Stevens: Kodiak Projects Probably Safe

Jay Barrett/KMXT

With the state legislature scheduled to adjourn on Sunday (April 18), lawmakers are scrambling to wrap things up this week. Late last Wednesday the first public draft of the state capital budget was released, with almost $63-million destined for the Kodiak area. The bill was still in the Senate Finance Committee, and was subject to additions and subtractions, but Senate President Gary Stevens said late Friday afternoon the Kodiak projects were probably safe.

— (Session 1 20 sec "They’re real firmly … it goes to the governor.")

Governor Sean Parnell has called the capital budget – at about $1-billion – "bloated," and that was before the bill got to the State House, where additions were likely. Parnell has talked about getting the legislature back on track, but has not yet used "The V-Word."

— (Session 2 37 sec "Well, he hasn’t talked about veto … more into savings.")

Some of Parnell’s opposition to the legislature’s budget may stem from the vast differences between it and the proposed budget he submitted before the session started in January:

— (Session 3 39 sec "Well, the governor didn’t … has to be done at home.")

Stevens said he did not think there will be a special session, but if there was, it would be because of one or more items:

— (Session 4 29 sec "There are several issues … a vote of the public.")

One of those bond items would be about $20-million for a new Alaska Department of Fish and Game headquarters on Near Island. That bond package would be voted on during the primary election in August.

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