Grassroots activists have been burning up the phones of state senators who in Juneau, telling them to stop HB 55, the bill that would add back billions of dollars in ongoing operational costs for the State of Alaska to pay for lavish benefits for some state workers.
Most of the phone calls are going to answering machines, because this is “Legislative Skits” weekend in Juneau and lawmakers are busy preparing for the festivities that entertained them last night and will entertain them some more tonight.
State Sen. Josh Revak pulled a maneuver last week to bounce HB 55 from a committee chaired by Sen. Mia Costello, who was not allowing the bill to advance because its fiscal costs are so high. Revak joined Democrats to file a letter to force the bill into the Finance Committee, where many think it will quickly advance to the floor of the Senate. The bill sponsors in the Senate are Democrats Tom Begich, Elvi Gray-Jackson, and Bill Wielechowski.
Americans For Prosperity volunteers began calling on Friday and another crew began calling midday Saturday, hoping to reach every senator and the Office of the Governor to stop the bill. They have made over 600 calls in 24 hours, Americans for Prosperity said.
“The audacity of legislators telling Alaskans we are on a fiscal cliff so dire we cannot pay a full PFD, but now we’re going to pass a defined benefits bill that we don’t know how much it costs or how our children and grandchildren will pay for it? It’s going to cost billions of dollars and lead to new taxes,” said Bernadette Wilson, Alaska state director for Americans For Prosperity.
Wilson cited a bill offered by Rep. Adam Wool last year that would put an income tax on Alaskans; Wool said it would bring in $600 million a year. Last May, Democrats said an income tax would be needed before Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s full Permanent Fund dividend plan could advance. And another bill advanced by Democrats last year would implement a 2% sales to address the “fiscal cliff.”
On Friday, gubernatorial hopeful Bill Walker, who is favored by Democrats and state workers, posted support for HB 55. “Fantastic to finally see movement on the important issue of public employee retirement benefits. Fixing our broken public employee retirement systems means more people will stay in Alaska and build their lives here,” the Walker-Drygas campaign said, distorting the truth. Then it told another fib: “Alaska is one of the only states in the nation that lacks a defined benefit retirement system, and we hemorrhage valuable state workers every year as a result.”
In fact, the Social Security Administration says the traditional pensions are fading fast across America:
“The percentage of workers covered by a traditional defined benefit (DB) pension plan that pays a lifetime annuity, often based on years of service and final salary, has been steadily declining over the past 25 years. From 1980 through 2008, the proportion of private wage and salary workers participating in DB pension plans fell from 38 percent to 20 percent (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008; Department of Labor 2002). In contrast, the percentage of workers covered by a defined contribution (DC) pension plan—that is, an investment account established and often subsidized by employers, but owned and controlled by employees—has been increasing over time. From 1980 through 2008, the proportion of private wage and salary workers participating in only DC pension plans increased from 8 percent to 31 percent (Bureau of Labor Statistics 2008; Department of Labor 2002). More recently, many employers have frozen their DB plans (Government Accountability Office 2008; Munnell and others 2006). Some experts expect that most private-sector plans will be frozen in the next few years and eventually terminated. … Under the typical DB plan freeze, current participants will receive retirement benefits based on their accruals up to the date of the freeze, but will not accumulate any additional benefits; new employees will not be covered. Instead, employers will either establish new DC plans or increase contributions to existing DC plans.”
Must Read Alaska learned Friday that Sen. Revak, who is hoping to be Alaska’s next congressional representative, was told by the firefighters union that his support for the pension bill was the difference for him in advancing from the open primary to the general election. Only four candidates will move ahead from the June 11 special election primary to the Aug. 16 general election, when voters will decide who fills out the remaining months of the late Congressman Don Young’s term. Revak is a long-shot for the position, making his move to the left an important play for union financial support, since his campaign has virtually no money to work with.
Bernadette Wilson, of Americans For Prosperity, said defined benefits are not the problem.
