JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Gov. Bill Walker says debate over this year’s Alaska Permanent Fund dividend should be considered settled.
The Senate Finance Committee has proposed paying Alaskans a $1,600 check from the oil-wealth fund this year. The House recommended the same.
Walker says he supports that amount and that it should no longer be an issue as lawmakers seek to finish their work with the end of the 90-day session approaching.
He took issue, however, with a Senate subcommittee’s denial of some of his public safety funding requests.
He says a final budget, at minimum, should provide added funding tor Alaska State Troopers to travel to rural communities, pilots to fly troopers to those communities and support staff for troopers, among other things.
Senate Finance is working on its version of the budget.