KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Dozens of local residents spoke at Saturday town hall
Kodiak residents largely opposed Governor Dunleavy’s proposed budget
Many concerned a large PFD comes at the cost of losing vital public services
Kodiak residents voiced their concerns about Governor Dunleavy’s proposed budget on Saturday afternoon at the Afognak Building on Near Island.
Of the dozens of citizens who spoke, every one was critical in some way of the budget proposal and many argued that a $3000 Permanent Fund dividend is unnecessary.
In particular concern for many residents were the proposed slashes to the Alaska Marine Highway System, education funding, and Medicaid. Among the solutions that constituents posed were a state income tax, removing tax breaks for oil companies, and even forgoing a PFD.
Bill Oliver, a Kodiak resident who spoke toward the end of the session, explained that last point, saying “Most of us don’t need a PFD,” and suggested that a more robust welfare system be set up to support people for whom the PFD is an important income source.
Representative Louise Stutes and Senator Gary Stevens were both present at the meeting, along with city Mayor Pat Branson, borough Mayor Dan Rohrer, and Kodiak Island Borough School District President Duncan Fields. Nils Andreassen, Executive Director of Alaska Municipal League, moderated the event.
In their introductory remarks, Stutes and Stevens explained that the proposed budget’s $1.6 billion cuts would largely come out of public services for the state, while at the same time delivering a substantial PFD totalling $1.9 billion, up from $1 billion.
“The larger the PFD, the less services you’re going to get, it’s just that simple,” Stutes said before clarifying, “I’m not in any remote way suggesting that there are not areas that our budget can’t be cut. There are areas where the budget can be trimmed but I would say that $1.9 billion is a little bit excessive.”
In a quick show-of-hands poll, a large number of the attendees indicated they would be happy with the minimum PFD payment as a trade-off to continuing to fund vital state services.
Asked how many wanted the proposed $3000 PFD, no one appeared to raise their hand.
“You know, we have the best district in this state,” Stutes said, looking at the crowd’s nonexistent response. “You get it, you know? You get it, and it’s a beautiful thing.”
Among the constituents who spoke at the forum, many expressed concerns that state spending in the form of the PFD and tax cuts is ultimately being carried out of Alaska, at no benefit to the state economy. Long-time resident Mike Milligan summed it up emphatically.
“The question I want to ask every time the governor presents something, I want to ask, ‘Will this export wealth? Is this policy going to export wealth?’ If we give tax cuts to an oil company is it going to export wealth, if we collect an income tax, is it going to export wealth?”
Parents like Kelli Foreman went a step further to point out that cutting K-12 education and subsidies for childcare make it hard for families to raise children in Alaska, and harder for those children to stay once they’ve grown up.
“We run the third largest child care facility in the state right here in Kodiak … Over 40 percent of those families depend on that child care grant which is slotted to be cut, Foreman said during her emotional testimony. “These parents need that … they’re working so hard, because this is the best place in the world, in my opinion, to raise children.”
Governor Dunleavy was invited to Saturday’s meeting, but declined to attend, according to Mayor Branson.
Branson said Dunleavy is still welcome to come to Kodiak to present his budget in person, and the legislators also plan to send along their notes from the town hall to the governor’s office.
