As the House completes its first full week with an entire leadership team and committee assignments finalized, slight differences overGov. Mike Dunleavy’s budgethave begun to emerge.
Dunleavy’s plan to close a $1.6 billion budget gap with deep cuts topublic education,the University of Alaska systemandMedicaid,while also looking to repeal local taxing authority regardingoil and gas facilitiesandfishingthat would shift $500 million a year back to the state.
But he also wants to provide a Permanent Fund dividend as defined by the Alaska statute, which will cost an estimated $1.9 billion. It’s a payout Dunleavy says is separate from the budget because it from the Permanent Fund’s earnings account.