Spending cap

One of the three constitutional amendments proposed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy in his administration’s early days finally is getting some attention.

Dunleavy, if you will recall, proposed an amendment to protect the Permanent Fund dividend. it would require a vote of the people before any changes could be made to the existing program.

Unless you live under a rock, you know that amendment is going nowhere with our lawless Legislature.

Dunleavy’s second proposed amendment requires “any new tax or tax rate increase passed by the Legislature will require a vote of the people,” and, interestingly, “Any new tax or tax rate increase passed by voter initiative will require approval by the Legislature.”

Again, citizen voting on thorny issues gives lawmakers the heebie-jeebies, especially when it comes to things such as PFDs or taxes.

But Dunleavy’s third constitutional amendment proposal calling for a spending cap appears to be getting attention in some quarters. It would replace an existing, totally useless constitutional spending limit with one that actually could rein in the state’s chronic and profligate spending.

We thought we were the only voice in the wilderness supporting a cap, but the idea even has drawn the attention of the Anchorage Daily News editorial board.

In “The constitutional amendment Alaska needs,” it concluded:

“Despite the acrimony of the last few months, Alaska has made good progress toward fiscal sanity and a budget that balances. A constitutional amendment resetting the state spending cap at a more reasonable level would help ensure that progress isn’t lost the next time oil prices rise.”

It is always interesting to watch as lawmakers, who are supposed to be about protecting our rights, get all squishy whenever you start talking about requiring voters’ approval for new taxes or changes in the Permanent Fund dividend. While we are among those who would urge passage of all three of Dunleavy’s amendments to put Alaskans solidly in charge of their government, we are realists. The idea of ordinary folks deciding fiscal questions terrifies our betters.

But a badly needed, effective pending cap possibly could get support if Alaskans are vocal enough. Raise your voices and put pens to paper (or more likely nowadays, fingers to keyboards) and let them know how you feel.

Getting one amendment adopted out of three is not a complete win, but it is a start.