state regulatory agency said.

GCI Liberty recently reported revenue for the first six months of this year at $527 million.

Net earnings during the period, after expenses, were $62 million, according to financial reports on its website. The company came close to doubling its net earnings from the same period in the prior year.

In a statement from spokesperson Josh Edge, GCI said it “is deeply committed to Alaska and to serving Alaskans. Our headquarters and senior leadership team are all based in Alaska, and we continue making decisions locally to serve communities across the state. While our parent company, GCI Liberty, is involved in this regulatory filing, we remain focused on connecting Alaskans and investing in the state’s future, just as we’ve done for more than 45 years.”

In written comments to the agency, critics of Malone’s request and the desire for secrecy assert that Malone seeks increased control to boost profits, which would come at the expense of GCI customers in the form of higher bills and reduced services.

“Internet and phone services are necessary public services, often life saving,” wrote Christine Niemi, of Douglas. “These services should not be controlled by those whose goal is for profit. The interest of the public must be the primary concern.”

“I believe it is imperative that this process remain transparent and accountable to the public,” Jo Ann Gruber wrote.

“… The request to keep financial documents confidential undermines the principles of open governance and public oversight,” Gruber added. “These documents are critical for understanding the implications of the proposed takeover, including potential impacts on service quality, pricing, rural access, and long-term investment in Alaska’s communications infrastructure. Allowing secrecy in this context sets a dangerous precedent and erodes public trust.”

The state agency said it “will rule on the petition for confidential treatment and motion for waiver” following the comment period. At that time, it will also determine if the application from Malone is complete.

GCI, launched in Alaska in 1979, has undergone major changes in recent years. It was sold to Liberty Broadband of Colorado in 2017, upsetting some customers who wanted the ownership to remain local. Among other developments, it has outsourced its call center to the Philippines, affecting dozens of Alaska jobs, and ended its cable TV platform in favor of an internet streaming service.

Many Western Alaska residents displaced by ex-Typhoon Halong will move out of mass shelters in Anchorage this week and into hotels and more long-term housing arrangements.

Roughly 320 storm evacuees were staying at shelters in Anchorage as of Monday, according to Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management spokesperson Jeremy Zidek. He said he believes the state, with the help of the Alaska Housing Finance Corp., has the capacity to rehouse all shelter residents who have been sleeping on cots at the Alaska Airlines Center or the Egan Civic and Convention Center downtown for almost two weeks.

The goal was to move more than 100 evacuees into non-congregate shelter Monday, he said. Zidek did not disclose exactly where storm victims will go.

According to a flyer from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the American Red Cross, emergency responders are working to keep multi-generational and extended families at the same hotels, and displaced residents will keep receiving three meals a day. Other resources and support will continue to be provided at the shelters as well as at hotels.

More than 650 people evacuated to Anchorage, city officials said last week. Storm damage is still under assessment and cleanup remains ongoing in Western Alaska. With many homes waterlogged, utilities damaged and winter on the way, the timeline for when residents can return remains unclear.

“Some people don’t want to stay in Anchorage,” said Thea Agnew Bemben, a special assistant to Mayor Suzanne LaFrance, on Monday. “There’s other places where people can stay on the road system, but also back in Bethel. Some people are hoping to be able to go home soon or to nearby villages.”

The state of Alaska last week formed a housing task force to match evacuees with housing accommodations. The task force included the Alaska Housing Finance Corp., Alaska Native health and housing organizations, Western Alaska groups, the Rasmuson Foundation, the municipality and others.

The Anchorage Emergency Operations Center team identified more than 1,000 hotel rooms, Airbnbs, apartments and housing units that could potentially be used as temporary housing, said city spokesperson Emily Goodykoontz.

The state’s Individual Assistance program includes a temporary housing program that provides homeowners with up to 18 months and renters with three months of housing assistance. More than 1,100 Individual Assistance applications have been received, according to a Monday update from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

“We know there are more people that stayed with friends and families who will require help and are prepared to meet the need,” Zidek said.

[At a Native foods potluck in Anchorage, a taste of home for storm evacuees]

[Drenched insulation, muddy floors and broken heaters: Western Alaska villages race to clean up after the storm]

[Inside the effort to rescue the dogs that Western Alaska storm evacuees had to leave behind]

[‘It is who we are’: Alaska Native organizations collect whale meat, seals, fish and other traditional foods to help storm victims]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – There few fish that can challenge the mighty salmon’s necessity to Alaska, but if one fish could, it might be the Alaska pollock.

Alaska’s pollock fishery is in U.S. water in the eastern Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska primarily.

Now, a new pair of studies is shining a light on how important the fish is to the state.

In terms of economic output, the findings point toward the industry impacting around 6,000 jobs for the Last Frontier, Ron Rogness, Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers director of industry relations, partnerships and fishery analysis, explained.

“What the analysis found is that in Alaska, there were 2,869 jobs associated with the fishery, that’s directly employed in either the harvesting or processing sector,” Rogness started. “Then another 3,450 jobs are associated with the fishery based on the purchases that Alaska Pollock companies make within the state of Alaska.”

For the residents of Alaska, according to the study, those jobs generated around $337 million in income in 2023.

And when looking at the economic impact as a whole for the state, including indirect impacts, that number more than doubles.

“I was certainly impressed about the sheer numbers. And in terms of economic output, $832 million of economic activity in the state of Alaska is attributable to the Alaskan Pollock Fishery,” Rogness said.

That number includes things like the cost of work being done on vessels, things bought for crew members and fishing supplies.

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