Excessive Travel Expenditures Plan IrresponsibleHouse Finance Committee unveils schedule for community budget meetings Monday afternoon
March 18, 2019
Sullivan-Leonard said in a prepared statement, “After waiting nearly a month to organize the House, the fact that the Democrat-led House Majority now plans to spend tens of thousands of state dollars to fly members around the state campaigning for an increase in government spending in the middle of legislative session is astounding to me.” “This is a great depiction of why the people of Alaska do not trust in their legislature – we’re in the middle of a huge budget deficit and House leadership wants to spend money that we do not have to try and advocate for spending even more money that we do not have. Other departments in the government are cutting their state travel budgets down by 50% or more – they didn’t give that money to the Democrat-led House Majority to spend for them," said Sullivan-Leonard. “Additionally,” Rep. Sullivan-Leonard said, “it’s regrettable that members of the House Finance Committee were not made aware of these plans prior to their being made public by a blogger. Members of the House and Senate just spent weeks organizing town halls and caucuses in-district to hear from constituents. Spending precious dollars to peddle political motives in this way is disingenuous and irresponsible.”
The House Finance Committee early Monday afternoon finalized its schedule for the series of public hearings that will take place in communities across Alaska beginning later this week. According to this afternoon's House Majority Coalition's news release, while the House Finance Committee typically holds public input hearings in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, the proposals contained in the governor’s budget this year would fundamentally change life for many Alaskans: everything from the university and K-12 schools to the Alaska Marine Highway System and Pioneer Homes are slated for deep cuts under Governor Mike Dunleavy’s proposal. Quoting the news release, "Given the historic nature of the decisions before policymakers and the fact that our savings accounts have been spent down, the committee is going above and beyond to listen directly to Alaskans. The hearings are the first of their kind in Alaska’s history." “Cuts and efficiencies are possible and necessary, but these proposed reductions would have significant impacts on elders and youth, rural and urban residents, and every facet of our economy,” said House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham. “Because of this stark reality, all budget decisions must be informed by input from people across our state.”
Editor's Note - Tuesday MARCH 19, 2019 CANCELLED: A Town Hall meeting in Ketchikan was announced last week to take place on March 28th inviting citizens to provide comments on the impacts to the Community of Ketchikan related to the Governor's proposed budget. KETCHIKAN TOWN HALL The Ketchikan Borough and City Mayors and School Board President cordially invite the public to attend a Town Hall Meeting to hear presentations and provide comments on the impacts to the Community of Ketchikan related to Governor Dunleavy’s proposed FY 2020 budget. Members of the Borough Assembly, Ketchikan City Council, Saxman City Council, and Ketchikan School Board will be in attendance. Public Comments may be submitted in writing to the Office of the Borough Clerk or provided in person at the Town Hall meeting. Mailing address for Borough Clerk: Ketchikan Borough Clerk
Reporting & Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews
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