Reason for Reform Campaign Highlights New Data Showing the Substantial Local Economic Impact of Immigrants in Alaska

Mayor's Corner

8/3/2016

ANCHORAGE – Today, Anchorage business and community leaders joined together for a 'Day of Action' to showcase new research on immigration contributions in Alaska. The roundtable discussion hosted by the Municipality of Anchorage launched the Reason for Reform campaign in Alaska as part of a national effort to highlight the economic contributions of immigrants to local economies. The Municipality of Anchorage is working with the Partnership for a New American Economy (PNAE), Wells Fargo and the State of Alaska Department of Commerce and Economic Development as part of its Welcoming Anchorage initiative.

"We see the cultural impacts of our extraordinary diversity every day - this data shows that our diversity also powers an engine for economic prosperity," stated Mayor Ethan Berkowitz.  "As individuals, families, and communities, we realize the American dream and achieve the promise of Alaska when we convert the virtues of a welcoming, inclusive Anchorage into meaningful opportunity for everyone who lives here."

The Contributions of New Americans in Alaska shows that immigrants make up 8 percent of the state’s population and have a combined income of $1.8 billion, paying $436.4 million in federal income taxes. Immigrants in Alaska work in all industries and they make up 8 percent of all entrepreneurs in the state. They play a large role in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, a major component of U.S. economic growth. These and other key statistics on immigrants in Alaska can be found in the PNAE report here.

The Municipality of Anchorage also announced today the launch of a strategic planning effort to highlight and enhance the contributions of new Americans to Anchorage – to help facilitate their civic and economic integration. The planning effort is supported through the Gateways for Growth challenge, an initiative of NAE and Welcoming America that invited communities across the United States to apply for support for the development and implementation of multi-sector strategic plans for welcoming and integrating new Americans. Anchorage was selected as one of just five communities nationwide to receive a matching grant in support of this effort, along with Akron, OH; Kansas City, MO; Macomb County, MI; and Salt Lake County, UT.

More information on the Reason for Reform campaign, visit http://www.renewoureconomy.org/.  For more information on the Welcoming Anchorage initiative, visit www.muni.org/departments/mayor/welcominganchorage/pages/default.aspx.

For more information, contact First Lady Dr. Mara Kimmel or Amy Coffman at (907) 343-7112.

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