“Sen. [Mia] Costello is who we are really offering our support to,” Wilson said of the Anchorage senator who tried to block the bill from moving forward. “We’re putting enough pressure on legislators — maybe those couple of Republicans who thought they might support it, they need to know they’ll be stepping on a hornet’s nest if they do, and it’s not going to be pretty. And if HB 55 lands on the governor’s desk, we want him to veto it.”
The bailout plan gave $86 billion to fund union pension plans. Didn’t our unions give enough to get in on the deal?
Oil Company Subsidized Benefits are GOOD for Alaska??
Government is meant to serve the people. When government employees, over a period of decades, begin voting themselves in lavish benefits packages, and their careers in government, become such that they are making so much money and/or benefits than the average private sector citizen, they become part of the problem. These government employees are becoming narcissists. And slowly the private sector despises them. And eventually, slowly, this cycle culminates in the fall of a government, of a state or an entire country. I am embarrassed for all government employees in their houses that are nicer than almost anyone around them, their boats, the 2nd or even 3rd home, and their retirement packages. You government employees say, “I don’t have a fancy home or boat or 2nd home” as though that exonerates you from guilt. You still have amazing retirement and benefits packages whereas much, if not most, of the private sector citizens are not guaranteed any of these things. Your government jobs that you may or may not do a good job at, are destroying this country by racking up state and national debts that will never be paid off and will lead to complete financial collapse.
The defined benefit bill is targeted for the sworn public safety officers not the entire workforce. They are willing to deal with the misguided segment of our state. They are willing to give their life for yours. What are you willing to give?
What happened to backing law enforcement?
Don’t worry Larry, Law enforcement retirees often have a lower life expectancy than the general public, so you won’t have to be burdened for an extended time.
All of us know that the public employee unions are breaking through the wall by starting with firefighters, then it will be corrections, then teachers, and then everyone else. The classic camel’s nose under the tent. We all see it. Suzanne is just the one with the courage to say it.
I’m still waiting for the article to be corrected to accurately report the truth; that the “some state workers” are law enforcement officers.
But, must read Alaska, the flagship conservative newspaper of Alaska (lol) can’t admit they actually don’t support their first responders, otherwise they’d be just like the left they work so hard to demonize.
So MRA, I’m waiting, go ahead and make the correction. Go ahead and publish an article blasting pensions for Law Enforcement officers in Alaska.
Camel’s nose and tent scenario. Oldest game in Juneau. See: HB 220; Current Status (H) FIN; Status Date 01/27/2022 … to the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Alaska and the teachers’ retirement system….it’s all part of the big plan.
Can we just pay off the old defined plan from 2006 before we start another one? FJR
Frank, when those “public safety officers” signed their employment contract was a gun being held to their head. Only the military has the authority draft people against their will into public service. Your comment implies these people did not get what they bargained for. It seems your perspective is perhaps biased.
Frank, when those “public safety officers” signed their employment contract was a gun being held to their head? Only the military has the authority draft people against their will into public service. Your comment implies these people did not get what they bargained for. It seems your perspective is perhaps biased.
Enjoy having an ever decreasing average length of career for officers as the older ones leave, and no one else stays past the 5 year year vestment.
What we have is a 5 and out dilemma. Law enforcement applicants come to Alaska knowing they have a better chance of being hired. They hire, get all the training and seasoning, hit the 5 year vesting mark, and they lateral transfer to the lower 48. We have spent millions and it goes on today. Time for a change.
Coog, Why do you put quotes around the word public safety officers? You mad bro? Cause you got a ticket from them for your speedin. I bet yer the kind a fella that tells “public safety officers” that you pay their salary. Everyone has the right to bargain for a better deal, and that is what this amounts to.
Yea, all that and an early retirement to boot.
Eating too many donuts eh ! Many of them are double dippers or even triple dippers…
Note Frank Costello’s and HB’s replies to your misinformed rant.
