Budget

Juneau Assembly keeps harbors as raw fish tax default but adds an exception

Juneau's Assembly kept harbors as the default for raw fish tax money but gave itself an out for "extenuating fiscal circumstances," which have no set threshold.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Anchorage administration tallies $31 million for shelter, outreach and crisis care

Anchorage's mayor tallies $31.26 million for shelter, outreach and crisis care next year. The Assembly chair says not all of that is homelessness spending.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago4 min read

University of Alaska draft budget seeks $31.4 million more and new student housing

A University of Alaska draft budget would ask the state for $31.4 million more to run its campuses, plus money for two new UAA dorms. Regents vote Nov. 6.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Seward proposes a 6% summer-only sales tax and a property tax cut for fiscal 2028

Seward's proposed fiscal 2028 budget would swap the year-round 4% sales tax for 6% in summer, none in winter, and cut property tax by 1 mill.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

State budget sends $24.3 million to fix up Mt. Edgecumbe's aging Sitka campus

Mt. Edgecumbe is getting $24.3 million in state money to fix up a Sitka campus whose dorms include World War II barracks, plus new mattresses and washers.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Valdez budget proposal sets aside $6.5 million for special litigation

Valdez's proposed 2027 budget sets aside $6.5 million for special litigation, out of $7.5 million for legal costs. The presentation doesn't say which cases.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min read

Anchorage fire chief expects two recruit academies in 2027 as about 50 can retire

Anchorage's fire chief expects two recruit academies in 2027 as about 50 firefighters can retire. Even that may fall short, and a third costs about $2 million.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Anchorage budget office lists pool closures and bus cuts as possible options for 2028 gap

Anchorage budget office outlined cuts that could close a $15 to $30 million 2028 gap. • Options include closing 3 pools, cutting a bus route and axing 21 police community officer jobs. • None are in the 2027 budget. Assembly votes Nov. 17.

by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago3 min read

Sitka Assembly weighs asking voters for a summer sales tax bump to fund child care

Sitka may ask summer shoppers to chip in a nickel per $10 for child care, with voters deciding in February whether to raise the summer sales tax to 6.5%.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Palmer's budget plan holds taxes flat and skips a required capital transfer

Palmer's 2027 budget plan holds property taxes and utility rates flat. It also skips $943,402 for capital projects that city code says must be set aside.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Anchorage superintendent says April school bond should stay under $60 million

Anchorage schools chief Jharrett Bryantt wants April's bond kept under $60 million, despite $136 million in identified projects. Voters rejected a $79 million bond last April.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Skagway draft budget would more than double the clinic's sales tax subsidy to $4.3 million

Skagway's manager would send the town clinic $4.3 million in sales tax next year, more than double, as temp provider costs climb and clinic revenue drops.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readFrom Oct 16

Cordova council weighs charging nonprofits for city recreation facilities

Cordova lets nonprofits use about $45,000 a year in city facilities for free. The council talked about charging them Wednesday, then decided to keep thinking.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Cordova council backs carrying $1 million in unexpected revenue into 2027

Cordova got $1.6 million it never budgeted. The council wants to save about $1 million of it for 2027, when fish tax is expected to be "unprecedentedly low."

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Permanent Fund ends its first quarter nearly flat after a $937 million September loss

The Permanent Fund made $61 million in three months on a $92 billion fund, after a $937 million September loss wiped out July and August's gains.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readFrom Oct 15

Petersburg Assembly advances union wage money before members vote, rejecting a delay 3-3

Petersburg's Assembly advanced money for its final offer to the borough workers' union, 5-1, before the union votes on it. A delay failed 3-3.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Bethel hires a Louisiana firm to audit local businesses for unpaid city taxes

Bethel hired a Louisiana firm, without bidding, to audit local businesses for unpaid city taxes. It meets the Finance Committee Monday. Final price: not public.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Planning commission backs Anchorage's $88 million bond request after memo dispute

Planners backed Anchorage's $88 million bond ask Monday, after a city director told them to disregard their own staff's memo questioning the project list.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Homer mayor proposes changing the rules for how the city writes its budget

Homer Mayor Rachel Lord proposed changes to the city's budget code, up for council discussion Oct. 26. A public hearing and possible adoption vote is set for Nov. 9.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago1 min read

Kodiak moves $20 million from bank and pool accounts into managed investments

Kodiak moved $20 million from bank and pool accounts into managed investments this fall, reaching 71% of an $82 million target.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Follows: Kodiak invests $10 million and uses transfers to shrink $1.7 million General Fund shortfall

