Alaska lawmakers want a say in use of federal aid money
by The Associated Press
Last Updated Apr 21, 2021 at 1:58 pm EDT
JUNEAU, Alaska — Alaska lawmakers want a say in how the state spends more than $1 billion from a new federal aid package, a year after largely ceding decision-making on a prior pandemic-related relief package to Gov. Mike Dunleavy.
Several lawmakers expect debate over how to spend the money to take centre stage in the final weeks of the Legislature’s regular session, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
Issues many lawmakers saw heading into session as critical to address or settle, such as Alaska’s long-running deficit and the future of the yearly oil check paid to residents from the state’s oil-wealth fund, have been overshadowed. Some lawmakers previously said the influx of new federal money should not be seen as an excuse to delay tough fiscal decisions.