The State House finished its work April 9 on the operating budget, which has been passed to the Senate for further work and debate. While there is still work to be done, this year’s budget has the potential for some great investments for the needs of Alaskans.
The House passed a Permanent Fund dividend at $1,250 this year and approved an additional energy relief check of $1,300 to help mitigate the costs of record inflation and high fuel costs. While I know some constituents wanted a bigger PFD, this compromise means we can take a sustainable draw from the Permanent Fund to maintain its stability and growth into the future, while still taking advantage of increased oil revenue to give a necessary financial boost to Alaskans.
Oil prices this year also gave us the funds to prioritize our investment in education.
In addition to $1.2 billion for forward funding K-12 education and a $1.6 million appropriation to fund the WWAMI medical school program for two years, the House approved $111 million to fully fund municipal school bond debt and Regional Education Attendance Areas for fiscal year 2023, and $66 million to pay the 50% of school construction debt that wasn’t paid last year. This is an important and overdue investment in our students, and helps to relieve pressure to increase property taxes at the local level.
The House also voted to fully fund the Alaska Marine Highway System through 2023 at $141 million, with $82 million coming from federal infrastructure funds. While this influx of federal funds will help with much-needed vessel replacement and maintenance, continued state funding is necessary to show long-term investment toward returning Alaska’s ferry service to a consistent, reliable, and affordable system.
Our ferry system remains one of my priorities, and this funding is a critical way to strengthen our regional economies and make sure Southeast Alaska communities stay connected.
While I have heard a lot of support from my constituents for funding ferries and education, I’m also excited to see other investments in our communities. This budget adds $1.5 million in grants for rural public radio stations like KSTK, an additional $5 million for seniors and disabilities services, and $1.2 in behavioral health grants.
Most importantly, the House voted to add $2.2 billion in savings to the Statutory Budget Reserve by the end of fiscal 2023, which will help ensure Alaskans are protected through fluctuations in oil prices, natural disasters or other changes in our fiscal situation.
Rep. Dan Ortiz
Reader Comments(0)