Compromise Required to Protect Jobs and the Alaska Economy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 1, 2017
Juneau – Today, around 18,000 State of Alaska employees will receive pink slips. Unless the Alaska Legislature passes a budget in the next month, all non-essential state services will shut down July 1st.
“This is the third year in a row that extended budget negotiations have threatened thousands of hard-working state employees’ jobs. Our Coalition is seeking long-term fiscal solutions to prevent this scenario playing out year after year,” said Speaker of the House Rep. Bryce Edgmon (D-Dillingham). “Protecting vital state services remains a core principle of our Coalition. We understand how disruptive the ongoing budget negotiations are to people’s lives, not just for state employees, but for anyone who wants to buy a home, renew a driver’s license, or engage in any of the multitude of other transactions or activities in which the State of Alaska plays a role. I want to stress that we are committed to passing a budget as soon as possible because a government shutdown is not an acceptable outcome to this legislative session.”
The Alaska Legislature is currently in a 30 day Special Session called by Governor Bill Walker to address the FY 2018 budget, oil and gas tax credit reform, several revenue measures, and a bill to help respond to the opioid epidemic in Alaska. The Special Session is scheduled to end on June 16th. A possible government shutdown in Alaska would occur on July 1st if a budget compromise is not reached.
For more information, please contact Alaska House Majority Coalition Press Secretary Mike Mason at (907) 444-0889.
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