By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Hours after legislators convened their second special session in Juneau and Wasilla today, more than 80 Sitkans showed up at the roundabout around noon for a demonstration to protest Gov. Dunleavy’s budget vetoes.
Signs demonstrators held up listed the effect they believe the vetoes will have on Alaska – and actions they advocated.
“RIP State Council on the Arts”
“RIP University of Alaska”
“Override the Vetoes”
The governor’s $444 million in vetoes in the operating budget included deep cuts to the University of Alaska, Medicaid, school bond reimbursement, senior benefits, public broadcasting and the arts, among other cuts. The purpose of the special session that started today is a spending bill to set an amount for the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend.
A press release by the leadership of the House and Senate said a joint floor session of the Legislature is scheduled for at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in the state capitol for votes to override the governor’s budget vetoes.
A three-quarters majority of the whole Legislature is required to override a governor’s veto. The press release by House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, an independent, and Senate President Cathy Giessel, had statements from each, demonstrating the differences between the coalition-led House and the Republican-led Senate.
More than 80 Sitkans gather at the roundabout this afternoon to encourage legislators to override the governor’s budget vetoes. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
“The governor’s budget threatens to send Alaska into a deep economic recession that fails to address the underlying problems that create budget challenges year after year,” Edgmon said, urging lawmakers to “stand together on Wednesday and reject these damaging vetoes.”
Giessel simply listed a number of the programs that will be cut, commenting: “Alaskans now understand the gravity of our budget dilemma.”
In Sitka, the demonstrators at the roundabout talked about their reasons for attending the lunchtime protest.
“I’m here because the vetoes are draconian, and need to be overturned, overridden,” said former Sitka Mayor Mim McConnell. “Our state is still a young state that needs help. Our communities need help from the state. If oil money isn’t there to do it we need to diversify where state income comes from to keep our communities strong, to keep our state strong.”
She cited the university, arts programs and health programs as factors that keep communities strong.
“It impacts everything in our state,” McConnell said. “To shut those things down is almost beyond words. It’s counterproductive.”
A number at the roundabout were young adults, or from the education community and university system, who spoke of other effects of the vetoes as well. Thousands of layoffs are expected from the $130 million in cuts to the university system alone. The impact on the Sitka Campus of the University of Alaska Southeast has not been announced.
“I’m here to save our state,” said Liz Zacher, a UAS professor of art, carrying a “UA Strong” sign. “I’m concerned about how this budget will impact the future of Alaskans from an education standpoint, starting from Head Start early education, K-12, and university. To not have support for an education system in the state is just morally and ethically disturbing. Cuts to health care and the arts are equally troubling. ... I’m scared for a lot of people, that it may not be a place people can live if these cuts go through.”
“I support the university,” said Tommy Joseph, who has been an adjunct professor at UAS-Sitka for a number of years. He said he wants to support the university system statewide, and is concerned about the effect the vetoes will have on young Alaskans, including his three school-age kids.
Joseph said the veto of all funding for the Alaska State Council on the Arts will hurt communities as well as artists.
Many cited the indirect damage the funding cuts will have on Alaskans.
“The vetoes are going to destroy the state not only in education but the arts. All the vetoes are just horrific for our state,” said Jo Ingman, director of the nonprofit 3 to 5 Preschool, which does not receive direct funding from the state. “We have a support system for our staff that will get hit. And we’re in early childhood (education) so it’s going to be devastating to the early childhood programming overall.”
“I’m here because we absolutely must override these vetoes or it’s going to be catastrophic for all Alaskans,” said Stephen Courtright, a teacher at Mt. Edgecumbe High School. “It doesn’t matter where you live, who you are, how old you are, there is something that’s being (vetoed) that will hurt you and possibly kill you. It’s truly devastating.”
He cited senior benefits, Medicaid expansion and dental treatment among some of the programs being eliminated or reduced. He also cited the importance of a strong university system.
“Without a strong university system, what kind of state do you have?” he said. “There isn’t a state in this country that doesn’t have a strong university system doing great things for their state. If we break the back of our university system, we break the back of our state.”
“I’m really concerned about the impact that the vetoes are going to have on the state, especially rural Alaska,” said Chandler O’Connell, who attended the demonstration with family members. “I think it’s irresponsible to be making massive cuts all in one year that will sell out the most vulnerable Alaskans when we haven’t looked seriously at new revenue sources or repealing the oil tax credits. Many of these cuts are going to hit our rural villages over and over and over. And that’s wrong.”
She listed cuts to the power-cost equalization program, Medicaid expansion and the university system as examples.
“Our rural students deserve a chance to grow into roles in their home state so they can go back home and invest in their communities,” O’Connell said.
A number of drivers honked their horns as they passed, and reactions were mostly positive, protesters said.
