Gov. Mike Dunleavy at a press conference in Anchorage on Friday, March 20, 2020. (Courtesy photo | Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)

Gov. Mike Dunleavy at a press conference in Anchorage on Friday, March 20, 2020. (Courtesy photo | Office of Gov. Mike Dunleavy)

Dunleavy announces economic stimulus, legislators try to rush budget

Gov calls for $1 billion in stimulus

Gov. Mike Dunleavy is authorizing $1 billion in disaster relief, he announced at a press conference in Anchorage Friday. The funds were part of the governor’s “Alaska COVID-19 Economic Stabilization Plan” which will expand state unemployment insurance and help emergency health care facilities in addition to a number of other measures, the governor said.

Dunleavy also called on the Legislature to authorize the payment of $1,304 from the 2019 Permanent Fund Dividend as a means of helping Alaskans in a time of economic crisis.

“Never in the last 40 years has payment of the PFD been more critical,” Dunleavy said. “Congress itself is on the verge of enacting its own version of our dividend to get cash into the hands of Americans.”

But where the $1 billion would come from is not immediately clear. In his announcement, Dunleavy said the funds would come from existing state accounts, but did not specify which ones.

“There’s constitutional questions governing that,” said Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, “when you sweep accounts.”

Stedman, who co-chairs the Senate Finance Committee, said he was unaware which state accounts the governor intended to use. But, he added, “we have to give the gov the opportunity to lay out his plan full circle.”

[Without changes, GOP lawmakers see little reason to vote for supplemental budget]

Stedman was skeptical of the supplemental PFD payment Dunleavy called for saying he wanted to be prudent while working through the COVID-19 crisis.

“We need to be careful that we don’t have a political reaction,” he said, “We don’t want to replicate what the federal government’s already doing.”

To the governor’s call for $1 billion in disaster relief, Stedman said he wanted to consult with the state’s accountants, the Office of Management and Budget, before moving ahead.

In his address, Dunleavy said leaders were working across party lines, but in the Legislature, the vote for the supplemental budget failed by just two votes due to partisan differences.

Member of the Republican House Minority said they felt the budget sent back to them by the Senate was too bloated and took none of their priorities into account.

The House could vote to rescind their supplemental budget vote and if that vote were to fail again the bill would be sent back to the Senate.

Asked if the Senate would be willing to consider reworking the bill if that were to happen, Stedman said bluntly; “No, we’re done with it.”

“We’re trying to get the operating budget and get out of here,” Stedman said.

Both the House and Senate have floor sessions scheduled for Saturday, and Stedman said he intends to move the operating budget bill through the Senate Finance Committee and get it to the floor as soon as possible.

To expedite the process, Stedman said the state’s capitol budget would be included in the bill for the operating budget.

“We plan on doing the capitol budget and the operating budget and leaving town,” he said, accusing the House minority of partisanship. “They’re twiddling around playing politics. There’s nothing wrong with that supplemental, but we have to pay our bills.”

More in News

(Juneau Empire File)
Aurora forecast for the week of Nov. 27

These forecasts are courtesy of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute… Continue reading

The Hubbard state ferry (left), the newest vessel in the Alaska Marine Highway System fleet, is back in service in northern Southeast Alaska after a maintenance period as the LeConte, which also serves the region, undergoes a scheduled annual overhaul until March 3. (Photo courtesy of the Alaska Marine Highway System)
AMHS leaders hopeful staffing, sailings are trending up

More employees at key positions hired, restoration of cross-Gulf sailings next summer envisioned.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)
Police calls for Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2023

This report contains public information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

A ConocoPhillips oil rig operating during winter on Alaska’s North Slope is featured on the cover of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s report recommending approval of the Willow oil project. (U.S. Bureau of Land Management)
Judge rejects calls to halt winter construction work on Willow oil project in Alaska during appeal

A federal judge in Alaska on Friday rejected requests from environmental groups… Continue reading

Strips of chum salmon hang on a drying rack on Aug. 22, 2007. A new study by federal and state biologists identies marine heat waves in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska as the likely culprit in the recent crashes of Western Alaska chum salmon runs. (Photo by S.Zuray / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Study points to concurrent marine heat waves as culprit in Western Alaska chum declines

Successive marine heat waves appear to have doomed much of the chum… Continue reading

Marzena Whitmore (elf) and Dale Hudson (Santa), pose for a photo with Benny Orvin (partially obscured), 6, and his siblings Lilly, 4, and Remi, 2, taken by their mother Alex as their father Randy watches during Gallery Walk in downtown Juneau on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Coming together as one giant community family at Gallery Walk

Thousands share an evening of entertainment in the outdoor chill, visiting shops and hot chocolate.

Girls teams face off on the twin courts of the main gym at Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé High School during the Juneau Invitational Volleyball Extravaganza on Oct. 15, 2022. The Juneau Board of Education on Friday unanimously voted to seek advice from outside council on a new state policy banning transgender girls from high school sports teams. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)
School board unanimously votes to seek outside legal advice on new statewide transgender sports ban

Juneau reportedly first district to take step that may lead to lawsuit challenging policy.

A Capital City Fire/Rescue truck parks outside the main entrance of the Riverview Senior Living complex Monday after Nathan Bishop, 58, is found alive in the attic 40 hours after being reported missing from the facility where he is a resident. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
State reviewing Riverview Senior Living after missing resident found in attic 40 hours later

Officials unaware of similar cases in Alaska; facility says steps to prevent such incidents underway

Search and rescue officials examine the area about 11 miles south of the center of Wrangell where a landslide occurred on Nov. 20. Five people are confirmed dead from the landslide and one still missing. (Photo courtesy of Alaska Department of Public Safety)
Body of fifth Wrangell landslide victim found; one person still missing

Otto Florschutz, 65, found Thursday evening; Derek Heller, 12, still missing among family of five.

Most Read