Gov. Bill Walker, having returned from five days in China, perhaps thought he was “on message” when he posted on Facebook that he needs more revenue to “protect Alaskans’ health and safety.”
He went on to say the Alaska Native Engineering Program at University of Alaska had seen a $960,000 budget cut.
It was a message that was doomed from the start.
Facebook readers were especially biting. Some of the more than 128 commenters argued with his logic, while others took the opportunity to criticize him for taking half of the Permanent Fund dividends. The vast majority were disapproving for all kinds of reasons:
“Try having less special sessions and save even more….now…. “
“We need to cut some personnel out of our executive branch. Starting with you.”
“Cruel joke , taking away peoples needed PFD monies for these Phony crisis.”
“Not growing a budget is not a cut.”
“Lies. You have cut NOTHING. OVERALL STATE SPENDING HAS INCREASED.”
“I almost feel like you are bragging or are proud about this! This is quite sad…to cut funding that provides better opportunities to children who are our future. Sad.”
“Wow. Of all things, you find funding an engineering education program a waste of funds? This has got to be the craziest thing I have read today and we don’t lack for crazy these days.”
The governor recently returned from a five-day trip to China to try to develop a market for his gas line. Previous trips to Japan and South Korea for the same purpose have not proven particularly fruitful for a project that appears to be running out of time and is on its last few months of funding.
The governor is spending more than $6 million a year on salaries for Alaska Gasline Development Corporation executives, has opened a gas line office in Houston and Japan.
Walker recently added a climate change director to the Executive Office of the Governor at a cost of more than $100,000 per year and today is hosting a climate change conference in Anchorage.
Other executives he has kept in his administration are former Chief of Staff Jim Whitaker, who is now in charge of major projects, and the governor’s campaign manager, (listed as a special assistant), John-Henry Heckendorn, who serves in the dual role of governor’s “body man,” and campaign liaison.
The governor will be hosting a fundraiser at his Anchorage home on Thursday for his re-election and that of Democrat Lieutenant Gov. Byron Mallott.
You can read pretty much any article about Walker, and in the comments section it runs almost 10 to 1 negative towards him. He’s pretty much blind to the fact that most Alaskans disagree with him. I’m not surprised at all. I live in Valdez and worked in a local tourist restaurant/hotel. He has never seemed to care about anybody who couldn’t give him money.
Governor Walker just officially proclaimed a day in Oct to be “”Commercial Fishing Day”. This occurred right after a meeting in his office with members of “United Cook Inlet Drift Association” at this meeting was Roland Maw, who has been charged by the State of Alaska with 10 or more felony counts of PFD fraud. He and Walker are good friends which might explain just why Maw’s criminal case keeps getting put off. It is presently scheduled to go to trial in November. Even though it appears to be one of the most serious PFD criminal cases ever brought to light (they are very difficult to detect ) , don’t be surprised if for some reason the State dismisses the case. This is a story that Alice Rogoff who is a Walker and Maw bud refused to follow. It needs fleshing out before Maw walks away unscathed.
There are over 400 thousand sport fishing licenses sold to Anglers who fish in Alaska and nearly 25 thousand family Dip net permits sold to Alaskans. Why doesn’t Walker consider proclaiming a “Sport Fishing Day”?
Fortunately this madness is coming to an end. Except for a few thousand limited entry commercial fishing permit holders Walker has angered just about everyone else. He will soon be shown the door and handed his hat.
If the disillusionment and despair demonstrated by municipal voter turnout continues into 2018, the rats will be ruining the sinking ship.
Spending $100k on a professional fretter to fret about climate change is the cherry on top of his idiot sundae.
He has zero chance at re-election, even if screechy Sarah endorses him again.
The Governor’s economist is also an adviser to the Russian mobster Roman Abramovich.
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