ANCHORAGE – Thursday, Governor Dunleavy announced his vetoes to the Capital Budget, Senate Bill 2002. Among Governor Dunleavy’s 27 line-item vetoes are addiction treatment facilities, homelessness assistance, weatherization, and the Interior gas project. Senate Bill 2002 passed the Senate unanimously on July 20, 2019, and the House on July 29, 2019, on a vote of 32-6. Senate Democratic Leader Tom Begich (D-Anchorage) issued the following comments:

 

“Anchorage has declared a civil emergency in part because of the reductions to homeless and behavioral health services proposed by Governor Dunleavy. These vetoes are truly antithetical to his stated desire for a safer Alaska. Homeless issues in Anchorage are statewide issues and deserve a statewide response.

 

“This was a bare-bones capital budget to bring in Federal dollars to help alleviate some of Alaska’s infrastructure needs and to keep Alaskans working. It was carefully crafted with the entire Legislature’s input, which is why it passed with significant support – twice. I’m disappointed in Governor Dunleavy’s actions today, and they will only hurt our economy and make Alaskans less safe. 

 

“Governing should be done with an intent to improve the lives of all Alaskans, not through some narrow out-of-state theory of government that has failed everywhere in the past. Alaskans deserve better. We deserve a budget that respects us, not one that diminishes and places our future at risk.”