The fact is, the labor marketplace for law enforcement officers is highly competitive. You may only see them through the lens of your being on the wrong end of a traffic stop or DV arrest.
These are guys willing and able to do work that others are both unwilling and unable to perform.
Are you able to prepare legal documents better than a paralegal? Most experienced Troopers can.
Are you able to coordinate search and rescue projects involving dozens of volunteers, multiple communication centers, liaison with military and civilian aviation assets, and bring all the volunteers home alive and then sit with a family and guide them through grief of a lost loved one even though you know the lost one died through his own misbehavior? Most Troopers can.
Will a stranger’s child tell you all their darkest secrets about what auntie or uncle do to them in the middle of the night? Every Trooper hears those.
If you think the answer is yes to any of these or other unimaginable questions, go turn off the television and apply.
So…if you think a defined benefit is too much of a “reward” for a retired life filled with the memories of others’ misfortune, just think on how sheltered a life you lead.
Rabbi, you say, “go turn off the television and apply.’ To which say undermines your entire comment. The troopers, firemen, and all other public safety employees indeed “applied” for their jobs. They were not forcibly drafted. They signed their employment contracts voluntarily and with full consideration of the pay and benefits offered. You are implying either they were deceived, or, they lack the integrity to live by their agreements. I doubt they were deceived.
Rabbi, your statement, “go turn off the television and apply’ undermines your entire comment. Troopers, firemen, and all other public safety employees indeed “applied” for their jobs. They were not forcibly drafted. They signed their employment contracts voluntarily with full consideration of pay and benefits offered. You implied either they were deceived, or, they lack the integrity to live by their agreements. I doubt they were deceived.
If Law enforcement means anything ” the memories of others’ misfortune ” is not a bad dream or something to dwell upon . It’s life today in the civilized society… NO EXTRA PAY FOR ANYONE Comrade 🙁 .
When government unions “negotiate” (if one can call it that) with the government, they are both sitting on the same side of the table.
Amen.
This is gross.
We need less government, not more.
Government workers on the local, state, and federal level are part of the parasitic class.
Unionization of govt workers is wrong-headed.
The pensions have already bankrupted this state – we just don’t realize it.
Agreed Brother Alaskan!
FJR! They work for the big labor unions and public employee unions to make sure they all have a retirement gravy train on the backs of the PFD. They steal it from the rest of the Alaskans and hide it in their pensions.
Agreed again Sister Alaskan!
Every time they pull something that will hurt the people we think it couldn’t get worse…then it does. The one thing I don’t get is why they keep getting elected. Stay on the side of your constituents Ben.
The far left part of state workers clearly want to kill the Alaskan oil and gas jobs with more red tape and cost just so they can pay themselves more money for doing it. Maybe the time has come stop this! Maybe it would be smart to eliminate all but one oil and gas agency and elect one pro energy Commissioners to produce more natural resources and money for the Permanent Fund payments to all Alaskans. Alaska can be rich in Dominance in oil and gas exports if far left and one big major did not always run the state oil and gas agencies, legislators and Governor, right? Why are the people second and these far left selfish people first, I wish people voted to distribute all $90 billion and force the left to support energy dominance so all Alaskans can have more money now and in the future, anyone agree, if so contact your government servants that supposedly work for you the people!
STEAMING MAD!! This is beyond chutzpah… it’s enough to make a preacher swear!… Full statutory PFD, back statutory PFDs, with interest, are owed and must be paid to the people before any increase in any State spending – and the CBR neesd a large deposit as well – MAYBE then and no sooner than then look to see if we can afford more State spending. Defined benefit for State employees? NOT EVER again. Revak, you’re toast. Democraps, you’re toast. Public sector unions – you are public enemy number one, and union reforms need to happen. What ever happened to the State version of the Hatch Act? Liars in the government and media, you are going to rot in hell for eternity.
Kill HB55. STOP THE STEAL.
These people are despicable! At the top is Josh Revak, another turncoat traitor.
