In a deeply wonky combination of last-minute maneuvering and a recent ruling, there would have been nearly twice as much money available for this year’s dividend. It would have been $1,025 instead of the $525. Right now, though, it’s zero.
The long-awaited rollout of the Senate Finance Committee’s version of legislation extending the state’s covid-19 disaster declaration didn’t feature any talk about case rates, hospital…
Reinbold accused Gov. Mike Dunleavy of “usurping of the legislative authority,” of running the state in a “quasi-martial-law-like manner” and not returning her calls.
The Legislature contends that Dunleavy’s authority to spend the money on his own is extremely limited. The return would be expected in the “next couple weeks” in order to pass a spending plan for the federal relief money.
“There’s a good likelihood we will not have service in Southeast in March,” conceded Department of Transportation Commissioner John MacKinnon on Thursday.
Stedman comes to the defense of his “beloved marine highway.”
With the Senate set to approve a $3,000 dividend, the Legislature is putting more money into savings.
It could return for a successful vote later in the week.
Sen. Stedman had to remind the administration that the Legislature is an equal branch of government and won’t stand for “dictatorial control” of Alaska’s financial information.
The pieces come together for the next session, but not to rubber-stamp the Governor-elect Dunleavy’s plans.