Dear Friends and Neighbors,

In the wee hours this morning, after nine hours of debate and amendments, the House passed the FY 2016 Operating Budget on a vote of 25 to 14. The House version of the budget totals $ 4.1 billion - we are still facing about $ 3 billion in deficit.

Rep. David Guttenberg speaking with Minority Leader Chris Tuck on the House Flooor

My colleagues and I offered over 20 amendments ranging from Medicaid expansion to the delaying of oil and gas tax credits. Our goal from the beginning has to be fight for programs important to our constituents while still finding ways to reduce the  budget.

I was dismayed that this budget did not do enough to reduce the impact of the cuts it contained. At the same time the House rejected many of the money saving options on the table- like Medicaid expansion. At the end of the night, while I support many of the programs and operations in this budget, I elected to vote against this budget moving forward. To me, the budget process is not fair nor transparent enough.

We did not take a constitutional budget reserve vote last night. This means that it’s an unbalanced budget. Most likely, if a CBR vote is needed to pay for this budget, it will happen in the very last moments of session after the Senate has made their cuts and additions.  

The Senate has started their operating budget subcommittee process so stay tuned. There will be another public comment process during Senate Finance and it will be important that people speak up on this last chance. 

Rep David Guttenberg preparing for a long night of budget amendments on the House Floor

DOT Open House for Old Nenana Ester Hill Rehabilitation

The Alaska Department of Transportation will be hosting an open house next week to present information on the proposed Old Nenana Highway improvements.

The project scope includes repaving, shoulder widening, tree/brush clearing, and updates to approaches, culverts, guardrail, signing and striping. DOT is currently working on conceptual designs, preliminary engineering, and environmental studies.

This is your opportunity to learn more about this project and influence it early in the process.

When: Wednesday March 18th from 4:00pm to 
              7:00pm
Where: Ester Volunteer Fire Department,
              3570 Old Nenana Highway

You are welcome to come in anytime between 4:00pm and 7:00pm.

For more information, or to submit comments outside the open house please contact Lauren Little at 907-451-5371 or via e-mail at laruen.little@alaska.gov

You can also take a look at this project by visiting http://dot.alaska.gov/nreg/old-nenana-rehab/ .

The dealing for submitting comments is April 18, 2015.

Thank you for reading and please feel free to call my office and share your ideas.