WATCH: Dunleavy holds budget news conference

Published 10:30 pm Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Gov. Mike Dunleavy is holding a news conference today to discuss the budget recently passed by the Alaska State Legislature.

The conference is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., in the Atwood Building in Anchorage. Dunleavy will be joined by Office of Management and Budget Director Neil Steininger.

Dunleavy, on Wednesday in a social media post, said he had signed the budget to prevent a partial government shutdown, and indicated he would share changes to the spending plan today. Previously, Dunleavy indicated he may make line-item vetoes to the budget passed by the Legislature.

The budget for Fiscal Year 22, which began today, includes a partially funded Permanent Fund Dividend of $525, which may be a point of contention.

Pinned to Dunleavy’s Facebook page is a video in which he touts a proposed bill that would, if passed by lawmakers and voters, would make changes to how the PFD is calculated via constitutional amendment.

A version of the budget, which passed the Senate, included a PFD of $2,300. That amount would line up Dunleavy’s proposed 50-50 formula.

Watch the news conference below: