House Finance Committee hears testimony in Wasilla

WASILLA — The House Finance Committee made its second stop in Wasilla this session Tuesday to hear public testimony on House Bill 2001.

The testimony was almost evenly split amongst those who were adamantly opposed to the $444 million in cuts created by Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s 182 line-item vetoes, and those who were insistent that they get their entire Permanent Fund Dividend Check.

“People are leaving in droves because you want to pass this stuff. This is garbage. People were promised $3,000. That’s what they elected Dunleavy for and that’s what they want,” said Joe Schlanger.

Schlanger became emotional when speaking about the hardships Alaskans endure and the security that the annual checks have offered since 1982. While Schlanger was one of many who were passionate, voluminous, and often accusatory, he was far from alone. The House Finance Committee meeting at the Legislative Information Office in Wasilla was well attended. The room of 40 chairs was full for much of the testimony that was scheduled for five hours, but ran well over six.

“It doesn’t matter what the bumper sticker says when the truck is stuck in the ditch at 20 below. However, the ugliness that’s recently been passing for civic engagement has me concerned that the Alaska that I’ve known for 30 years is disappearing as quickly as our glaciers,” said Nancy Blake. “The governor has been using the PFD as part of a cynical game, as a flash point designed to pit people against each other to distract from the real issues and it’s intentional.”

Members of the House Finance Committee in attendance were Representatives Neal Foster, Bart LeBon, Dan Ortiz, Jennifer Johnston, Colleen Sullivan-Leonard, Andy Josephson, Adam Wool and Kelly Merrick. A dozen or so sign waving activists spoke calmly with other residents outside the doors of the LIO. Members of the public testifying in front of the House Finance Committee were given two minutes, however, many spoke past their allotted time with passion and fervor for what they believe in.

Carol Carman began her testimony by thanking the members of the legislature that met in Wasilla over the past week prior to Dunleavy’s amendment to his special session proclamation on Wednesday afternoon.

“I’d like to thank you for respecting our governor and I’d like to thank you for respecting his agenda,” Carman said. “I’d like to thank you for condemning their antifa behavior.”

The room that House Finance Committee members sat in held about 50 spectators. A separate adjacent room was also full of testifiers for much of the six-hour meeting, and Foster, Ortiz and Johnston also fielded calls from LIO’s throughout the state from concerned constituents wanting to add their input to the budget decision before lawmakers. Senate President Cathy Giessel and House Speaker Bryce Edgemon also sat in the audience, as well as Senators Lyman Hoffman, David Wilson, and Representatives DeLena Johnson and Gerann Tarr. Representatives Gary Knopp, Grier Hopkins and Tammie Wilson all attend telephonically. Those defending the statutory payout of the PFD were quick to point the finger at legislators in Juneau who did not attend the session called in Wasilla.

“As long as you stay in Juneau, this bill is unlawful. Since you refuse to follow the law and the Alaska state constitution, come to Wasilla, put forward this bill, take your chances, but at least it will be done lawfully,” said Mike Coons. “The PFD formula within existing 1982 law is existing law. SB26 did not, repeat, did not repeal and replace that formula and law this bill violates existing law.”

Emotional and tearful testimony was given by a half-dozen residents who were personally afflicted by the budget deliberations. Executive Director of CCS Early Learning Mark Lackey began tearing up as he detailed the phone calls he had to make to parents children who attend CCS. If the vetoes are not reversed, Lackey fears that the Chugiak location will be closed, immediately shutting off services for homeless, disabled, and foster children.

“My plea to Gov. Dunleavy, to the House Finance Committee, to all legislators is to resolve this issue,” Lackey said through tears.

While the crowd filtered in and out and new spectators arrived constantly, applause was given for nearly everyone who testified. Particularly loud applause was reserved for those who gave emotional or statistically moving testimony, but Lackey’s embattled speech received the loudest applause of any member of the public who spoke. Former Institute of Social and Economic Research employee Gunnar Knapp provided a brief history of the PFD itself, having conducted the only major study of the PFD program in 1984. Knapp said that though the PFD was enshrined in the constitution, times have changed.

