House Coalition announces plans for one-time $1,300 ‘Energy Relief Check’ on top of PFD
Within 30 minutes of the announcement, former Gov. Bill Walker endorsed the plan.
Within 30 minutes of the announcement, former Gov. Bill Walker endorsed the plan.
It looked like the session was going to end without a dividend but upon further review, one legislator decided that a $1,100 PFD is better than none.
It’s likely that this whole thing could end up in the court again while Alaskans are left waiting for resolution.
“There’s certainly a lot to talk about if needed but if not that’s fine,” Wool said before the committee held the vote on the measure.
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.
Now that the state is starting to work out the basics of a new fiscal plan, the governor argues we should start paying out larger dividends even though that plan is far from a reality.
Gotta pay for that bigger PFD somehow.
A good ol’ standoff.
Money fixes all problems.
In a remarkable turn, two of the Senate’s Republican leaders—Sens. Shelley Hughes and Mia Costello—turned on the budget deal that their own caucus’ budget negotiators had reached.