BREAKING: Changes made to the Governor’s revenue proposal to remove the sales tax
The Legislature continues its hearings on the Rural Health Transformation Program and Senator Tobin introduces Indigenous Education for All legislation in the Senate Education Committee.
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We are a month into the session, and things are really heating up here in Juneau.
My colleagues in the Alaska State House are hard at work digging into the Governor’s proposed state operating budget for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY 2027), while the Senate Finance Committee received a presentation on the Governor’s proposed amendments to the budget proposal he published on December 11.
Notably included in the Governor’s Amended FY 2027 budget are significant increases in the state’s administrative burden for food assistance and Medicaid support due to the passage of H.R. 1 (One Big Beautiful Bill).
As budget conversations continue, the large pink polar bear in the room is the state’s fiscal situation.
Almost a decade of flat funding for state services has contributed to significant vacancies across all state departments, forcing overtime to blow the Department of Corrections budget out of the water again, while state deferred maintenance for public facilities (excluding our public schools) stands at a whopping $2.4 billion.
Lawmakers are considering a variety of revenue measures over the next few weeks, including significant amendments made to the Governor’s Sales Tax bill (SB 227). You will have a chance to share your perspectives and insights during public testimony, and I hope you do. Alaska is at a crossroads, and without bold decisions, our state will continue to stagnate with our economy continuing to decline.
You can keep up to date by signing up for updates for bills by texting the bill number of (559) 245-2529. You will receive an enrollment confirmation and instructions on how to stop receiving the alerts.
@lgtobin
Senate Resources Committee Amends SB 227 - Governor’s Sales Tax Bill.
Join us for our virtual constituent meeting.
Join us on Tuesday, March 3rd, from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm by registering online.
Senator Tobin and Representative Stapp Introduce Veterans Justice Act.
Senator Löki Gale Tobin, D-Anchorage, and Representative Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks, introduced Senate Bill 236 and House Bill 299, known as the Veterans Justice Act, which creates a statewide veteran sentencing program to reduce recidivism and support veterans’ reintegration into society who face certain criminal charges, while upholding public safety in Alaska.
Alaska is home to approximately 60,000 veterans, and far too many continue to face challenges related to their military service, including post-traumatic stress disorder, which is linked to higher rates of substance abuse and incarceration. This is particularly true among those who served after September 11, 2001. These veterans have experienced more combat deployments and redeployments than any previous generation.
Anchorage’s Public Transit Program Needs Your Feedback!
The Anchorage Public Transportation Department (PTD) is now in its final stage of our Transit Development Plan (TDP) update. Transit on the Move – 2025 will guide our department over the next few years as we seek to make improvements to the lives of municipal residents with the best public transit options, based on community input.
Thanks, Senator Tobin, for the insightful updates.
Nobody works as hard for statewide schools as you do. 😊