The governor’s proposed budget is $13.9 billion for Fiscal Year 2025, which starts July 1. Based on forecasts of reduced oil prices and production, this creates a budget deficit of $987 million that will be covered by a draw from the Constitutional Budget Reserve and the Statutory Budget Reserve, he said today.
As he has every year, he proposes a full Permanent Fund dividend of about $3,400. He is proposing no new taxes, and although has not added to the school formula, has a one-time increase for education, something he has done every year.
One of the more interesting aspects for Dunleavy’s budget announcement are the interactive graphics his office prepared, so that Alaskans can go beyond the media and study the budget for themselves.
This is the first time in Alaska history the Governor’s Office has posted such exquisitely produced, easy-to-follow, and visual detail so people can delve right in without mainstream media interpreters.
Of the media interpreters, the Anchorage Daily News led by casting the budget darkly, saying that his spending plan has a $1 billion deficit and no new revenue sources, and that the governor blamed the federal government for the reduction in proceeds from resource extraction.
Anchorage School Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt posted an immediate response, expressing his deep disappointment in the education budget, which is a major portion of state spending. In addition to the statutory formula, Dunleavy added on millions for construction and maintenance, millions for reading programs, and millions for teacher recruitment, retention, career and technical education.
But as with last year’s budget, the proposed dividend is unlikely to pass the House and Senate in its current form. Since Gov. Walker cut the dividend in 2016, the Legislature has followed suit and cut it dramatically almost every year. It’s highly unlikely, therefore, that there will be a $3,400 dividend when the dust settled, presumably by the end of April or early May.
In terms of the full dividend, Dunleavy said the court ruled that the Legislature doesn’t have to follow the law, but the court didn’t say the Governor’s Office doesn’t have to follow the law, and so he is going with the statutory formula every time, using a conservative interpretation of what was decided by the Alaska Supreme Court.
Highlights from the Governor’s proposed budget include:
Public Safety
- – 10 additional Village Public Safety Officer positions and VPSO salary increases
- – Three new investigators at Alaska State Troopers focused on crimes against children
- – Four investigators at AST fully dedicated to investigating missing and murdered Indigenous persons
- – Acquisition of a single engine turbine-powered all weather aircraft (Pilatus PC-12NG) for statewide Public Safety operations
- – Replacement of a patrol vessel for Southeast Alaska to respond to emergencies, search and rescue operations, and enforce laws and regulations protecting coastal Alaska communities.
Education
- – Statutory funding for school districts according to the Foundation Program, Pupil Transportation, and School Debt Reimbursement formulas in statute.
- – $8.3 million for school construction and major maintenance.
- – $5 million for the Alyeska Reading Academy and Institute.
- – $1.5 million for Teacher Recruitment, Retention, Certification and Apprenticeship Development.
- – $1.5 million for continued Career and Technical Education Initiative.
Food Security
- – Funding for 30 permanent, full-time Eligibility Technician positions within the Department of Health to process SNAP applications.
- – $5 million to food banks and food pantries across Alaska to increase food security.
Housing
- – $25 million for Alaska Housing Finance Corporation Downpayment Assistance Grants primarily utilizing AHFC dividends.
- – $62.6 million for AHFC annual housing programs.
The Governor’s FY2025 proposed budget also includes investments in infrastructure and economic development providing both immediate and long-term benefits to Alaskans.
Transportation
- – Matching funds for Alaska Marine Highway ferry replacement grants using Federal toll credits.
- – $2.5 million for Statewide PFAS Fleetwide Equipment Foam Replacement.
- – $915,000 for contracted urban snow removal when unexpected snowfall exceeds existing operational capacity.
Law
- – $1.9 million and 10 positions to expand consumer protection investigations, address child protection cases, assist with drug prosecutions and assist with grand jury investigations.
- – $2 million to support continued statehood defense efforts across multiple agencies.
Um, excuse me. I was told that the budget is $5 billion and that we CUT to the BONE this must be dismisinformation.
OH YEAH,for pfd,2024
He could easily have left off those extra law enforcement positions…. All that needs to be done is to refuse to station troopers for duty in communities with a population of more than 4000.
And as far as food security, have things changed so much that the workforce we had processing SNAP applications four years ago is suddenly short by 30 authorized positions??????
