
[ad_1]

Juneau, Alaska (KINI) – Governor Mike Dunleavy has released the budget for fiscal year 2024, the first in his second term.
The budget fully funds public education, the Alaska Marine Highway system and equalization of electricity costs, while still retiring millions of dollars in debt. The governor said the budget also continues to invest in public safety and maximize the use of incoming federal funds for infrastructure.
Funding is also included for a new initiative to market Alaska as a destination for US and international businesses looking for new opportunities to grow their bottom line and diversify the state’s economy.
The Governor’s stated commitment to the statutory PFD is represented in this budget. The FY24 budget anticipates full statutory PFD payment in 2023. The FY24 budget has a 4% reduction in the UGF operating budget compared to the FY2019 operating budget.
“This budget is a starting point for conversations about what Alaska will look like in the next four years and the next 50 years,” said Governor Dunleavy. “The budget we’re sending to the next Legislature builds on the progress we’ve made together in my first term with practical investments that make Alaska safer, increase our self-reliance with sustainable energy production, food security and more.” Alaska’s future is bright if we continue to work together on policies that will have the most positive impact on our lives and create new opportunities for the next generation of Alaskans.”
Governor Dunleavy’s FY24 budget plan includes:
Marketing Alaska
-$5 million for a new marketing campaign to promote Alaska as an opportunity for national and international businesses
– A joint initiative between the Governor’s Office and the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
-Inform and educate business leaders that Alaska is far more than a tourist destination
-Diversify and expand Alaska’s economy and create new jobs for Alaskans
Public safety
-Invests $3.3 million for 30 new technical and administrative staff positions for the Department of Public Safety
-Criminal Justice Technicians, Forensic Technicians and Fingerprint Technicians
– VPSO Policy and Programs Director for Improving Rural Public Safety Responses and Results
-New mental health clinician to expand wellness program
-Support staff
Alaska State Defense Force
-$2.5 million to modernize the ASDF into a professional, fully operational emergency and disaster relief organization within the DMVA
-Creates a rapid response team in communities in the event of a disaster or emergency
– Supplements and strengthens existing state capacities for responding to emergency situations throughout the country
– Enabling legislation will be introduced for the 2023 legislative session
2023 PFD payment
-$2.4 billion for a full statutory PFD to every eligible Alaskan
-PFD estimated at $3800 in Fall 2023
– Adheres to the funding formula statute that has been in place since the first PFD was distributed in 1982.
Public health and welfare
-$9.5 million for the Healthy Families Initiative
-$1.2 million to enhance community domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and intervention (DPS) programs
-$523 thousand to create the Office of Health Savings (DOH)
-$800K for rehabilitation and restoration in prison in API (FCS)
-$205K to establish the Vulnerable Alaskan Complex Deployment and Coordination Unit (FCS)
-$2 million to expand the UAA VVAMI program
Fisheries Research
–$285K to renew the Yukon Kuskokwim Fisheries Management and Assessment Program
-800 thousand dollars for the restoration and maintenance of Bristol Bay Science and Research Institute Watershed projects
Defense of statehood
–$10 million in capital budget funds to defend statehood and our constitutional right to develop Alaska’s resources by bringing in outside counsel and expertise for the Statehood Defense Initiative
-Includes Wildlife Research and Science (DF&G) funding
“We must continue the good work of defending statehood as the federal government continues to refuse to recognize states’ rights through its aggressive policies,” said Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor. “Without the ability to manage our own land and natural resources, we lose the ability of Alaskans to shape Alaska’s future.”
education
–$1 million for the DEED Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program partnership
-$6.4 million to fund the second year of the Alaska Reads Act
Transportation
–$620K for the Silvertip Road Maintenance Station on the Kenai Peninsula
-$794,000 for Chitna and Birch Lake road maintenance stations
-200 thousand dollars for the maintenance of rural ice roads
– $127 million state match to provide $1.25 billion in federal IIJA funding for statewide transportation infrastructure
-$13.6 million for operations of the Alaska Marine Highway System
“In this budget, Alaskans see the full benefit of bipartisan infrastructure funding.” This is our time as a country to invest in our communities—maintaining our highways, investing in our transportation network to increase safety, support business and industry, and make our roads, bridges, airports and highways more durable. This budget allows us to accept those federal dollars, along with a state match to invest in all types of transportation infrastructure across Alaska,” said DOT&PF Commissioner Ryan Anderson.
We highlight the capital budget
–$25 million state match that leverages $222 million in federal funding for rural safe water and wastewater infrastructure projects
-$2.1 million for Dalton Highway improvements
-$22 million for overhaul of ships on the Alaska Marine Highway and rehabilitation of coastal facilities
-$5.7 million to renovate the Alaska State Trooper Unit in Fairbanks
-$5 million for rural professional housing
-$4 million for sanitation and bathroom renovations in Alaska State Parks and new cabins for public use
-$2.75 million for critical mineral mapping
-$1.1 million to build a veterans cemetery in Fairbanks
-$10 million for the UA drone program
-$4.5 million for food security programs (animal bank, sea salmon program, arctic fisheries and replacement of central region fisheries management sonar)
-$3 million for three-phase power extension and upgrades to Delta Farm Region and Co-Op
– A $2 million pilot program for a new Mat-Su Valley day care facility
-$25 million for energy projects (rural power system upgrades, wholesale fuel upgrades, grid resilience, energy efficiency projects)
The FY24 budget is $4.8 billion in unrestricted general funds. The capital budget was reduced by $460 million from FY23. Due to lower than expected oil prices, the budget calls for a modest withdrawal from the Constitutional Budget Reserve (CBR) of $245 million and $20 million from the Statutory Budget Reserve (SBR). The combined balance for the SBR and CBR accounts is $2.1 billion.
“I admit that the state budget is a negotiation between the legislators and my administration.” We are fully prepared to have meaningful conversations with legislators about education funding and how inflation makes it harder to provide services and programs across the state, so I look forward to working together to craft a spending plan that meets the needs of as many Alaskans as possible. possible,” added Governor Dunleavy.
New Senate President Gary Stevens issued the following statement:
“This initial budget proposal is a good starting point for the upcoming legislature to begin its work.” We look forward to working closely with Governor Dunleavy and our colleagues to have a successful legislative session,” he wrote. “With any proposal, we will not agree on every principle.” I have some concerns about the proposed PFD amount, no additional funding for education, a skeleton version of the capital budget, and the possibility that we may need an additional budget for FY2023 due to declining oil revenues. As we move through the process, we will continue to focus on revitalizing Alaska’s economy, improving education and addressing the state’s high energy costs to ensure Alaska’s pathways to success.”
[ad_2]
Source link