Down to Seeds and Stems

Today is the 67th legislative day. Since I’m a math whiz, I know that means we’ve got 23 days left if we’re going to finish our work in 90 days. (No, I’m not counting the AGIA work. It’s a foregone conclusion we’ll be in special session for that.) With end-of-the-session maneuvering – have you seen the backlog of bills in Senate Finance? I mean, really – and all the budgets still up in the air, it’s likely to be a brisk three weeks.

Happy Easter

If the airplanes flew and connections were made then as you read this I am in San Francisco, celebrating Easter with family. Of course, as I write this it is snowing like the dickens and visibility is limited to a couple of blocks. So you never know. Whatever happens, I hope you and your family, friends and acquaintances all have a happy holiday.

More on the Fight

The dispute continues between Gov. Sarah Palin and Senate and House leaders about $70 million in previously vetoed capital projects that are in a supplemental budget bill. The bill also contains $2.6 billion is savings, another $1 billion that may be saved in the future and money to pay for senior benefits, revenue sharing and what have you.

But, of course, the only thing getting any attention is the disputed $70 million. The bill has passed both the House and Senate, so now it’s up to the governor to decide if she’s going to veto all or any of the projects again. Her most recent move is to ask every legislator to come to her office to talk about the projects he or she has in the bill. Loose talk about being called to the principal’s office will only make matters worse.

Changing the Savings Account

A resolution to change the Constitutional Budget Reserve passed the House this week. Its fate in the Senate is uncertain. If it passes the Senate, the voters of Alaska will decide whether changing the constitution to change the reserve account is a good idea.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Ralph Samuels. I support it. It would change the CBR into an investment account. A percentage of the account’s value would be paid into the state’s general fund to help to pay for government.

The approach has its critics. Seven Democratic House members voted against it, and the Anchorage Daily News editorialized against it as well. Their beef is that the legislature wouldn’t be able to get money out of the account’s principal if something really, really bad happens to the state’s finances.

But, in my view, there’s plenty of money lying around loose if that happens. And if we just continue to do the equivalent of putting the money in a tin can and burying it in the back yard, we’ll never get anywhere. It’ll just sit there until we spend it. Whatever you call that, it is not forward-looking financial planning.

Fun with Photoshop

I don’t know how this happened, but I have acquired a reputation among some people here as being hard to deal with. Yeah, me. Go figure. So my ever-supportive staff went and made the mood-o-meter shown here. Sharp-eyed readers will note that the leprechaun can’t ever get into truly happy territory. Think that’s an editorial comment?

More later.