Really????
🤣🤣🤣🤣
What a lie on the PFD.
Just so all you scumbag legislators know, I’m literally rolling change for heating fuel and I only have 1 cord of wood left. I hope the worst for all of you.
$14 billion is a bunch of money for a population of just 720K people. Wyoming’s budget is only $6 billion.
Wyoming doesn’t have the geographical and weather challenges Alaska has.
That is a lame and largely BS argument. But leave it to somebody from unicornicopian California to make it (yet again).
From the first week that I moved to Alaska, almost 30 years ago, I have observed and said that both the residents and politicians of Alaska live in a perpetual state of fiscal unreality, removed from almost any sense of reasonableness and responsibility. And I have not changed that opinion one bit since then —- if anything, it is more true now than it was then.
Or have to relocate almost every “ legislator” and their belongings 800miles multiple times a year
I got news for you…Wyoming has got plenty of weather challenges of their own and since Alaska has steadfastly refused to build roads and infrastructure, the geographical challenges are largely our own fault at this point.
Wyomings governor didn’t expand Medicaid in 2017 like our illustrious governor walker did. Thus, the Hugh outlay of money to Medicaid, because now we have to fun it all.
Yes it is a bunch of money…. $19,444 per person to be exact. Even if you were to give each person the full lawful dividend (and that ain’t happening) it still costs each person $16,044
Do you think you are getting enough for you money?
Here’s the deal , Dunleavy has tried to give us the larger dividend and the thieves we elect/send to Juneau won’t authorize it .
So here’s the deal , if the Alaskans don’t receive the amount that governor wants the people to have , it’s time to clean the proverbial house . Fire them all !
I read last month that Alaska had a $17,100,000,000.00 dollar surplus in 2022. That’s a $17Billon surplus .
The state senators are violating the Ak. Constitution , fact . Jerks and thieves , all of you .
Senate and House RINOs will divide that PFD by 10
You are correct. Dunleavy is afraid to use his veto pen to force legislature to cough up the money for dividends and he knows the legislature does not have the votes to override but Dunleavy just will not do it. In fact the current governor is to the left of governor Walker who gave us larger PFDs.
Then the cost to run a small business, licenses are through the roof, try to get an LLC. The state is not open for business.
Did a little research on “population management”. it’s like you think it is. BS. Goal? Two child fam like China. No thanks ma’am. I’m thinking Alaska needs it’s population to increase. The Governor and his health dept are on the wrong team.
I’ve said this for a couple of years, not on this site, that Alaska needs another 200-300k more people to migrate up here for our economy to truly shine. Maybe I’m just painting a rosy picture in my head, I think a population closer to 1 million would benefit our state immensley.
Yes, We NEED more people THAT WILL WORK.. There are many coming up (looking for work) and for the PFD, but end up living on the streets. We got to get the Govt in DC, to STOP killing all our jobs.. We’ve got alot of work ability., it’s the DC idiots that’s killing our jobs to support more people coming up.
Maybe. As long as NONE of them come from the radical leftist cesspool of California, seemingly the font of every bad and insane idea in the last 30 years.
We already have enough government for three million people and the increase in population will increase the amount of government here sure enough seems like. You may still be in cally?
Really , what about the folks that show up annually in Ak for work . Could be over 200,000 folks if you add in commercial fishing , construction , oil industry . I think they are already here . However if the company you work for is giving you room and board and you call yourself a resident , I have issues ! That’s a carpetbagger
If I run for governor, my principal platform provision would be the following constitutional amendment mandate. Whereas the Permanant Fund is worth roughly $76B; and the state population is about 732k citizens; and the fund is described as the “peoples’ money;” the fund will be liquidated as follows. 1) The entire fund would be dispursed to Alaskans prorata (at about $103,000 per citizen) forthwith. 2) The initiative would give every Alaskan the choice to allow the state to continue managing their share; it would be deposited into a residual account called the “communists-by-choice fund.” 3) To be eligible for the dispursement, one must only be a bonafide Alaskan on the day of my election. 4) The initiative may include an exclusive bonus of $1-million for each legislator and supreme court justice as incentive for them to embrace the plan and ignore all appeals or opposition; thereby assuring average Alaskans get their money. When this initiative is complete, our state will be normalized. We could start living normally again without the constant bickering over the fund. Imagine being normal. Let’s do this.