Alaska has two defined financial classes of people:
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Those who work for the State, and those who don’t. I’m a union worker in the private sector. Not a public employee union member. I would never vote for Revak. And I will not vote for Bill Walker. Both pander to the state employee public unions and state workers for votes and donations.
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And neither support a statutory full PFD which would give us people in the private sector a chance to catch up with our bills.
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Tshibaka, NB3, and Dunleavy get this household’s votes and campaign donations. Period
All this talk of back the blue and American heros. Sad conservatives don’t want to back them on the bottom line. The bill is projected to cost the state an additional 5.7 million a year for the next 5 years. But is easier to just scream billions.
The PFD is also a defined benefit plan. If the pension fund managers would just steal the retirees checks like the legislature steals our dividends, then the pension funds would not need to be bailed out. We demand equal treatment for both government employees and residents. Period.
???
Agree. Demand it by voting for the right candidates.
That’s a PFD for everyone regardless of your age, job or profession !
The info on HB55 has been blown out of proportion. HB does away with the tier 4 of PERS/TERS retirement system. After been a firefighter in AK for 20 years, I can attest to the fact that Tier3 retirement is not lavish although it did include a new knee, new hip, and 2 back surgeries. Tier 4 is a minimal 401K system that has turned Alaska into a training ground for others states with competitive retirement system.
From the first paragraph:
“…lavish benefits for some state workers.”
The author should be ashamed of themselves for this kind of journalism. You mean you don’t know which state workers? You know exactly which state workers. It includes our law enforcement officers. And, I’ve read the bill, there’s nothing lavish about it.
Why were you afraid to point out it included law enforcement officers? Are you afraid to admit you’re no better than the liberal left and their defund the police rhetoric?
Commie statement. False shaming. It’s the way of Marxists.
Lol negative CB, read the first paragraph, then read HB55. Try and tell me it’s accurate reporting.
When seconds count the police are only minutes away. Enough with law enforcement worship. They’re people that choose a job. It’s not the justice league, its not a marvel movie. Putting this burden on the backs of the public and future generations is ridiculous.
She doesn’t stir much interest by sticking closely to the facts. Back in the PERS days you had a much higher caliber of persons applying to AST, many having given up more lucrative professions to perform public service for a full twenty to thirty years in return for a defined benefit retirement…which few enjoy longer than three to five years.
There’s very fierce competition for quality law enforcement applicants. If you want high caliber Troopers, you have to put up the dough or be satisfied with constantly recruiting and re-training a mediocre workforce that is the product of being the low bidder.
The PFD is also a defined benefit plan. If the pension fund managers would just steal the retirees’ checks like the legislature steals our PFDs, then the pension funds would not need to be bailed out. After all, don’t we need SUSTAINABLE? This unequal treatment of government employees and everyone else creates a two class society, which will eventually fail.
Captain Seth Kashel will be in Palmer talking about election integrity…this man is a patriot working very hard traveling all over the Country to stop election fraud. He has a great article on substack about Alaska and its shenanigans.
Returning to defined benefit is a terrible idea! The one move during the past quarter century in Alaska state government that was reasonably sound was phasing out defined benefit to replace it with a private sector type of retirement system. That phase-out of defined benefit showed fiscal common sense, and therefore it was alone in an otherwise flagrantly unsound era of state and municipal government spending. Taking on huge and uncertain long-term liabilities at a time when oil happens to be over $100 per barrel would burden our children and grandchildren for two generations, long after TAPS has been dismantled. As it is the last existing PERS and TRS defined benefit beneficiary will collect monthly payments and health care until 2070 even though new entrants were eliminated on July 1, 2006! Revak cannot possibly be fluent in fiscal and actuarial metrics; all he knows is what might help him win enough votes to be the Don Young replacement. Clearly Suzanne Downing understands this and we should all be grateful for her objective and informed analysis. If defined contribution is good enough for the Alaska private sector it is appropriate for the Alaska public sector. Email your legislators as union money is putting pressure on them in Juneau every day!