“Whether you are a family or whether you are the state of Alaska, how much you should spend on any particular thing depends on how much total income you have and what your other needs are,” Knapp said. “It’s entirely reasonable to ask whether paying half of the permanent fund earnings for dividends is still the best use of that income.”

Diana Sloan-Basner said that she loves free money, but has a vested interest in the state. She said that she wants to continue to attract the best and the brightest to our state to help solve the climate crisis that is particularly acute along Alaska’s coastline.

“I’m also curious as to what possible motivation the governor had to cut the ocean ranger program which costs the state and the residents absolutely nothing. Cruise ship passengers pay $4 a piece for this. We voted on this and it passed, so how is it okay for one man to decide that because he doesn’t value it, he’s going to have it put into a budget and then do away with what we passed. Dunleavey has often said that he wants to make sure people know that we’re open for business but it looks like we’re closed for seniors, early childhood, bright students who want a broader college experience and many others,” said Sloan-Basner.

Maggie Humm works with the Alaska Legal Services Corporation and said that they may close three offices that she manages. Humm began serving from the Anchorage office, providing legal services for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence during the height of the methamphetamine epidemic. Humm oversees offices in Anchorage, the Mat-Su, Kenai and Kodiak.

“With state funds we’ve been able to maintain this office and provide critical legal assistance to thousands of Mat-Su Valley residents. In addition to helping protect victims of domestic violence, we help protect seniors from fraud and violence, we help protect the income of those experiencing disabilities and we help to protect families from being wrongfully evicted from their homes and prevent them from having to seek services from homelessness assistance programs,” Humm said.

Humm said that the ALSC has drastically leveraged state dollars to increase services and proven their worthiness of funding with results. Plenty of other maligned groups were represented. Alaska AARP President Terry Snyder represents over 80,000 adults in the state and was particularly dismayed at the cut to the senior benefits program.

“Restore the funding for this important program that helps older Alaskans avoid a move to a much costlier track of dependent care. The legislature came together during the session to approve a bipartisan budget that included funding for this program,” said Snyder.

Vicki Turner-Malone noted that the capitol is still located in Juneau and the many efforts to move it over the years. Turner-Malone joked that Alaskans are well aware that it would cost less to move an NFL team to Alaska than to move the capitol to Willow.

“We need to demand no matter what party you’re in, all of us need to demand that our leadership starting with our governor quit using molotov cocktail politics and blowing us apart,” said Turner-Malone.

The publicity of the governor’s budget cuts have created animosity between some residents like Denise Dodson.

“You can’t keep giving and giving and giving like the other night on (KTUU) they show this guy standing there wanting teeth. I don’t get free teeth, why should he?” said Dodson.

Greg Pugh said that Alaskans should be ashamed of themselves for begging for the government to solve their problem.

“It’s not a handout it’s a dividend on my resources that I own,” Pugh said. “You shouldn’t even be discussing this as far as I’m concerned.”

Mat-Su Health Foundation CEO Elizabeth Ripley said that 31,000 Valley residents, nearly one in every three, receive health care coverage through Medicaid. Ripley argued that these services are vital to a healthy life and noted that for each dollar the state spends, it receives six back in federal matching funds.

“Why would we deprive our children, families, and employers of this investment that helps create a productive workforce, sets children up for success in school and life and pulls family out of intergenerational poverty,” said Ripley.

Ripley said that over $18 million in private sector investments to build new behavioral health infrastructure and jobs are being jeopardized by Dunleavy’s cuts to Medicaid. Family practice doctor, educator, and former Mat-Su Borough Assemblywoman Barb Doty empathized with elected officials tasked with making these tough decisions.

“This all gets down to future generations for Alaska and I urge you to think about what does that mean. What do our children need to come back to Alaska and be successful citizens of our state,” Doty said. “We should be proud of what we have and if we cut that funding to the point where it can’t recover, we can’t continue to grow those opportunities for our students.”

Contact Frontiersman reporter Tim Rockey at tim.rockey@frontiersman.com.