The Dunleavy administration and its apologists continue to try to downplay the impact of a 40 percent cut in state funding to the University of Alaska, claiming it is only 17 percent, repeating an inaccurate statement from temporary budget director Donna Arduin.
Read MoreThe University of Alaska estimates that the total cost of the Dunleavy veto, if the Legislature does not find the 45 votes to override, will be close to $250 million, with the expected loss in tuition revenue and federal grants.
Read MoreWith the veto of funding for the voter-approved Ocean Ranger program, Dunleavy is doing a big favor for the cruise ship industry. The state claims the industry didn’t ask for it.
Read MoreAs a candidate, Mike Dunleavy promised nothing but easy fixes, though most of the news coverage of the state budget debacle has skipped this key point. Amnesia is Dunleavy’s strongest political ally.
Read MoreDunleavy, who likes to claim the state is “open for business,” wants a large part of the University of Alaska to go out of business.
Read MoreMissing from the Dunleavy veto package is any mention of what he made the centerpiece of his campaign to reduce state spending—the elimination of 2,000 vacant but unfilled state jobs that would save the state $200 million. He made up those numbers.
Read MoreOn his list of dubious achievements, Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of $2.8 million for arts programs merits a prominent place. Eliminating arts programs was never part of the Dunleavy fiscal fantasy.
Read MoreDunleavy’s $130 million veto puts the University of Alaska in a death spiral, which Rep. Dave Talerico needs to understand. I’ve asked Talerico if he will vote to override the veto, but have yet to get a response.
Read MoreWith his decision to gut the university by vetoing $130 million from its budget, Dunleavy sends a clear message to students—go to school in some other state and forget about the University of Alaska.
Read MoreThere is little doubt that the courts would have ordered the state to pay for schools for the fiscal year that begins next week based on the law approved in 2018 by the Legislature and governor.
Read More
