Senator Gary Stevens and Representative Louise Stutes Respond to Governor’s Budget Plan

Kayla Desroches/KMXT

Kodiak Senator Gary Stevens and Representative Louise Stutes attended Governor Bill Walker’s budget plan presentation to the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly and Kodiak City Council Monday.
 
Stevens said the state legislature is taking the plan seriously, but suggested that it might be hesitant to support some of Walker’s proposed changes.

“The issue of income tax and permanent fund is very important for us to think about and talk about. I’m not sure that the legislature will actually go along with that this year. I can support it personally, but I don’t think you’ll see the legislature doing that because of issues like election coming up, you know.”

Stutes said some ideas are going to work, some won’t.  

“I think it’s a good starting point and it gives us something to work with. We had nothing on the table before this. We had tossed ideas back and forth, but now we’ve got something solid. I think it’s a good start.”

The legislature will discuss the budget at its first regular session starting in late January and continuing into April.