How about Full PFD’s for us and NO PERKS FOR OUR DO NOTHINGS in Juneau! It isn’t their choice! They work for US!
Those “Do Nothings” are law enforcement officers. Currently, under Tier 4, you get a minimal 401K. What ends up happening is after 5 years when an officer is fully vested, they leave Alaska for greener pastures down south. It costs roughly $120k to train an officer for the first year. If we fill the same position every few years and have to train new hires, which do you think is more expensive, that, or retaining an officer for a full twenty?
when I was a kid I went to a couple of summer camps where there were skits, but never as an adult. But as an adult I never went on a multi-month retreat to a remote location. If I had, I’d probably be into skits. Which makes me wonder, if the legislature met in Southcentral Alaska, would they do skits, or allocate time more seriously.
No public unions. Follow the money.
Greedy politicians starting with Walker.
A RIGHT TO WORK LAW needs to be passed NOW!
HB55 is for first responders, not all government employees, backed by many conservatives who understand supporting our first responders (who republicans say they support until it comes time to pay for them) and is a fiscally responsible bill which will save the state millions in lost training costs. It is nothing like the old Tier 1-3 and is based on a fully funded first responder plan from Washington. It is too difficult to recruit and retain good first responders without a competitive package. We are losing lots of well trained employees to outside agencies with better benefits and the bleeding needs to stop.
Amen!
You want to eliminate your family’s PFD?
You want to enjoy California level taxes?
You want laws to coddle thieves and drug peddlers?
from having the inconvenience of doing jail time?
Then you have two choices:
1. Move to California
2. Elect more big spenders who think of you as “little people”.
Either way will work.
The Establishment Republicans blocked the far-right more than pervert Democrats.. you deserve to live like a scared broke slave
None of this matters. Fiat money printing has destroyed the value of the dollar. Every week prices go up at the grocery store, the gas station, and every other business people spend money at. The more money that gets printed, the worse it will get. Go ahead and promise the public sector unions infinity billion dollars a year, the obligation will be paid for with money that has less value than monopoly money.
I voted today. Nick Begich 3.
WHY? Why did you vote for Nick Begich? Inquiring minds would like to know. How do we know if he will be a RINO? Begich family are democrats. Why would anyone believe Nick will be different?
TS: Do your research and your due diligence. Ignorance is what gave us Bill Walker and Lisa Murkowski. NB3 is a Conservative. VHe’s his own man, not a Mark Begich clone. And NB3 doesn’t give whiney tv commercials about how his grandaddy was lost in a plane accident 50 years ago. That’s what Democrats do.
Against the field of traitors Coghill and Revak, and grandstanders and opportunists like Palin, NB3 is the best bet. Doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee, with the GOP it NEVER is. All you get is a chance. He’s the best chance. That’s it.
Everything Judy and Lawrence said is correct. I have spent a few hours hard-pressing Nick Begich. He is a real conservative, articulate, well-informed and energetic. California has over 50-seats, we have only one… meaning our representative needs to be 50-times more effective than the average California rep. I am voting Nick Begich III as my first rank, Coghill #2.
Same. Our entire family of five voted NB3 and sent the ballot in the mail. Go Nick!
We just voted today. NB3 times four.
Alaska’s Defined Contribution plan is VERY different than other states’ plans. Alaskan public employees don’t pay into Social Security. They get no social security benefits, and get their spouses get their SS checks reduced as well. It’s called the Windfall Provision and the Government Pension Offset, I believe. Look it up.
So, no, these aren’t lavish benefits. They’re desperately needed to make sure people still want to be public employees in Alaska and know they won’t be destitute as senior citizens.
