There will be no extra money for the University of Alaska’s sports teams, its effort to become a top-tier research university or its attempts to hire and keep staff.
On May 16, the legislative committee assigned to write the final version of Alaska’s state operating budget axed all of those items — and many more — from its latest draft.
Alaska is facing a severe budget crunch, thanks to low oil prices and reduced federal spending, and lawmakers are eliminating almost every previously considered addition, even before Gov. Mike Dunleavy gets a chance to use his veto pen.
Flat funding, combined with inflation, means cuts for most state services. The Permanent Fund dividend isn’t immune, either. It’s expected to be about $1,000 this year, the lowest figure in state history, once adjusted for inflation.
“It’s just a really challenging time, and there’s a lot of volatility, and Alaska’s heavily dependent upon federal funds,” said Fairbanks Sen. Scott Kawasaki. “We don’t have that huge buffer of oil and gas funds that we once did.”
Fairbanks Rep. Will Stapp appeared resigned to the decisions when asked for comment. “It is what it is,” he said.
The budget maneuvering isn’t restricted to the University of Alaska. At the Alaska Department of Transportation, legislators have cut road maintenance spending and have requested a report on the feasibility of turning the Dalton Highway — Alaska’s overland link to the North Slope — into a toll road.
A plan to put more Alaska state troopers in Kotzebue to fight child abuse crimes was only partially funded, and $2.3 million for additional trooper overtime was trimmed to $1 million.
The conference committee of House and Senate members in charge of combining different budget drafts approved by the two chambers, may also cancel plans for additional state and wildlife troopers in Talkeetna.
Legislators are asking the Department of Public Safety to begin meeting with the Kenai, Fairbanks and Matanuska-Susitna boroughs about setting up local police departments in those areas in order to replace state troopers.
“It is the intent of the legislature to direct public safety funds to areas of the state that do not have the tax base to provide needed policing services to their communities,” the latest budget draft states.
The committee declined to increase funding for special education, child nutrition, early education, and state libraries, archives and museums. But lawmakers did approve an increase for career and technical education initiatives.
The committee approved $5.5 million for child advocacy centers, which support child victims of physical and sexual abuse. That money was added after the federal government cut funding for the centers.
For the state prison system, the budget directs the closure of part of Spring Creek Correctional Center in Seward and directs the Alaska Department of Corrections to prepare a report for the Legislature evaluating which prisons would provide the most cost savings if closed.
Budget negotiators also rejected increased funding for vocational training programs intended to aid Alaskans who leave the prison system.
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