Homer council to vote Oct. 26 on spending $60,000 to audit its volunteer fire department

Homer residents spent early 2025 telling the council its fire department was short on volunteers. Now the city may spend $60,000 on an audit to take a look.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Valdez budget would add $205,000 for events, a hatchery group and workforce contracts

Valdez wants 29% more for economic development, still less than it spent in each of the past three years. Gold Rush Days and the hatchery group get a bump.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Anchorage officials propose asking voters to fund an ambulance and its crew

Anchorage wants voters to buy one more ambulance for $380,000, then pay about $1.5 million a year for the crew. City officials call it a test.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago4 min read

Kenai faces 29% jump in employee health premiums as council weighs Premera renewal

Kenai's employee health premiums are set to jump 29%, and that's after the broker negotiated Premera down from 36%. The council votes Wednesday.

by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min read

Planners say Anchorage's capital budget isn't strongly tied to its growth plan

Anchorage planners say the city's capital budget isn't strongly tied to its growth plan. Since 2017, 1% of Bowl development landed where the plan wanted most.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Anchorage's $725.7 million cash pool earned $4.4 million last quarter, report shows

Anchorage parks $725.7 million with three money managers until it needs it. Last quarter it earned $4.4 million; the managers cost about $1 million a year.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Anchorage's 2027 budget leaves out money for downtown police foot patrols

Downtown Anchorage's police foot patrols ran on hotel-tax overtime money this year. The 2027 budget leaves that money out. One option floated: a special levy.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

North Slope voters reelect Patkotak and approve all 11 bonds worth about $1.55 billion

North Slope voters gave Mayor Josiah Patkotak another term and the borough permission to borrow up to $1.55 billion for water, power, schools and more.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

LaFrance budget would add seven city plow operators, cut $1 million in snow contracts

Anchorage's 2027 budget would add seven city plow operators and spend $1 million less on snow contractors, nudging plowing toward city crews.

by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read

Valdez school board asks city for $15.1 million, a 29% increase over this year

Valdez's taxable value jumped 56%, and the school board wants its share: $15.1 million from the city, up nearly 29% from this year. The council decides.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Kodiak's projected deficit shrinks to about $94,000 at year end

Kodiak closed fiscal 2026 with a $94,000 general fund shortfall after a $1.14 million transfer from investment earnings reduced what had been a projected $3 million deficit.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Legislative committee has no oil and gas consultants under contract, chair says

Alaska lawmakers have no oil and gas consultants under contract, with a gas pipeline project and a new administration coming. Senators want that fixed.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Auditors link Anchorage's $25 million cash misstatement to how SAP closes the books

Anchorage's 2024 cash was misstated by $25 million. The city pays millions for SAP, and until it's fixed, the correction lives in an Excel workbook.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Legislative committee hires Guidehouse for $650,000 corrections cost study

Lawmakers hired Guidehouse for up to $650,000 to find out what drives Alaska's corrections spending and where the state could save some money.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Port tops Anchorage's draft 2027 list of state and federal requests

Anchorage's 2027 wish list for Juneau and D.C. starts where it always does: the port. Housing near JBER and Cook Inlet gas come close behind.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read

Follows: None of Anchorage's district projects got state money this year, city tells Assembly committee

Anchorage schools list nearly $18 million in urgent repairs ahead of April bond

Anchorage schools have nearly $18 million in urgent repairs, from failing boilers to a Wendler roof that won't hold a shingle. A bond list comes Oct. 20.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Anchorage Assembly to hear proposal capping city department staffing Tuesday

Anchorage departments have topped their budgeted staffing five years running. An Assembly proposal would make them get permission first. Hearing Tuesday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Alaska DOT letter shows $563 million in contracts, projects record year, warns of match shortfall

Alaska DOT awarded $563 million in construction contracts through June and expects $1 billion for fiscal 2025, but a state match shortfall is forcing projects to delay.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min read

Kodiak invests $10 million and uses transfers to shrink $1.7 million General Fund shortfall

Kodiak put $10 million into bonds and T-bills and used transfers to shrink a $1.7 million budget hole to about $95,000. Council reviews it Thursday.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read

Anchorage mayor proposes 2027 budget that relies on one-time money, warns of 2028 fiscal cliff

Anchorage's mayor proposed a 2027 budget that plugs a $15 million hole mostly with one-time money, and she says the city hits a fiscal cliff in 2028.

by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago3 min read