HE IS HALTING EVICTIONS FOR THOSE IN AHFC HOUSING
Gov. Mike Dunleavy today asked the Alaska Legislature to release the $1,306 in Permanent Fund dividend payments that were owed to Alaskans under statute in 2019, but were kept from them by the Legislature last year.
“This is the quickest way to get relief to Alaskans to so they can pay their rent, buy gas, and keep on with their daily lives, he said. We can get those PFDs out in April, very fast,” he said.
“Never in the last 40 years has the payment of the PFD been more critical, and Congress itself is on the verge of enacting its own version of our dividend program to get cash in the hands of all Americans,” Dunleavy said. Alaskans are facing personal crises as they look for ways to make their next rent or house payment at the end of the month, and to buy food for their families, he said.
While federal relief payments appear to be headed for approval, many Alaskans need help right now, Dunleavy said, calling on the Legislature to act quickly with the most effective form of relief that could be made. It is a form of relief that depends on the authorization of the Legislature, as the governor cannot access the funds alone, Dunleavy said.
“We need to be there for them so no Alaskan slips through the cracks. Failure to act immediately on this will have devastating consequences on Alaska’s public health and could jeopardize our pandemic response.
“I urge our Legislature to follow the lead of Congress and take concrete action to safeguard the lives and welfare and the economy of Alaska now.
Please authorize, I’m asking the Legislature, please authorize the payment of the PFD now so Alaskans can receive this payment in April to help with their daily lives,” Dunleavy said.
Dunleavy also announced:
- Small business bridge loans at local lending institutions.
- Interest rates on these loans will match SBA, and be 100 percent guaranteed by the state
- Establishing a $1 billion fund for disaster relief, coming from existing accounts in government that are already in hand.
- Aggressively expanding unemployment insurance.
- Signing executive order to protect 13,000 Alaskans who receive rental assistance from AHFC. No evictions for 60 days.
- AHFC is being directed to suspend foreclosures and evictions immediately.
- Loan services are authorized to grant forbearance.
- Help for health care workers with more protective gear.
- $100 million to address the increased public health workload to combat the virus.
- More health safety equipment for state workers.
- Municipalities will be getting aid. Resources will be set aside to help local governments cope with the loss of sales tax and other revenue.
This story is being updated. Check back…
He is absolutely right!! Thank you Governor.
They can’t do it Governor, not without getting their legs broken by their Chinese bosses.
HE CAN DO IT ALL BY HIMSELF!
Sec. 26.23.050. Financing.
(a) It is the intent of the legislature, and declared to be the policy of the state, that funds to meet disaster emergencies will always be available.
(b) Whenever, and to the extent that, money is needed to cope with a disaster, the first recourse shall be to money regularly appropriated to state and local agencies. The second recourse shall be to money available in the disaster relief fund or, for oil or hazardous substances discharges, the oil and hazardous substance release prevention and response fund, as the governor determines appropriate. If money available from these sources is insufficient, and if the governor finds that other sources of money to cope with the disaster are not available or are insufficient, the governor may, notwithstanding the limitations imposed by AS 37.07.080(e),
(1) transfer and spend money appropriated for other purposes; or
(2) borrow money for a term not to exceed two years.
(c) Nothing in this section limits the governor’s authority to apply for, receive, administer, and spend grants, gifts, or payments from any source, to aid in disaster prevention, preparedness, response, or recovery.
Yes! Give back our PFD!
Alaska Legislators, please do the right thing!
Do it yourself Governor. Don’t count on them for anything.
I can’t believe the amount of deceit these legislators are portraying. They are putting their personal wants need and desires ahead of the people they represent. In other words, they are being controlled by the lobbyists, special interests (their own), to hell with the Alaskan’s they are supposed to represent.
Government services are fine, but cash pays the bills in the time of a disaster. This is probably the worst disaster this globe has ever seen and they sit on their wads of cash. They don’t represent us, only their own self interests.
Notice they are nowhere to be seen.
Let the Legislature vote up or down on this, that way we know who to vote out next election.
“Please . . . ” twice in the same sentence?
Looks like we can forget any vetoes.
Please . . . this is not what I voted for.
Where is the Mike Dunleavy I voted for, the “Stand Tall” guy?
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