Recent increases in housing rentals, commodity prices, and service costs in Alaska appear to be imposing severe economic hardship upon many of our citizens. The Federal Economic Stabilization Program, particularly since the lifting of the rent freeze at the close of Phase II in January, has not significantly ameliorated the predicament which many tenants and consumers are suffering.

Accordingly, I have today formed by this Order an Office of Rent, Price, and Costs Review within the Office of the Governor. This Office will function under my direction and is charged with the following responsibilities:

(1)  to solicit and review information from Alaskans concerning rents, commodity prices, and service costs (through the agencies described in (4) below);

(2)  to examine the nature and causes of inflation in Alaska;

(3)  to conduct studies to determine the feasibility of various measures by which to rectify the serious economic disadvantages faced by tenants and consumers and to restore by the application of external devices a rational economic balance in landlord-tenant and consumer relationships. Among those actions to be undertaken are:

(a) formulation of proposed legislation for instituting a freeze or rollback when findings of fact show such action to be necessary in the public interest;

(b) formulation of proposed measures for the disclosure of rent, price, and cost increases and of the circumstances surrounding such increases;

(c) other actions that may be applicable toward checking the rise of rents, prices, and costs in Alaska.

(4)  I hereby direct the Division of Planning and Research, under the authority granted it under AS 44.19.880 (1) and (6), and the Consumer Protection Section of the Department of Law, to furnish such information and staff assistance as deemed necessary by the Office created by this Order.

Dated this 28th day of April, 1973.

S/S WILLIAM A. EGAN
WILLIAM A. EGAN   
Governor of Alaska