Lynn - that's exactly what my first thought was.  My son is an Alaska resident, and I visit frequently, but truthfully, I have no dog in this fight.  In light of the fact that there might not be the federal funds to help Alaskans out of a terrible natural disaster, it might help to have your state in a financial position to "do it yourself".   Believe me I wish it weren't so.  I'd write Alaska a big fat federal check if you guys experienced something as terrible as '64 again.  But my fear is that the current majority in DC wants all that fed money for themselves and their cronies, and they will make it so.