Gov. Mike Dunleavy released the Fiscal Year 2023 budget on Wednesday continuing his commitment to invest in public safety, education, infrastructure development and the PFD. The budget continues the trend of smaller government with a 7% decrease in overall state spending compared to the FY19 budget.
The FY23 budget package includes funds for several projects across the Kenai Peninsula, including $6.5 million for the Kenai River Bluff Stabilization, $5 million for the Seward Freight Dock Expansion and corridor improvements, and, according to Department of Transportation and Public Facilities Commissioner Ryan Anderson, improving safety corridors:
“The Sterling Highway project near Soldotna, that is on the books. We are actively working on that to convert that section of highway near Soldotna to a four-lane divided highway. The schedule on that the design is mostly complete, we have the right of way, so we’re just working on the funding programs to get that funded. We’re anticipating in the next two years, hopefully, we can move that thing along because that is one of our important critical safety corridors.”
The FY23 operating, mental health and capital budget totals $4.6 billion in Unrestricted General Funds (UGF), $912 million in Designated General Funds (DGF), $792 Other State Funds, and $4.6 billion in Federal Funding with the total of all funds at $10.9 billion.
Click here for a link to the proposed FY23 proposed budget.