Happy Holidays!

Protecting Your Rights: Serving West Anchorage

December 20th, 2024

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Happy Holidays! As we look ahead to 2025, we're busy planning for the start of the 34th Legislature. Last week, Governor Dunleavy released his operating and capital budgets, which are starting points for the Legislature’s work. Constituents and community councils can request funding in the capital budget through CAPSIS, which is now open to receive applications.

You can learn more about the upcoming legislative session at our Pre-Session Constituent Meeting on January 14th at 5:00 PM. I hope you'll join us to ask questions and share your priorities.

As 2024 draws to a close, we want to extend our best wishes to you for a safe, warm, and happy holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

Pre-Session Constituent Meeting

When: Tuesday, January 14th from 5:00 - 6:00 PM

Where: 1500 West Benson Blvd., Denali Room

Please join our office along with Representative-elect Mia Costello (HD 15), and Representative-elect Carolyn Hall (HD 16) for a pre-session constituent meeting. We'll provide updates on the upcoming legislative session and be available for general questions and comments. We’ll provide food and light refreshments.

Governor Dunleavy Releases the Budget

Last week, Governor Dunleavy released his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026, which begins in July. The Governor's budget consists of the operating budget, which will fund ongoing state services, and the capital budget, which funds one-time infrastructure requests for things like road and transportation improvements. This budget marks the starting point in the budget process: the House and Senate Finance committees will spend most of session working on the budget and making amendments before passing it back to the Governor. At that point, he may choose to make line-item vetoes to reduce funding, but he may not add funding or re-appropriate funding.

In this budget, the Governor did not include the additional $175 million in one-time funding for public education that the Legislature added to the budget last year. If the legislature does not make additional appropriations for public education to the budget, our schools will see a decrease in funding.

The single biggest expense in the Governor’s budget is the Permanent Fund Dividend. This budget includes a $3,800 dividend, at a total cost of approximately $2.5 billion.

Other highlights from the Governor's budget include:

$22 million for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to conduct a five-year study on the king salmon population in the Gulf of Alaska
Nearly $20 million to upgrade state computer systems, including for payroll, the Department of Law case management system, and the Permanent Fund Dividend application system
$2.4 million to re-open a State Trooper post in Talkeetna
$1.2 million to hire five additional Village Public Safety Officers on a temporary basis
$50 million for the Alaska LNG project. The total estimated cost of that project is $44 billion.
$2.5 million for the West Susitina Access Road
$1 million to purchase and establish the Eagle River Cemetery. Governor Dunleavy vetoed the same amount of funding for the cemetery in last year's budget.
$5 million for the University of Alaska Fairbanks to achieve R1 status. Governor Dunleavy vetoed the same amount of funding for the University in last year’s budget.

The Governor’s 2026 budget has a deficit of $1.5 billion and he projected a deficit of $12 billion by 2035. To cover the 2026 deficit, the Governor has asked the Legislature to appropriate $1.5 billion from the Constitutional Budget Reserve. Such a withdrawal would drain more than half of the total savings currently in the Constitutional Budget Reserve, approximately $2.8 billion.

The Governor's released budget is just the beginning of the annual budget process. To stay up-to-date with the budget, you can visit https://www.legfin.akleg.gov/index.php.

School Closure Update

This week, the School Board met to consider the proposal to close four Anchorage elementary schools. Originally, the district proposed closing seven schools over the course of three years. You can read more about that proposal in our last newsletter.

Last month, the district amended its plan to remove three of the elementary schools - Tudor, Bear Valley, and Wonder Park. It also changed the timeline for closures, proposing that schools close immediately after the school year ends in 2025.

In the final decision, the Anchorage School Board voted to close only two schools: Nunaka Valley and Lake Hood. There are proposals to re-purpose both of those schools as charter schools. The Lake Hood closure plan calls for moving 113 students to Turnagain Elementary and 62 students to Northwood Elementary, and the Nunaka Valley plan calls for moving 39 students to Chester Valley Elementary and 57 students to Russian Jack Elementary.

In areas where schools are closing, the ASD will adjust elementary school boundaries. Students will be assigned based on those new boundaries. The ASD will provide bus transportation to eligible students, and families may request their child attend a different school through the lottery process.

The School Board also passed an amendment to re-examine these closures if the Legislature is able to pass an increase to the Base Student Allocation. And they passed a resolution directing the school district to release plans to close at least one more school following the 2025-26 school year.

