The primary cause is SB21 and a bloated government fixated on paying massive tax breaks to their Masters, the oil oligarchy, and Raiding the PFER to do it. If SB21 had not been pushed through by the Republican Majority, with gobs more cash being thrown at pie-in-the-sky projects, with the tax rates on oil being shifted onto Net profits instead of Gross, adding in soft-pedaling the collection of DUE AND LEGAL audit results, Alaska would be in MUCH better shape, irregardless of the current price of oil. 

Is it a factor? Yes indeed. Is it the root cause? No. And you are speaking of high-flying oil prices needed to support the *CURRENT* -Bloated Oinker- our State Government has become. Put this Pig on a diet and you won't NEED 100$ a barrel oil to fund it's out-of-control spending. The REAL issue now is a Legislature that wants to continue *It's* free ride. When I'm broke, I cut my personal budget. It's time they cut theirs. Instead of $250+ per day Per Diem Lunches, pack a P&J sammich!