PFD, school funding separate House and Senate in final budget weeks

With four weeks left before the May 17 adjournment deadline, legislators are focusing on the state budget and how to resolve big differences between the House and Senate over school funding and the amount of this year’s Permanent Fund dividend.

The House approved its version of the budget on Monday, sending it to the Senate for certain changes.

And while the major disputes are over how much to spend on education and dividends, and how to pay for the spending this year, many lawmakers also are kicking around ideas to generate new revenues in the future to help pay for popular budget items.

The...