To learn more about school closures, you can visit the ASD's website here.

CAPSIS Opens

Does your neighborhood want funding for a capital project?

It's time to submit CAPSIS requests!

Every year, the legislature uses the Legislative Finance Capital Project Submission and Information System (CAPSIS) to allow communities and potential grant recipients to submit capital project requests to their legislators. To read more about the Capital Budget and CAPSIS, click here.

The legislature recently announced that CAPSIS is open online to enter capital projects and key information about them. We encourage community members to work with their community councils to identify capital projects or get in touch with our office about specific capital projects.

For more information about when and where your community council meets, see our Community Events section below or visit the Federation of Community Council's website here.

Community Information

→ Fall 2024 Revenue Sources Book

Last week, the Department of Revenue released the Fall 2024 Revenue Sources Book. The publication provides a recent history and projection of the state revenues and is a collaborative effort among the Department of Revenue and several other state departments and agencies.

Full Publication Here

→ Cutting your Own Christmas Tree

The holidays are approaching, and Alaskans are starting to decorate for the festive season. For many, the tree can be a focal point of holiday decorations. While several retailers sell Christmas trees, some folks prefer to venture out to select and cut their own tree. If you are one of those people, the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection provides for this holiday tradition.

Cutting Christmas trees on unrestricted state lands in the Matanuska Valley Moose Range and the Matanuska and Susitna Valley is allowed with some stipulations. Cutting of trees is prohibited in state parks and Department of Transportation (DOT) rights-of-way. It is also prohibited on Alaska Native lands and other private property. It is important to properly identify land ownership where you intend to cut your tree. See the maps below for more detailed tree cutting areas. If you have any questions regarding land ownership, consult the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection Area office in Palmer at 907-761-6300.

There are other public lands in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and surrounding areas where cutting of Christmas trees is allowed. To find out more information about cutting trees in the Chugach National Forest and Matanuska-Susitna Borough, be sure to visit their websites.

No permit or fee is required to cut a tree. Trees must be no more than 15 feet tall and only one tree per household is allowed. Trees should be cut as low to the ground as possible. Christmas trees cut on state land are for personal use only and may not be sold. Please do not litter and be courteous to other tree cutters and/or residents who live in the area.

Keep in mind, the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection does not maintain forest roads. Anyone traveling on forest roads should have appropriate gear and equipment in the event they become stuck. This equipment includes tire chains, a shovel, tow strap, and warm clothing.

For more information, click here.

Community Events

Winter Solstice Festival

When: Saturday, December 21st from 5:00 - 8:00 PM

Where: Cuddy Family Midtown Park (201 E 40th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503)

Celebrate the shortest day of the year by enjoying all that winter offers. The Winter Solstice Festival offers activities for everyone. Bring your ice skates for skating around the oval to your favorite holiday music. Take a break by a warm fire while sipping hot chocolate and visiting with friends. Explore the park on a horse-drawn wagon. Hop on a dog sled for a ride around the park. Get a photo with Santa's reindeer. Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Food truck goodies are available for purchase. All the activities are free to the public. There are limited time slots for the horse-drawn wagon, dog sled rides, and the skate assist seals. Make your reservation when you arrive by heading to the activity booth. Reservation cards are available starting at 4:30 PM.

Learn more about the event here.

Solstice Soup Social and Holiday Night Market

When: Sunday, December 22nd from 3:00 - 7:00 PM

Where: 3831 Spenard Rd, Anchorage, AK 99517

Celebrate the return of longer days! Spenard Joe's will be hosting a Solstice Soup Social and Holiday Night Market on December 22nd from 3pm to 7pm. Come jam out with us, warm up around our fire pits, and grab some soup or coffee while you do your last minute holiday shopping. To learn more, click here.

Anchorage Downtown Partnership New Year's Eve Celebration

When: Tuesday, December 31st at 7:00 PM

Where: 225 E St, Anchorage, AK 99501

Finish off 2024 with a BANG! Anchorage Downtown Partnership invites everyone to join us as we bid farewell to 2024 and welcome in 2025 with the highest spirits and best of intentions. Fireworks at 8 p.m.! Live music from H3! Performances from Flow Zone Dance Studio and Alaska Fire Circus! We'll also have food trucks as well as a beer garden for the over-21 crowd! ADP will have a sledding hill on-site with sleds available for attendees to use. Start your evening off with a family-friendly community celebration with enough time left over for your other celebrations! Please plan to celebrate responsibly. For more information, click here.