Get involved with budget discussions

We’ve been warned about a looming state budget deficit for years now, and it appears those warnings are beginning to come to fruition.

According to state officials, the deficit for fiscal year 2016 is likely to be nearly $4 billion. That’s a massive amount of money, an amount we’re not going to easily find lying around. Rather, it’s a good bet some combination of new revenue and budget cuts will be needed to keep the state from rapidly depleting its savings accounts.

Some of the ideas being floated to raise new revenue include new state taxes or restructuring the Alaska Permanent Fund to allow for its use to help fund the government. As for cuts, all state departments will probably continue to feel the pinch — an uncomfortable squeeze that will likely be felt by regular folks in the form of delayed road maintenance, slow permitting processes and larger school class sizes.

While it may seem like Alaskans are helpless to have an impact on this process, that’s far from the case. In fact, there are many ways in which we can give input, including calling local politicians, submitting public comments during the legislative process, and even sending letters to the local newspaper.

On Friday, there will be one such opportunity to get in on the discussion when the Mat-Su Borough, Mat-Su School District and the cities of Palmer, Wasilla and Houston will host a “Fiscal Future Meeting” from 6 to 9 p.m. at Teeland Middle School. The meeting, which was announced by Gov. Bill Walker, will include a presentation by the state’s Office of Management and Budget on the fiscal situation, budget trends and possible future options.

At the end of the meeting, there will also be an opportunity for people to ask questions about how state and local officials hope to deal with the fiscal crunch.

Participating in public meetings is one of the best ways citizens can become part of the solution to the state’s financial woes. This meeting will not only give folks an opportunity to learn about the state’s finances, but also offer solutions on how to help.

Balancing Alaska’s checkbook is something that won’t happen overnight. However, the more discussion we have and the more input from the public that’s given, the greater chance this budget problem will be solved in a way that’s acceptable to us all.