How soon after the distribution would your family be fleeing to the Lower48? Let’s go back to the original plan $50 for every year you were a resident up to 20 years. The thing about you CONservatives is you always scream about others getting free money, but you always have your hand out first. Time to reimplement an income tax that is not based on the crooked federal formula.
Firstly, I’ve been a continuous Alaskan resident since before statehood and I have no plans to leave. Secondly, everyone in and out of government calls the Permanent Fund the “peoples’ money.” If the state gives you your $103,000 then its no one’s business where you go or what you do with it. My plan gives collectivist/socialists the option of leaving their $103,000 in the hands of state government to manage for them. As you likely know, the nature of socialists would be they would want government to manage my money as well.
Math does not work for me on state income tax with a $17B surplus last year ! How’s your math ?
What is your definition of “bonafide Alaskan”??
The definition of bonafide Alaskan is already in law and used to determine who is eligible for the annual pay-out.
Oh right, because bribing voters for a one-time financial incentive worked for Biden. Good strategy…
The difference being everyone in and out of government calls the permanent fund “your money.” If you read my proposal carefullly you will see I give you the option of letting state government remain the custodian of your share… if you believe you need them to do so.
Best thing about your idea , I think 200,000 people would leave and that would very positive on lot of fronts !
I am in , however I will never leave Ak , not even in a pine box !
Big Mike bends us over again! Piles of money for schools that Fail the students, rewards the teachers that Fail the students, and build and fix up schools that Fail the students. But, he proposes to give the citizens of Alaska their rightful PFD that our Representatives (????) will surely shoot down. Is anyone paying attention to this game that’s being played by our Governments ? These cucks do not represent US and they need to go.
Then stop re-electing them.
I do not believe spending $1.5 million on a 3 year study to compare teacher salaries with other States is necessary. Apparently the answer is to change public education to 100% charter schools
That would just end up shifting 100% of the problems and still provide only one option. Charter schools, although some are better than regular public schools, are still under the thumb of the public school system and operate under contract to the local school board, and so are at the whim of the teachers’ union(s) and partisan school board actors, both of which are the heart of the problem(s). Better would be 100% parent/student choice aka vouchers so the funding can follow the student, eliminate or at least drastically reduce teachers’ union(s) and hijacked school board influence, and provide at least some semblance of competition, to promote a quality product: actually and successfully educating students.
Vouchers.
5 million bucks for a reading academy? Isn’t that called a school?
Well like I have thought until this overpriced budget affects everybody’s wallet substantially then the greedy politicians will continue to spend us to the poor house.
Really 14 billion dollars?
People need to sit and think about money as a billion dollars is 1000 million dollars. Most of us will never see a million dollars but our politicians seam to think it’s ok to over spend every year on stuff we can’t afford.
Public safety and transportation should not be smaller than public health (Medicaid) and education. And what the heck is ‘population management’? What a disaster.
So-called “Public Health” should not be within the purview of government at all!
Dunleavy et al are bound and determined that future generations will not receive a PFD.
He proposed a full PFD. Exactly what do you expect him to do? Personally, I wish he had the ability to fire certain judges that rule against the law. I just don’t know whether he does or not; generally, people must vote them out.
Thank Dunleavy his administration cares enough to talk at the literacy level of most Alaskans. The figure here speaks through easy visual just where budget money is being proposed toward funding and by how much and which areas take the lion’s share.
It shows proof how dependent Alaskans are upon government to take care of adults and children. It’s the consequence when a people refuse God they have to latch onto something which is government.
$5 million to food banks and food pantries across Alaska to increase food security.
Disagree with this. This is not a function of government. NGO’s, Church’s, individuals should.
It’s all in preparation for when we will own nothing, live in 15 minute cities and be happy OR get sent to a “re-education” or green camp.
A- -holes got our dividend and won’t be happy till they get the rest, then they will tax. Oh don’t worry they will only tax the working and non native land. I hate to say it but we are the new Calicornia. Anchorage, Juneau, Cordova, Keni, and Girdwood determined this crap we got.
Biggest mistake in the first place was believing government would be good babysitters of the so-called peoples’ permanent fund.
