Debate is happening right now on the operating budget
This week the House is considering the operating budget. We have been hearing amendments on the floor for the last two days and expect to vote on the final budget after they have all been considered. This year’s House FY19 budget of $4.5 billion in unrestricted general funds represents a very small increase over last year’s budget but is still down nearly one billion from FY15. Here are a few key facts about
asRep. Spohnholz during the operating budget debate March 21, 2018
the FY19 House Budget:
Invests in public safety by adding 5 prosecutors, 4 public defenders and 4 guardians ad litem to ensure prosecution of criminals.
Invests $18M in public education funding by changing the Public School Trust funds distribution formula. This won’t cost Alaskans anything—it allows us to make a higher draw from the Public School Trust which is an investment fund solely for public education.
Invests $19 million in the University of Alaska because it drives innovation, business development, workforce readiness and keeps bright kids in Alaska.
We will continue hearing the operating budget on the house floor through at least Thursday. You can stream the House floor session at
360north.org/schedule.
Boards and Commissions
We have begun hearing from appointees to Boards and Commissions serving the state of Alaska. If you have any opinions about nominees, please let me know. The full list of appointments for confirmation are available
here for your review.
Also, consider applying to serve on a Board or Commission. While confirmations are done once a year, applications and recruitment take place all year round. A complete list of all boards and commissions
can be found here.
Constituent Coffee
I will be hosting a constituent Coffee in Anchorage on
Saturday, April 7th to make up for the one cancelled last month when I was ill.
Please bring canned food items for donation.
Vote By Mail
Ballots for the Anchorage municipal election have been sent out. Please remember to fill out your ballot, and turn it in. You can send in your ballot using one of three methods:
You can drop it in your mail box with a stamp. Remember to remove your "I Voted" sticker, and remove the tab at the top of your ballot so it isn't too heavy.
You can drop the ballot in the one of the secure drop boxes. This is a great option for people who don't have stamps, or are worried about sending your vote in the mail.
You can take your ballot to an Accessible Vote Center to drop it off in person. Remember to bring whatever identification you normally bring to the polls if you choose this option.
If you have questions or concerns about voting in this year's elections please call (907) 243-VOTE (8683) or visit an Accessible Vote Center. Frequently asked questions and their answers
can be found here.
Free Movie at Bear Tooth
To learn about other upcoming events and meetings, follow me onFacebookandTwitter. You can also check my website for past newsletters and updates on legislation.
