The election of Gov. Sean Parnell to his own term in office resulted in a widespread call for resignations of top administration staff that's so extensive, he's even demanding resignations from people who don't work for him.

...John Manly said the department generally has been considered too partisan. "The face of the agency is the commissioner and the commissioner they had, it's pretty safe to say, is a pretty partisan fellow," Manly said.

House Bill 416, sponsored by Fairbanks Republican Rep. Pete Kelly, would have required the Alaska Public Utilities Commission to come up with rules governing long distance access charges and begin allowing competition by the end of 1998.