It would be interesting to see the FY2014 budget presented in the same way as the chart at the beginning of this article. I bet we’d all be surprised by what has changed in the last ten years. Without having the details at hand, I would predict that the green “Medicaid Services” box would be quite a bit smaller.
Doesn’t that “green Medicaid Box” includes the federal funds we get?? plus the AK share?? If it does, that box should be 2/3 smaller..I wished they’d separate the AK budge separate from the incoming FED funds. It’d give a truer budget picture.
So that’s about $19,500 per man, woman, and child. Take out the 3,400 for the PFD, and we’ll call it $15,000. A family of 4 is costing the state (us) $60,000. A quick google search shows the average household income in 2022 was under $90,000. So if that dirty oil goes away, I’m wondering how people will live on $30,000 before federal taxes:). The sad thing is 90% of Alaskans have no idea how much money is being spent per person.
The truly sad thing is 90% of Alaskans don’t care how much money is being spent per person.
The annual “one time” funding infusions into the failing school districts needs to cease. Stop enabling the lunatics who are purposely failing to educate our children.
What happened to my comment? Did the Governor say “get that off there”? And, did you obey like you always do for all the stories’ subject(s)? or did the new master disapprove?
Dear reader: Google “Population Management’. It’s a (brand-new, communist) ‘thing” (in Alaska). We do not have population management (by self-elevated health rulers) that has been announced yet by the subservient media in our confederate form of government. Have we “kept” our republic in America since the military and emolument receivers have written oaths to defend? Prove it.
Look up ‘population management”. Read everything you find on the internet. Do a quick book report synthesis here on the first page in Alaska to introduce Alaskans publicly to population management. Ask Herr Zinke what she means by this. Compare and contrast with your incomplete understanding of what the US Constitution says in plain, business language still in use. None of the US language is antiquated but remains in clear plain language and in use.
That would be “Frau Zinke” – you literally just called her “Mr. Zinke”.
Frau was too gentle a title. I was elevating her eminence relative to all others as she and her ilk around the world do, also. I was purposefully exaggerating her importance relative to all others as I believe she does and was exaggerating for emphasis. You caught it though.
I do NOT consent to applying even the verbiage, diction, of “Population management” In our state with 600,000 plus people that we could stick the land mass of approximately twenty states inside of the Alaskan boundary. How much control of Alaska’s sparse population in this barren ice land? where no food grows and the ocean fish are killed off by military installations and activities international in the open seas. How much physically control of our population do you need to medicallyznage from birth to a none to soon death. we have some seriously mentally people literally taking over this empty, impoverished, isolated state. are you going to put your kids through this? Wake up.
Heavy on word salad.
For crying out loud, look at the chart- population management is under department of corrections- PRISON POPULATION MANAGEMENT- you know, the costs associated with maintaining a population of prisoners.
It’s better to remain silent and have everyone suspect you’re a fool rather than speak up and remove all doubt
I love the quote ‘It’s better to remain silent and have everyone suspect you’re a fool rather than speak up and remove all doubt.” Well said, AKVet!
The quality of print is diminished. Dehumanizing others is not my specialty as it is your skill and knowledge.
A $13.9 billion budget with increases in public safety, education, infrastructure and public assistance. Okay, it looks reasonable until we recognize our state has an expected fall revenue forecast of $6.5 billion. This is for shock value folks. It’s time to buck up and decide what we want for the future of our state. Real tangible costs have significantly gone up, putting a tremendous amount of pressure on budgets statewide. Hidden increases include the increasing cost of funding retirement accounts, insurance, and ongoing infrastructure maintenance. No flashy improvements here to market to the masses. The fact is, most Alaskans have grown accustomed to the current level of government services. Some always ask for more. We could cut some out of this budget, but not enough to meet the revenue forecast. It’s literally impossible without crushing economic and educational opportunities. If we don’t agree on some form of a new diversified revenue stream, we’ll continue to be back here year after year to watch the Legislature spend our PFD earnings. It’s easy I suppose. Are you all okay with easy? Are we ready to actually trim state government and come up with an economically sustainable, palatable, diversified plan to move our state forward? I’m not okay with easy, but I don’t believe in hand-outs either. The PFD is a hand-out, it always has been. The fact is, the PFD is much more meaningful to the poorest of Alaskans who are just trying to make ends meet. Is it right that they rely on this hand-out? IDK. We all know families that don’t really need it, but you take a vacation, buy something nice for the family, or put it in your kid’s future/college account. Everybody likes free money. It’s time to be smarter with our collective PFD funds. It’s time to be smarter by developing more diversified revenue sources. It’s time to be smarter with our childrens’ future.
death none too soon enough to suit medical health department managed population directors. you are paid by us the population. we MANAGE YOU! Health department, and not the other way around.
