NEWSIES – Lizzie Slogotski, from Victoria, British Columbia, right, hands out crayons to children at Sitka Public Library, Thursday. Slogotski and other cast members of the upcoming Sitka Fine Arts Camp production of “Newsies” wore their costumes as they handed out prizes and activities and sang songs from the Tony Award-winning musical. The show is set to be staged August 2-4 at the Performing Arts Center. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer An annual payout of $1,660 for the Permanent Fund Divide [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Sports Editor Scores of swimmers from across the country are con [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer Planners, contractors and city staff have reduced the sc [ ... ]
By ARIADNE WILL Sentinel Staff Writer The Planning Commission met for a special meeting Thursday n [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
July 25
At 12:23 a.m. a caller reported som [ ... ]
Climate Connection: EV Charging Infrastructure
Sitka has one of the highest per capita rates of ele [ ... ]
By ARIADNE WILL Sentinel Staff Writer A decade after sea star wasting disease arrived in Sitka Sou [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Sports Editor Squared off against three other Southeast teams, S [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
July 24
A caller reported a t [ ... ]
Super Saturday
At the Fire Hall
The Sitka Volunteer Fire Department will host its annual Super Saturda [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer Funding for the Sitka Chamber of Commerce to continue pr [ ... ]
By ARIADNE WILL Sentinel Staff Writer The Assembly unanimously passed a zoning map amendment for p [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
July 24
A neighbor reported hearing a mothe [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Sports Editor Racing alongside lifelong Sitkans and newcomers wh [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer Austin Cranford filed Monday to run for Assembly in the [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN Alaska Beacon Alaska Democrats have rallied around Vice President Kamala Harris an [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
July 22
At 12:15 a.m. and 12:47 a.m. bears [ ... ]
STA to Distribute
Seafood Thursday
Sitka Tribe of Alaska will distribute salmon, rockfish, and black c [ ... ]
y SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer The Coast Guard and other agencies continued searchi [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland made a visit [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND Sentinel Staff Writer Robert Hattle says if elected to the Assembly he plans t [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY Sentinel Sports Editor Racing through broken cloud cover on an overcast r [ ... ]
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
July 19
At 12:50 a.m. neighbors complained [ ... ]
Cup’ik Artist Neva Mathiasr/>To Perform at SJ Museum
Sheldon Jackson Museum will host Cup’ik grass [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Stedman Sees End to Budget Impasse
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The size of this year’s permanent fund dividend could be anywhere “from 0 to $1,100 to $2,300,” says Sitka’s state senator, Bert Stedman.
“Any of those outcomes are possible,” Stedman told the Sentinel today. “The vast majority would like to have a permanent fund dividend – including myself. The issue is the size of the PFD and overdrawing the permanent fund.”
The Republican co-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee spoke to the Sentinel as he waited for his flight back to Juneau to continue the third special session called by the governor to address the Permanent Fund.
“Senate Finance is waiting for the House to send the bill but it may be hard to get enough members ... on the committee and the (Senate) body on the floor,” he said.
Stedman said the Legislature voted in favor of a $1,100 dividend but lacked the votes needed to fund more than $525. Gov. Mike Dunleavy favored a “50-50 dividend plan” for a payout of $2,350, and vetoed funding for the $525 payout.
“We’re trying to put together an $1,100 dividend,” Stedman said. “It could go either way (from zero to $2,300). The concern is how we deal with the permanent fund – are we going to overdraw it and spend the earnings reserve (the non-constitutionally protected portion of the permanent fund)? Some people are more sensitive to it than others.”
Those advocating for the $1,100 payout say it’s the maximum the state can afford without overdrawing the earnings reserve.
Stedman said the debate is one that crosses party lines, and there is a diversity of views on both House and Senate sides, and across the state. He had no predictions on the final outcome.
“Zero to $1,100 to $2,300 – it could be any of those, and anywhere in between,” he said.
One of the main obstacles of the session that started earlier this month is the fact that it has gone far beyond the 120 days most legislators had planned on spending in session.
“It depends on who’s going to be there when it comes time to vote,” Stedman said. “One of the compounding difficulties when the Legislature has multiple special sessions, it becomes more difficult to meet, people get tired, they have lives to lead and family issues. It makes it hard to get everybody together. Unfortunately the governor is calling special sessions and the Legislature should have a break.”
Stedman said Dunleavy is about $800 million short if he wants to fund a $2,300 payout, which could mean $800 million in new taxes.
“Someone’s got to pay it ... it’s an $800 million hole to implement the 50-50 plan,” Stedman said. “The math doesn’t work. And (Dunleavy) hasn’t brought forth any tax or budget reductions to fill the gap. We don’t have hundreds of millions in budget reductions because the budget’s been going sideways for years.”
Stedman added that the reductions by cutting the marine highway and the state university were spent by increased costs in the Department of Corrections and pensions for teachers and state workers.
Although there are other unresolved issues – such as writing a new formula for the permanent fund – Stedman said he’s in favor of actions that “get this year’s dividend concluded, and adjourn.”
Login Form
20 YEARS AGO
July 2004
The high sockeye returns at Redoubt Bay and Lake have prompted the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to raise daily bag limits to six for sport fishers and to 25 for subsistence fishers.
50 YEARS AGO
July 1974
The Assembly decided Tuesday against municipal participation in the U.S. Bicentennial Year commemorative project because of various objections to the project proposed: construction of a Russian tea house pavilion on the Centennial Building parking lot. The estimated local share of the project would be $37,000.