Alaska Senate Passes $247M Capital Budget

0:00Alaska Senate just unanimously passed a capital budget bill, loaded with $247 million in state funds to tackle deferred, maintenance on schools, universities and courts. That's a big jump. Up 88 million from Governor Mike Dunleavy's original 159 million proposal aimed at chipping away at a backlaw topping $2 billion. This move comes off last month's surprise all revenue boost, with hundreds of millions of future projected for the fiscal year starting in July. Thanks too. Higher Norslow crew prices from the war in Iran. Senator Bert Stedman, the Sitka Republican steering the budget, called the deferred maintenance situation alarming after years of tight budgets. To dodge political pork fights, they stuck to priority lists from the education department, University of Alaska Regions and courts, skipping most, district-specific asks. The bill dishes out $57 million for K-12 school fixes from a $400 million request list,

1:00$17 million to rebuild A. Fire damage school, and stevens, $14 million from out-edgecom upgrades, $17 million for top university projects, and over $3 million for anchorage courts. It also taps $10 million from state development authority for workforce programs and cruise taxes for port electrification. House leaders might double some figures as they review it this week. Pairing with operating budget tweaks like trimming the permanent fund dividend to, $1,000 per person, and school A to around $100 million, all to balance spending without rating savings before the mid-May. Session reps. That wraps anchorage news today. Brought to you with AI. I'm Corey with The Story.