Legislators on opposite ends of the political spectrum are supporting an Alaska Senate bill to restore the portion of Alaskans’ oil wealth checks cut by Gov. Bill Walker last year.
Walker vetoed about half the amount available for checks after legislative sessions that focused on the state’s multibillion-dollar deficit ended in gridlock.
Senators who want the rest of the checks restored disagree with Walker’s veto but they also have different ideas on what a fiscal plan should include.
It remains to be seen if the bill gains traction. Walker spokeswoman Katie Marquette says Walker stands by his veto decision, and there are legislators uninterested in rehashing that fight.
But the debate over using Alaska oil-wealth fund earnings to help pay for government amid slumping oil revenue and tinkering with residents’ yearly checks isn’t going away.