Rep. Drummond’s Newsletter: Special Session Update
June 3, 2016
After negotiating over the Memorial Day weekend, the Legislature passed a $4.6 billion operating budget. This is a reduction of $500 million from last year. We also passed one of the smallest capital budgets in state history. Nearly $3.2 billion comes from the Constitutional Budget Reserve, the state’s savings account. The session now can be laser-focused on a fiscal plan, before our savings are depleted.
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Rep. Spohnholz’s Newsletter: Special Session Update
June 3, 2016
On Tuesday, the legislature passed a compromise budget package funded by the Constitutional Budget Reserve as is needed. This budget compromise is far from perfect, as are many compromises, but it allows us to keep Alaska open for business so that the fishing, tourism and business communities can continue to operate during the summer. The budget compromise ensures that we don’t face a crippling government shut down which would further damage the State of Alaska’s credit rating and hurt the thousands of Alaskan state employees and those who count on their essential efforts. In this special session update, I will describe these budgets generally as well as what is next in the special session.
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NEWS: Budget Compromise Prevents Threat of Government Shutdown and Protects the Alaska Economy
May 31, 2016
Juneau – Today, the Alaska Legislature passed fully funded budgets for the next fiscal year that removes the threat of the first ever government shutdown in Alaska. The operating and capital budgets were passed with significant support from members of the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition (AIDC) after weeks of bipartisan negotiations between the Minority and Majority Caucuses in both the House of Representatives and Senate.
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Rep. Spohnholz’s Newsletter: The Special Session
May 27, 2016
Last week on Wednesday, the legislature adjourned without passing a responsible fiscal plan for Alaska. As the newest member of the Alaska State Legislature, I was extremely disappointed that we were not able to balance the budget even after the session was extended. There is no more important responsibility of the Legislature than to make sure that we honor our responsibility to the people of Alaska by passing a responsible budget. However, we have another chance to get the job done.
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NEWS: Last Minute Assault on Public Education Hits School Children
May 18, 2016
Juneau – As the Second Session of the 29th Alaska Legislature reaches the constitutionally mandated end of session, lawmakers and advocates for a healthy K-12 public education system are reeling from a surprise cut to public education. On Tuesday night, the House and Senate Operating Budget Conference Committee slipped a $50 cut to the Base Student Allocation (BSA) into the proposed FY 2017 budget in violation of funding promised by state law.
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