I despair for Alaska. A clinical term ” Population Management” in a budget document does not startle the the population to be managed. Public education has done its job for the would be authoritarians. Those who have not studied one hour regarding the US Constitution have pushed it aside in Alaska. Incredible. How can anyone live there these days.
Dunleavy is doing his usual “bait and switch” with the public to work a better scenario of theft. He promises only a portion of the intent to steal the PFD and use it for other purposes. Remember that Dunleavy has the crooked mouth, Adam Crumb, as Commissioner of Revenue at this time. Remember he had lied to the Senate and house twice to get the Health dept split and they said no. Dunleavy then did an executive order in hopes no one would look under the rug at the children that were exploited and abused in foster care and the federal investigation he kept very quiet. My what a mess that would have made! Remember that he has a partner in Adam Crumb who took this plan plus more to a special meeting to use all of the PFD and borrow more to have a chunk of 100B in a world fund for investment and at the end of the meeting that went south. We need legislative oversight and an audit of the work Crumb and the new PFD board members have worked on the PFD. The Board memo should be made available to all of the public about some of the ideas the trustees are considering for a strategic plan. The trustees held their annual meeting in September in Anchorage. Here in the memo some of the ideas the trustees are considering for a strategic plan. The trustees memo on the Strategic Plan includes offices internationally and out of the state of Alaska about some of the ideas the trustees are considering for a strategic plan. The trustees held their annual meeting the week in September in Anchorage. Statute change to allow their devious plan and Dunleavy is a part of that. He needs a job after his term is over and that of persons he gave work too to put this plan into effect with our PFD earnings. The PFD Board Plan is 414 pages of bait and switch on the people of Alaska and the PFD. The plan after the meeting this Fall 2023. The plan shows how to move money from one big account to another and no trail to follow. The consulting company they met with had further ambitions but there was no pother commitment now until they change the law to help themselves as Dunleavy has done this second term in office. The Representatives and Senate of Alaska have been bought and paid for with new salaries and perks. I suggest all who are interested start writing, calling and checking out every avenue to stop the steal of our PFD from this Governor and his buddies. He has plans to change the law to do it and those who will change the law have been paid.
What kind of budget is this? Dunleavy submitted a budget that pulls from the CBR, really. Take what little savings the State has, unbelievable. No way will the giveaway PFD be in the final budget. We Alaskans pay little or nothing for State services and we want a handout. Unbelievable
robert redlinger MD ?
I think the CBR should have never been created. I did not vote for it. It should be repealed. The proper form of American Government shouldn’t have savings accounts with Citizens money! If Government needs money they tax us! Show me where in our US Constitution it is mandated ! The only reason it happened in Alaska is because they [ the Bureau Rats ] wanted it, at that time, they the [ Bureau Rats ] lobbied the legislature to get a vote on it or it our money from the Earnings from the fund would be deposit in the PF Corpus which they were already doing! That’s what happens when there is to much money to spend. They the [the Bureau Rats]then have to Rat hole it way somehow in a convenient way to get their grubby mits on it. They convinced us dummies that a 3/4 vote would keep it safe ….they still seem to get at it anyways. Dissolve the CBR to a buck and deposit the rest it into the corpus of the PF.
Better yet spend it on infrastructure projects to our resources or finish the Cooper Landing Bye Pass project before inflation ends up costing us a Billion. it’s already over 800 million . That project needs to be investigated for Fraud , Waste & Abuse of taxpayers money when it’s finally completed. It is now projected not to be completed until 2028!
As for the rest of the fraud producing budget before another budget is passed audit every dept of our government for duplications & waste . then fund only the necessities. No Fluff what so ever!
No money to NON Profits, the University make the live off the grants from private or the feds if they can convince the DC swamp monsters!
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