Alaska House Majority Coalition

Alaskans from Barrow to Ketchikan have been waiting to see what Governor Dunleavy would do with the partial Permanent Fund Dividend payment approved by the Alaska Legislature. The Governor announced today that he would allow the $1,600 payment to go forward. However, the Governor intends to call a 3rd Special Session for the fall where lawmakers will consider a bill paying out the remaining $1,400 to equal the PFD amount set out in state law.

Today, the Governor signed the operating budget (HB2001) which restored $110 million of vetoed funding back to the University. Other cuts that were reversed include the Alaska State Council on the Arts, senior benefits, community services grants (homelessness assistance), early learning, Alaska Legal Services, Online with Libraries, and agricultural programs. I'm glad to see these cuts restored. However, the Gov did keep cuts that I do not agree with to: Alaska Public Broadcasting, Ocean Rangers, Medicaid, VPSO program, Civil Air Patrol, and the Alaska Marine Highway System.

I’m calling this the Budget Whiplash Edition. So many important items in our state operating budget have been proposed to be cut, then funded by the legislature, then vetoed by the Governor, then re-funded by the legislature, only to be vetoed again. Who can keep up? This is no way to run a state. It’s not ok that the budget is being signed in late August, again with major implications and lasting changes for Alaskans. While it’s not all bad news, there are reasons to be concerned.

I never would have expected so many people would come up to me and complain about the PFD over the last year. I get it: Since the Governor is burning down our state for $600 additional dollars in a PFD, many Alaskans have turned against the PFD itself. But the reality is we can have both a healthy economy AND a large PFD...provided we generate reasonable revenue.