Excessive Operating Budget Balanced With Borrowed Money

84% of respondents are concerned about the legislatures failure to balance the state budget!  The majority want the size and cost of state government reduced!  62% favor a REAL spending cap!  Over 74% think government employees and legislators should have retirement plans similar to the private sector, and are against new taxes at this time.  Questions asked and responses are shown below.

(Q)  Are you concerned that the state legislature failed to develop a plan that would balance the budget?  (692 responses)

 

(A)    Yes:  84%                No:  11%                Don’t Know:  5%

 

(Q)  Do you favor a hiring freeze for public employees as a method to reduce the size and cost of state government?  (669 responses)

 

(A)    Yes:  39%                No:  47%                Don’t Know:  14%

 

(Q)  How would you balance the state budget? (You may circle more than one answer)  (1078 responses)

 

(A)

    a. State Income Tax:  14% 

    b.  Cut state government spending:  40%  

    c.  State Sales Tax:  14%  

    d.  Using a portion of your Permanent Fund Dividend:  9% 

    e.  Modify or eliminate the economic limit factor (ELF) on oil royalties paid the  state:  18%

    f.  Miscellaneous New State Taxes or user fees:  5%

 

(Q)  Would you favor a constitutional amendment that limits state spending to 90% of projected revenues, with adjustments the following year to compensate for over or under spending? (693 responses) 

 

(A)    Yes:  62%                No:  19%                Don’t Know:  19%

 

(Q)  The University of Alaska is one of the largest land owners in the state, should they continue to receive increased general fund support?  (698 responses) 

 

(A)    Yes:  40%                No:  38%                Don’t Know:  22%

 

(Q)  Should government employees get better benefits and retirement programs than the average citizen? (117 responses)

 

(A)   Yes:  10%                No:  83%                Don’t Know:  7%

 

(Q)  Should government employees’ benefits and compensation packages exceed the private sectors?  (677 responses)

 

(A)    Yes:  11%                No:  74%                Don’t Know:  15%

 

(Q)  Should public employees, teachers, and legislator’s retirement plans be based on the average earnings of all years worked, as most private sector retirement plans, or continue to be based on the highest three years?  (693 responses)

 

(A)    All Years: 60%    Highest Three:  27%    Don’t Know:  13%

 

(Q)  Most private sector retirement plans are not protected against investment losses.  Should the retirement plans for state legislators, teachers and other public employees (PERS and TRS) continue to be protected against investment losses using our tax dollars?  (666 responses)

 

(A)    Yes:  39%                No:  51%                Don’t Know:  10%

 

(Q)  Legislators, teachers and public employees currently have their own retirement plan.  Should new employees continue to be enrolled in the current (PERS & TRS) retirement system or be merged into Social Security along with most people working in the private sector?  (667 responses) 

 

(A)    PERS/TRS:  38%    Social Security:  42%    Don’t Know:  20%

 

(Q)  Do you favor additional taxes at this time?  (682 responses)

 

(A)    Yes:  18%                No:  74%                Don’t Know:  8%

Now see what the legislature thinks about these issues.  Follow the hyperlink then click on journal pages to see what action was taken or how legislators voted. 

HB 103 Operating Budget for fiscal year 2002.  Total cost to taxpayers: $4,501,977,100 ($4.5 BILLION dollars!)  Introduced by request of Governor Knowles.  Referred to one committee in both the Senate and House.  Required legislature to "borrow" money from the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund (CBR) with no plan for repayment.  PASSED by the legislature and signed into law.   See how your legislator voted by going to the Watchdog page (22nd Legislature).

 

HB 403 Operating budget for fiscal year 2003.  Total cost to taxpayers: $4,809,926,400. ($4.8 BILLION dollars!)  Introduced by request of Governor Knowles.  Referred to one committee in both the Senate and House.  Required legislature to "borrow" money from the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund (CBR) with no plan for repayment.  PASSED by the legislature and signed into law.  See how your legislator voted by going to the Watchdog page (22nd Legislature).

 

 

HB 75, Operating budget for fiscal year 2004.  Total cost to taxpayers:  $4,917,288,200. ($4.91 BILLION dollars!)  Introduced by request of Governor Murkowski.  Referred to one committee in both the Senate and House.  Required legislature to "borrow" money from the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund (CBR) with no plan for repayment.  PASSED by the legislature and signed into law.  See how your legislator voted by going to the Watchdog page (23rd. Legislature).

 

HB 375  Operating Budget for fiscal year 2005.  Total cost to taxpayers: $4,947,621,400 ($4.94 BILLION dollars!)  Introduced by request of Governor Murkowski.  Referred to one committee in both the Senate and House.  Required legislature to "borrow" money from the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund (CBR) with no plan for repayment.  PASSED by the legislature and signed into law.  See how your legislator voted by going to the Watchdog page (23rd Legislature).

Not only did the legislature vote to spend more money each of the last four years, but all of the above budgets also required "borrowing" from the Constitutional Budget Reserve (CBR) Fund.  The constitutional amendment approved by voters that authorized the CBR, specified any money "borrowed" would be repaid.  Between 1994 and 2003 the legislature has "borrowed" about $5.1 BILLION.  For complete details see the 2003 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report; pages 54 through 57.   

Votes for these and other major bills that passed either the House or Senate are recorded on the Watchdog page for all to see. 

Why do candidates often say one thing to get elected and then vote the opposite when in Juneau?  A lot of this mystery can be solved by visiting the APOC web site.  The Alaska Public Offices Commission post campaign finance records for each legislator that shows where the money comes from.  When comparing survey results, voting records, and campaign finance, with legislation passed (or not passed), a vivid picture of the incumbent emerges for all to see.   

Incumbent legislators that went against the public's wishes will soon be asking for your vote.  The decision to retain them is entirely up to YOU!  Make an informed choice and do what's right for Alaska's future at each election!  A list of all legislators sorted by community and election schedules has been provided for Alaska Voters convenience.    

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