I mentioned this before but i’ll mention it again. Alaska has a 5 and gone plan. 1st responders and Law Enforcement officers are in PERS4 which pays out generously to the contributions made during employment. Here is the issue, if you’re law enforcement and want to be hired and trained, go to Alaska. One will have all the bills paid for hiring, backround checks, academies, certifications, field training, uniforms, equipment. etc. After 5 years, take off and go for higher pay and lower cost of living. Let Alaska start all over again (about $300K per officer). If you leave in 5 years, your pension is about $100 per month.
Neither a borrower nor a panderer be. Honest pay for an honest day’s work. That’s it since legislators in AK destroyed: freedom from medical tyranny and employer’s businesses and the US Constitution. Green new deal? They’re forgetting to mention until mid-terms are done. Hold the line.
“We support our Teachers, Firefighters, Police and first responders” except for their hard worked retirements, get a job lazy old folks.
Read it and weep…………………..The best (worst) is yet to come. No matter your ‘party’ affiliation you are not in control.
‘https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/05/rinos-democrats-just-stole-future-elections-deep-red-alaska-republican-party-not-lift-finger-stop/
My 10th grade civic teacher, who used the GI bill to be re educated for a job his war injuries limited him to spoke to the benefits of a government job.
If you can not get in to college get any government job you can.
All you have to do is stay in a government job for 2-3 years and you will be able to skip the cost of college by learning on the job to be a work with business skills. Now the WARNING is DO NOT GET TOO COMFORTABLE with the government job. There is better pay in the private sector
See, government does not make money….the private sector does. The government runs on the sweat of the private sector turn in to cash that is taken out of the private sector paycheck. Thus the private sector jobs can pay better. If ever the government job out paced the private sector in employment numbers or cost of government inflated too much then the printing machine would run but at some point everything would fail. Never count on government being your tit. If my body was whole I would be doing better and more and I am great full for this job….but I know what I gave up for our country…. Pay me back by making use of all of your talents God gave. ROY HENDRIX
Only one problem with your rant Dianne – in Alaska govt jobs pay better than private sector jobs for equivalent work and have better benefits.
1-An income tax is coming. They won’t stop until they get it. And the GOP will lead the way.
2-The only thing more dangerous to AK than progressives is the GOP
That makes no sense. Liberals are the ones always pressing for more taxes, they always have. Here in Juneau our liberal city council has recently: raised commercial real estate taxes by 50%, they are prepping for a “temporary” 1% increase to sales tax, looking at raising the millage rate on residential properties, and working on a scheme to increase taxes on cruise ships. Might want to rethink your post.
As long as I’ve lived in CBJ, we have been a community dedicated to the concept of economic suicide. And drag shows.
Nothing new here.
Thing is CBJ is run by progressives. Progressives openly want to enslave us to the state.
The GOP, on the other hand, is supposed to know better. That makes them worse.
Should know better so it makes them worse? So we give Democrats a free pass because they’re ignorant and have no street smarts? I’m failing to see the logic here.
I’m withholding the response you deserve and instead giving you one that will get past the censors.
It is clear, in this issue, logic is clearly not your friend.
1-The tax/spend issues of our local idiots in the assembly have nothing to do with statewide politics. The rest of Alaska doesn’t hold its breath waiting to see what the CBJ Assembly thinks.
Let’s make this easier. Wade Bryson is one of our saner Assembly members. If he votes for the increases in business taxes and millage increases, or the latest asinine attempt to kill tourism, it’s worse than if the rest of the bozos do it because: he knows first hand how this kills businesses and drives people out of CBJ. He’s already lost two of his three franchises due to CBJ mismanagement.
In short: he knows better. The rest are freaking clueless.
2-You don’t get mad at your autistic kid for doing odd things. He literally may not know better. But you tear apart your smarter kid with no issues because he does no better and self sabotaged anyway.
Slowly: no one gets a pass for being dumb. But people who are capable of doing better and don’t should be held to a higher standard. Classic example being our totally useless, feckless, coward of a governor.
Our state workers deserve it. We have alot of qualified people who deserve better!
