NEWS: Smaller Permanent Fund Dividend If Budget Spends From Permanent Fund Earnings Reserve
May 14, 2015
ANCHORAGE - Today Rep. Les Gara released a report from the Legislature’s non-partisan Legal Research Division. It shows that if Legislators were to spend from the Permanent Fund’s Earnings Reserve, that would reduce Permanent Fund Dividend payments received by Alaskans. Some legislators have mentioned this as an option to paying for this coming year’s budget, which is a subject of the current Special Session.
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NEWS: House Leadership Intends to Deny Medicaid Expansion In Special Session
May 13, 2015
ANCHORAGE - In an e-mail response to a concerned constituent House Majority Leader Charisse Millett (R-Anchorage) confirmed that the House leadership has no intention to approve Medicaid expansion during the current special session.
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Rep. Kawasaki’s Newsletter: Time to get back to work - Alaskans Deserve Better
May 12, 2015
While the republican leadership of the Alaska Legislature voted for a 13-day recess in the middle of session, the House Independent Democratic Coalition rejected the thought of a vacation. Like my colleagues, I continue to believe that no one deserves a break until we finish our job in Juneau. Passing a balanced budget with smart cuts, education funding to our schoolchildren and Medicaid reform and expansion to consider is still on the table. Without delay, we should continue to listen to the public, then make the tough decisions!
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NEWS: Democrats Call For Return to Work
May 11, 2015
JUNEAU – The House Democratic Independent Coalition and the Senate Democrats will be holding a press availability at 1pm, TODAY, at the Anchorage LIO to discuss the disappointing lack of progress in the special session and to announce a plan of action for public hearings.
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Rep. Tarr’s Newsletter: Juneau Update & Report From Alaska Food Security Week
May 1, 2015
The session should have adjourned on April 19th, but we have gone into overtime to make sure we have a budget that reflects the priorities of Alaskans, including education funding, Medicaid expansion, Erin’s Law, and cutting wasteful spending. This session I’ve received thousands of emails and calls of support for these priorities. When we held budget hearings thousands of Alaskans called in to support these priorities. The support has been overwhelming while the oppositional is minimal. Also, in the case of Medicaid expansion most opposing are asking for reform. I’m proud to have supported House Bill 148, that includes both expansion and reform that will result in hundreds of millions of dollars of savings.
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