Governor calls Democrats in for PFD chat

Talk about anything at all

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Should Alaskans get a one time PFD payout ??

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Take the $ and Run
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Leave the PFD alone
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63%
 
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john
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Governor calls Democrats in for PFD chat

#1 Post by john »

ANCHORAGE--Gov. Frank Murkowski summoned Democratic lawmakers to a closed-door meeting and urged them to consider spending permanent fund earnings on government.

Murkowski, a Republican, essentially asked legislators to support his permanent fund plan--or whatever version of his plan comes out of special panel convening in February, said Rep. Les Gara, R-Alaska, of Thursday's meeting.

The governor has called a "Conference of Alaskans" for Feb. 10-12 in Fairbanks to explore whether and how to dip into Alaska Permanent Fund earnings. Murkowski says he intends to submit the conference findings as bills for the Legislature.

Murkowski has suggested he wants a permanent fund plan to go before voters in November as an amendment to the state constitution. To do that, he'll need the support of legislative Democrats, since a two-thirds vote is required to get an amendment on the ballot.

It's the first time Democrats, who control just 20 of the 60 seats in the Legislature, have been in a position to block a Murkowski initiative.

Democratic legislators have opposed going after permanent fund earnings and want the governor's conference next month to also talk about taxes or other revenues that could be used to bring state income into line with expenses.

Gara said Democrats voiced their objections during the hour-and-a-half meeting with Murkowski but the governor would not budge.

"Basically, he said, this is the plan, I'd like you to say yes, and have a nice day," Gara told the Anchorage Daily News.

Murkowski spokesman John Manly said the intention wasn't to push the Democrats to support spending from the permanent fund.

"What he's asking them is not to take any hard lines until they see what comes out of the conference," said Manly, who wasn't at the meeting.

Democrats who attended the meeting said Murkowski didn't change their minds, but they liked the chance to talk to him.

Downtown Anchorage Democratic Sen. Johnny Ellis, the Senate minority leader, said he thought Murkowski's message to the Democrats was premature, given that the conference is more than a week away.

Ellis said the governor's main message was that a permanent fund plan is important to him.

"He was putting everyone on notice, in no uncertain terms ... that he was going to be very aggressive about getting this through (the Legislature)," Ellis said.

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