Sen. Stedman says Legislature will meet to appropriate CARES funds

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KINY / NEWS OF THE NORTH

Citing the need to appropriate the more than $1.25 billion in federal CARES Act money that is coming into the state coffers, Senate Finance Co-chair Bert Stedman says the Legislature will be reconvening in coming weeks.

Stedman told News of the North that the Legislature needs to act quickly to get the money out into the state and in ways that help all Alaskans.

KINY / News of the North

“CARES Act money owed should hit the state treasury Friday or Monday,” Stedman said. “I would expect that the Legislature to take swift action on moving those monies through the process so they can get to the recipients, which is the people of Alaska, as soon as possible.”

Stedman said the funding would go to, among other projects, schools, Medicaid, community assistance and a litany of other programs. Funding from the federal government for infrastructure is also on the way, Stedman said.

“So I would expect the Legislature, when that money arrives in Juneau, will take swift action on that and also move those funds into construction projects in airports around the state,” Stedman said.

Stedman said the Legislature will reconvene within the next two weeks.

“The Legislature is the appropriating body and there’ll be significant sums in there that will have to be appropriated,” Stedman said. “I would expect the we are reconvened in the next couple weeks to take action on that.”

The House and Senate recessed on Saturday, March 28 after passing a state budget. Lawmakers, for the most part, have returned to their home districts amid concerns over COVID-19.

25 COMMENTS

    • Or the governor. I haven’t noticed that he is particularly interested in saving money when it comes to one his pet projects. Or lawsuits.

  1. Boy, it’ll be like calling that old mare out in pasture, it’s time for dinner … The Legislature’ll be running into the Capitol Building quicker than a bum bending over for a dollar on the street. The problem though, is what legislator is going to try divert funds for their own purposes? We can only hope for open transparency during this process. Could we possibly get them to revisit the PFD? In my district, (6) Sen Click Bishop won’t budge, but Rep Dave Talerico would be onboard. Hey, maybe everyone should get in touch with their Sen and Rep and tell them that after they spend the Fed’s money, being that they’re there already, continue helping Alaskans with an early distribution of the PFD … just a thought folks … I know I could use it!

  2. Really nice “projects” in mind by the “representatives” of all Alaskans. In this time of emergency need, the wonderful politicians have a ton of ‘projects’ in store for the emergency funding meant for the people. Schools are closed for the year but they need emergency “funding”. Medicaid is already funded with stolen PFD monies but emergency “funding” must be necessary. Community assistance? What the hell’s that. Alaska’s airports need rebuilt? With emergency funds? None of those federal emergency funds will reach the people that most need them, once the politicians get their paws on it. It’s like handing an alcoholic the keys to a liquor store, to let the politicos “distribute” the funds. They’ll get “distributed” all right. Only not to the intended recipients. Yeah, lets get those “infrastructure” projects started immediately. That should work really well with the states and citizens’ emergency and, especially, cities (Anchorage, for example), locked down. Federal complaints should be filed immediately. Those funds are meant for the people of Alaska, not leftist political stunts. The leftist legislative majority won’t let one cent reach the people, and I’ll take bets on that. Only their pet projects.

  3. Outstanding, Stedman!

    I totally understood the effort to fast track a garbage budget in record time when there wasn’t enough cash to spread around for your buddies. Luckily, the collective wisdom of the Legislature has paid off and there is a ton more money on its way.

    It is hard to overstate how excited we Alaskans are that you have found the intestinal fortitude to get the band back together for an encore. This is a fantastic way to buy some badly needed votes.

  4. Don’t bet on Stedman doing anything with that money that won’t make him look good. He is from my district and in the many years that I have observed and talked with him, my opinion has solidly formed that he is nothing but a RINO as well as an elitist.

    • The day Bert Stedman is considered a RINO is a day that folks should realize that things have gone too far. It is like Ted Kennedy not being “liberal enough.” If RINO was a party, I guess, I would sign up. I used to be Republican and never saw things going this far, ever.

        • Bert’s always been a liberal socialist democrat. Not sure how he got appointed into the Senate by Old Frank.

        • Then I expect the same comments/standards applied to our stories about our President. He would be the triceratops of RINOS if that is the case. I look forward to your responses.

  5. When the Titanic sunk, the crew locked the poor class passengers below decks because there wasn’t enough lifeboats to go around. One lifeboat had nothing except crew in it.
    Alaska is sinking hard and we are locked below decks. The “crew” however will build “cash lifeboats” for each other.

  6. What airport could have possibly have been affected by the shutdown or the virus. Stedman is an ignorant ass. The CARES act forbids use of funds to be used for items that were NOT directly affected by the Corona virus or the shutdown. Airports are not in that group.
    This is BS.
    I will arrange to be in Juneau when they convene. Somebody has to take a stand on this larceny or it will go on until the money is all gone.

  7. Hmm… I could be wrong, but if the session is over it seem to me that only the Guv can call them back? Any help out there?

    • Older, they put themselves in recess after getting out of Juneau in record time (68 days). So they are technically still in session and drawing per diem. – sd

      • WHAT!? WTF is wrong with this legislature? Who approved the per diem? OH, I forgot … this legislature approved it! Doesn’t make any sense anymore … I’m not shocked, though. If they said our work is done here, then no per diem for any of them. I’m gonna complain to … who the heck do you complain to? I’ll complain in the voting booth!

      • I wonder how in good faith they can draw their perdiem while sitting at home in their recliner? All the while sitting on the pile of unpaid PFD’s? I do know first hand that they read MRAK.

  8. Yes, let’s give the group of people who pissed away 15 billion over the past 10 years another 1.5. just like the depleted state savings it will disappear with nothing to show for it. Bet they give themselves a raise and up the per diem rate.

    • I do believe I read that they did vote to give themselves a raise this year. All the while they are refusing to give Alaskans the $1300 per person that Governor Dunleavy wanted to immediately give out to help Alaskans during this time when they are out of work and need the money the most. The Legislature also cut back the PFD that Governor Dunleavy wanted to give out this October so that they could have more money to spend on useless, unnecessary junk, yet they say that we Alaskans wouldn’t know how to properly spend OUR money. Give the money to the people so that they can pay their bills; buy food and clothing; repair their homes or vehicles, etc. and more importantly, vote out every single person who voted to steal our PFD!

  9. Check out Bert’s statement on how this $$ is going to be allocated.
    It appears to me that all the dough is earmarked for public entities and precious little (if any) for the benefit of Alaska’s private sector businesses or individual citizens.
    Is this but another case of “we are from the government and are here to help”?
    Or am I missing something here?

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