LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Federal officials on Wednesday approved most of Alaska’s four-y [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
At an hour-long work session with the Assembly Tuesda [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
The story behind a classic, though often misunderstoo [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
The state government risks losing millions of dollars in feder [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday signed a bill that promise [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, known for its steep mountains [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing Wednesday in competitive division City League volleyball matches, Ca [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 27
At 2:36 p.m. a dead [ ... ]
This Week in Girls on the Run
By Sitkans Against Family Violence
and The Pathways Coalition
During th [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Legislature Convenes; Faces Familiar Issues
By BECKY BOHRER
Associated Press
JUNEAU (AP) — Alaska lawmakers began a new legislative session today in which they’ll resume debates that have dominated recent sessions amid middling oil prices, including the size of the check to pay residents from the state’s oil-wealth fund.
Some lawmakers are hopeful agreement can be reached on long-simmering, divisive issues, including possibly setting a new Alaska Permanent Fund dividend formula. After last year’s contentious, drawn-out sessions and with elections looming, others are cautious in their expectations.
Most legislative seats are up for election this year, and Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy is seeking to fend off a recall threat following a tumultuous first year in office.
The recall effort was fueled by anger over budget cuts he proposed last year in response to a lingering deficit, and lawmakers, too, pushed back against the cuts. In his proposal for the upcoming budget, Dunleavy eschewed deep cuts. He also relied heavily on savings, which some lawmakers deem unacceptable.
So what now? Things to watch this session:
DIVIDEND
Dunleavy has said a decades-old formula for calculating the dividend should be followed until it’s changed and he has supported giving Alaskans a say on changes. The formula hasn’t been followed the last four years, as the state has wrestled with the deficit, and the Alaska Supreme Court has held that without a constitutional amendment, the program must compete for funding like other programs do.
Dividends traditionally have been paid with permanent fund earnings, which lawmakers in 2018 also began using to help pay for government. They also sought to limit earnings withdrawals, heightening tensions involving how much should go to dividends or services.
The draw limit for the upcoming fiscal year is about $3.1 billion. Under Dunleavy’s proposal, $2 billion would go to dividend checks, according to the Legislative Finance Division.
The check size has been decided recently by what lawmakers can agree on. Last year’s $1,606 check used additional funds from savings.
The Legislative Finance Division, in a new report, said the dividend was short by about $10 a person due to what appeared to be an accounting error in the transfer of savings. Acting state Revenue Commissioner Mike Barnhill said Tuesday officials are awaiting completion of a financial report for clarity on that.
He said by email that the division that pays checks originally underestimated the number of applications for dividends and that there are more dividends to be paid than originally estimated. Because of this, he said it’s unlikely the amount transferred from savings resulted in any short payments.
Senate Minority Leader Tom Begich, an Anchorage Democrat, said he’s hopeful agreement can be reached on a revised, “sustainable” formula. House Finance Committee Co-chair Jennifer Johnston, an Anchorage Republican, expects discussions on whether it’s time to change in law the calculation but sees adhering to the draw limit as important.
She said she doesn’t think the state will have the “luxury” this year of paying as large a dividend as last year.
Rep. Cathy Tilton, a minority Republican on the House Finance Committee, said members of her caucus want to follow the dividend law, but if it’s something that isn’t going to be followed, changes should be looked at.
“It doesn’t mean that I’m in support of the changes one way or the other, but the conversation needs to be out there,” she said, adding later: “I think that whatever happens with the dividend you need to have the voices of Alaskans engaged in that.”
BUDGET AND TAXES
Senate President Cathy Giessel said financial experts have indicated the constitutional budget reserve should have at least $2 billion to provide a cushion for unexpected costs.
The account has been drawn down as lawmakers have struggled with how to tackle the deficit and was valued at about $2.2 billion at the end of 2019, according to the Department of Revenue. Dunleavy, in his new budget proposal, calls for using $1.5 billion from the reserve.
Giessel, an Anchorage Republican, recently told the Resource Development Council she believed proposals to raise motor fuel taxes and levy a $30 annual tax on people employed in the state could gain traction.
RECALL
Superior Court Judge Eric Aarseth earlier this month ordered the Division of Elections to provide petitions by Feb. 10 that would allow recall backers to begin gathering the more than 70,000 signatures they would need to advance the effort.
On Tuesday, however, he granted a request by a group opposed to the recall to stay that decision pending resolution of the matter by the Alaska Supreme Court.
Dunleavy has argued the effort is politically motivated and that the judge’s decision, if it stands, would set a low bar for pursuing recalls. Recall supporters say the effort is bipartisan.
Login Form
20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.