As it stands, Public Safety Officers are leaving after they are fully vested at the five year mark in Tier 4, to go to greener pastures. By bringing back the pension, it incentivizes officers to stay for a full career, giving us many more years of service and experience, instead of rookies with only a few years in using Alaska as a training ground. The new Tier 5 is based on a proven system from the Lower 48, and the increase in cost to the state is only a couple million, which would actually be even less if you factor in the savings from not having to hire and train as many new officers to fill the holes.
Sad to see conservatives “backing the blue” here.
We can not afford this. Property taxes where I live are ruinously high because many government employees have a benefit package that is at least 70 percent of the base salary. For example, a borough worker making $100,000 for a do nothing job then costs us another $70,000 for their benefit package- so that’s $170,000.00 per year.
FJR and any other “Republican” that back this nonsense.
Also- make note that because law enforcement is almost always a government job and local and state governments have lavishly funded these positions the salaries are massively inflated in cost over what they really should be. Coghill was one of the people who pushed legislation to allow these people to retire after 20 years. Imagine starting work at the age of 22, and retiring at 42. Fiscal insanity. Who is going to fund these people to sit around for 40 or 50 years?
Good thing the proposed Tier 5 in HB55 doesn’t do that. It pays a pension, at 55, so only a few years before Social Security starts paying out… which Law Enforcement doesn’t get because we don’t pay into SS.
Counting on Dunleavy to do anything is a recipe for failure.
MA, why are we at odds? You still want to punish those in knowledge (like Wade Bryson) but give a free pass to San Francisco style Liberals who are totally clueless. As Joe Biden would say “C’mon Man” make up your mind.
I find the lack of self awareness in the comments hilarious. The same people defending law enforcement now were screaming “Defund the police!” less than 2 years ago. Which is it?
The Crafty Ballot Harvesters, Thieves, Taxers of children will ALL be caught in their own Nets ! The Nasty Nine assembly and those who promise to save the PFD for You are connected and keep doing it because, as Maxine Waters says on their behalf………..”.WHO”S GoNNA STop US ? ” …………….we need a Constitutional Convention !
Maybe Alaska needs to take a hard look at the foolish spending and waste. Maybe we need to be prioritizing the current budget. I find it difficult to believe that we cannot find a few million dollars of funding for some “non-crucial” projects that could be cut to fund firefighters and police officers. The turnover rate among AFD alone is shocking. The money we could save in look recruitment, testing, vetting and training new recruits only to lose them in a few short years to the lower 48 would be significant. We could also take a hard look at reducing certain state staffing. Can you honestly say that we can’t find even 10-15 state employees that Alaska could not survive without? That could equate to saving a million dollars a year in salary and benefits! I don’t have all the numbers, I’m not an expert but if I know anything it’s that all levels of government is bloated with personnel and equipment. The civilian sector does twice the work with half the personal and a fraction of equipment for much less costs in order to be profitable. But the government model is never concerned about efficiency and saving money, only in preservation of their own!
It is tough enough to live in Alaska with the added expenses of the cost of living. We depend on the PFD to help offset the gaps in our income. To continue to tell Alaskans that the PFD amount will HAVE to be reduced because the elected Representatives can’t manage our State budget over the last 7 years is corruption of the system by the afore mentioned Representatives. Pay what you promised the residents of this State. Further more the timing of this fiasco could not be worse with the Federal people screwing the National economy and turning a deaf ear to the people trying to survive. My mom was a cop my son and daughter in law are cops so don’t sell me this load of progressive crap that the people this bill is designed to show appreciation for aren’t going to receive the respect that they deserve unless we accept the Democratic rationale that they know what’s best for them. You ask these selfless public servants if they approve of choking the populace currently dependent on unpaid PFD’s so that the can be paid a wealthy and healthy retirement bonus at our expenses??!! At the States expenses. If politicians can’t see what’s wrong with this bill then you all are in the wrong business! Hell no on HB 55. Governor- Veto‼️?
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