Rep. Chris Tuck

As we stare down some huge budget decisions, it’s important that we know and understand what the people of Alaska want. The House Finance Committee is holding a series of public meetings this weekend across Alaska to get input about the state budget. It’s important to take the time to speak up for a responsible state budget that funds the education of our children, protects the jobs of our fellow Alaskans, and ends the recession that has been dragging down our economy.

Last month, Governor Dunleavy put forward a budget proposal that, if approved, will harm many of our institutions and further push our economy into a deeper recession. That includes the constitutionally mandated University of Alaska (UA), which is facing a massive 41 percent cut in state support.

Public education is under attack. Last month, Governor Dunleavy put forward an irresponsible budget proposal that threatens the future of our children. Rather than continuing to invest in good schools and great teachers, the Governor wants to reduce the state’s support for public education with a huge $273 million cut to the Base Student Allocation (BSA). If that sounds like a lot of money, it is. It equates to $1,100 per student taken out of every classroom in Alaska.

The Governor’s budget finally came out yesterday. During the campaign, the Governor claimed he would only need to cut about $500 million, but since taking office, that number has inflated to $1.6 billion.

Governor Dunleavy gave his first State of the State Address on January 22. This is the eleventh State of the State I’ve been privileged to witness from the floor. I was struck by how short it was, at just under 25 minutes, and how short it was on actual information. It also differed from other speeches in that instead of an electronic copy, I got an expensive printed souvenir booklet.

Tuesday, January 15, was the official beginning of the 31st Alaska State Legislature. My colleagues and I in the House are still working hard to establish the best possible coalition of Republican, Independent, and Democratic representatives to represent Alaskans. I am confident that in the near future, the House of Representatives will be able to organize and get to work tackling these issues. Here are some pictures from the day.

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your Majority Leader in the House of Representatives for the past two years. My commitment to you is to continue working across party lines and to restore faith in government. When we work together as neighbors and Alaskans, we can accomplish great things in 2019!