There won’t be a vote immediately to reverse Governor. Mike Dunleavy’s decision of vetoing half of the significant, but short-term funding boost for the public school system in Alaska.
The results of the Alaska Beacon poll of all 60 legislators, as well as interviews with top lawmakers from the state House and Senate have not garnered enough support to call a special session needed for a swift override.
The constitution of Alaska requires the approval of 40 legislators out of 60 for the convening of an extraordinary session. However, in order to overturn a veto, it requires 45 votes.
“I do not think there’s enough numbers for the two-thirds mark. Therefore, it is likely that you won’t reach the three-quarters mark.” stated Speaker of the House Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla in a Thursday press conference after conducting a poll of House members.
At the beginning of this week Dunleavy blocked around $87.5 millions from a temporary increase of $175 million in the public schools for K-12. The money was sought from local school administrators and advocates for education.
Due to the veto, certain schools, like the one which covers the capital city of Alaska must cut budgets immediately. Other districts, who used savings to fund their budgets in the past, may have to make drastic cuts the following year.
The majority of Alaska’s Senate’s coalition, comprising Senate president Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, and the House’s majority Democratic majority caucus have backed an immediate special session.
So far they’ve been held back due to the opposition from legislators in the largely Republican House Majority caucus as well as the three moderate Republicans within the Senate.
Informal polling suggests that an average of between 21 to 26 lawmakers opposed to the idea of a special session immediately. The Beacon’s informal poll did not include all lawmakers who responded to Beacon’s poll and Tilton refused to release the exact results of her phone calls to legislators.
“It’s not that near,” she said.
Governor’s vetoes including the reduction in education funding which reduced the legislature’s budget proposal of $6.2 billion budget down to less than $6 billion in general-purpose expenditures. The budget has now produced an estimated surplus of $300 million if the state’s revenue forecasts, dependent in part on the price of oil and production levels — remain solid.
Senator. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer supports an override but stated that the governor’s budget is a veto “are not excessive, given that how the Senate Majority has not been willing to budge and move the related components of budgetary plan to the legislature.”
She suggested that legislation that is vetoed could force legislators to act decisively on plans to bring the state’s budget and revenue in line with the long-term.
Rep. Ben Carpenter, from the state of Nikiski, as well as another advocate of vetoes shared a similar opinion in an opinion piece released by Anchorage Daily News which urged Dunleavy to convene a special session later in the year on a budget plan.
Rep. David Eastman, from the state of Washington, has said he’s not sure of an extraordinary session, stating that the vetoes did not go far enough. The $200 million budget vetoed the budget is excessive in comparison to historical norms, but it’s the least Dunleavy has made signings since taking office in the year 2018.
“The lack of vetoes indicates that there won’t be any extra session.” Eastman said.
“I believe the governor did enough” declared Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake. “This is the smallest amount he’s ever rejected. We must discover a way to decrease agency operations and regain accountable fiscal management in Alaska. For example, since the year the year 2018, we have used a portion from the People’s (Permanent Fund) dividend to finance agencies’ operations.”
A pair of members from the House majority -Two members of the House majority – Democratic Reps. CJ McCormick of Bethel and Neal Foster of Nome -both said they are in favor of an override.
“I’m dismayed and irritated,” McCormick said.
“Our state is likely to be harmed without the money which he rejected. It would be difficult, despite the original budget. They are indifferent to everyday life of citizens,” he said of the votes against the budget.
Even if lawmakers do not meet in the form of a special session in the coming year, there may be a chance to override Dunleavy’s veto in January.
The Alaska Constitution permits lawmakers to ask for a veto override “no after five days before the following Special or regular session the Legislature.”
The story was originally published in Alaska Beacon and is republished here with permission.
