Fairbanks: The Budget, Senior Benefits, Town Hall and More!

December 22, 2023

Dear Neighbors,

Yesterday was the shortest day of the year and winter solstice. Today and every day after will be a little bit brighter! Christmas and then the New Year is almost upon us, which means the Legislative Offices will soon be closed in Fairbanks and then reopened in Juneau. I wanted to let you know of a few items before we fly south for the legislative session. Alaskans had a first peak at Governor Dunleavy’s budget last week leading to many questions surrounding items such as senior benefit funding. The holidays are a time for joy and happiness but also a time to watch for your neighbors and there is a future constituent town hall meeting and coffee chat coming your way!

The Budget is a Moral Document

Last week, Governor Dunleavy released his FY25 budget and while there was a lot mentioned in the budget, a few things stuck out to me: The FY25 budget total $13.9 billion. This budget includes $6.3 billion in Unrestricted General Funds (UGF), $713 million in Designated General Funds (DGF), $2.3 billion in Other State Funds, and the remainder $6.3 billion, nearly half of the budget coming from the federal government.

Additionally:

No additional funding for K-12 education
Eliminates funding for Senior Benefits
The budget is under funded by about $1 billion
No additional revenue sources are available (except savings/PFD)
$8 million additional to help public assistance backlogs
$3 million additional to support food banks and pantries

The budget is more than just a dollar and cents, it is a moral document that speaks to our solemn priorities as a state. The budget must come together to help the poorest and most vulnerable and seek to help our state heal and become stronger. We want a state and a people who will thrive and not just survive. The expected deficit of nearly $1 billion is proposed to be taken out of the state’s Constitutional and Statutory Budget Reserve accounts. To see the FY25 budget at a glance, click here.

Keeping Our Commitment to Our Pioneering Seniors

In 2018, I introduced and passed the bill to extend the Senior Benefits Payment Program. This extension helped over 12,000 seniors across Alaska. In 2019, I defended the program with a budget amendment on the floor when it was vetoed by the Governor. This year, the Governor has allowed these benefits to seniors to expire and not placed future funds in the budget. To counteract this, I have introduced another Senior Benefits bill and expect bipartisan support in the legislature.

The program is vital for low-income seniors. In the Fairbanks North Star Borough alone, there were 753 pioneering seniors who benefited from the program last year. Across the state last year, the number of beneficiaries is closer to 9,000, many of whom are among our most vulnerable citizens. We can’t do it alone; we need your support too! If Senior Benefits have impacted your life or the life of someone around you, feel free to send your story to senator.scott.kawasaki@akleg.gov.

Wishes for Our Local Heroes

In 2020, Congress designated 988 as the new dialing code to operate through the existing Lifeline network of local call centers, which are staffed by trained crisis counselors. 988 is a direct connection to compassionate, accessible support for anyone experiencing mental health related distress, including thoughts of suicide, mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. Wondering about the implementation of the 988 in Alaska? Here’s a link to a narrated presentation that answers many of the frequently asked questions related to 988: https://vimeo.com/709177976.

Save the Date -- Future Town Hall

I will return on January 20^th and 21^st to host a town hall meeting on the legislature to talk about the bills that have been introduced, education funding, the results of a potential veto override of the Governor and what the next few months hold for Alaskans who want to be engaged in what happens in Juneau. More details will follow.

When: January 20^th from 11-1pm Where: Fairbanks Legislative Information Office

When: January 21^st from 9-11am Where: Alaska Coffee Roasting Company

Big News for Seafood!

As a non-voting board member of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) I am thrilled to hear that the Biden Administration has amended an executive order which closed a loophole that allowed Russia to import seafood into the United States despite sanctions.

In March of 2022, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14068. This prohibited the import of seafood originating in Russia. However, there was a loophole that was quickly exploited, if the seafood caught in Russia was reprocessed in another country, it would be allowed into the United States. The executive order was largely ineffective due to most of the Russian seafood being shipped and reprocessed in other countries and then shipped to the U.S. for consumption.

This amendment will level the playing field and allows Alaska’s fishing industry to compete fairly in the U.S market at a time when it is most needed. I appreciate the efforts of our congressional leadership as well as the President for their work.

My Staff and I are Here for You

As always, I and my staff are are still working for you. Feel free to contact my office and we will assist you with issues important to you and your family.

Working Hard for Fairbanks Families,