Budget Woes…
The Governor dropped his budget today. It has a lot of vague description – look for $294.6 million in undesignated cuts, a future bond package, a full PFD, and a massive raid on the earnings reserve. Press release here.
Battle lines are drawn in race to organize
It was just a few short years ago when we all waited for weeks for the Alaska House to find its leader. Nothing productive happens when there isn’t a Speaker of the House and a President of the Senate. We are right back there again with the added bonus of no organization emerging in the Senate either. The main issue are centered around the Budget, the PFD, and the last savings account with any money in it: the Earnings Reserve Account. Look out for more information on the ERA in the next week or so. New legislators are drawing lines in sand and we all will have to wait to see what happens. Story on House here.
TCC Chief/Chairman calls on the Governor for a mask mandate
Chief PJ Simon wrote in an opinion editorial to the Anchorage Daily News this week calling for action for Rural Alaska by mandating the wearing of masks. The Governor has not wanted to issue a mask mandate because wearing a mask has become highly politicized for some reason. So weird. I mean…we wear seatbelts and take off our shoes to get on a plane and all kinds of stuff for safety..but a cloth face covering has got people all kinds of worked up. Thanks to our leader for elevating this issue. Full editorial here.
State News:
- Permanent Fund Balance rebounds
- FBI is investigating…something…about something
- Governor supports Texas lawsuit over presidential election fraud
National News: