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Posted: 5/19/2015 2:48:26 PM EDT
So the Governor called the bluff
Shit start shutting down 7/1 if no passed budget So state worker lay offs (15,000 people) Unemployment cut off Welfare cut off DMV shut down (renew your license or plates now  )
Going to be a lot of people caught off guard when the checks stop coming in I truly feel bad for people And for full disclosure I am a State Employee (part time) but am in a job classification that is likely to be unaffected by a shut down. I also support no COLA/Step raises this year to help keep people's jobs, but I am in a very small minority with that one |
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Posted: 5/19/2015 4:21:35 PM EDT
[#1]
Very interesting indeed. I've been trying to listen to morning radio as Mrs. Blues permits and am not up to speed on this.
This is the political equivalent of a Nuclear Strike. For one, it will strike fear into the hearts of those whose overwhelming need is lifelong security. Face it, that is why folks work for the state. I was shocked when I visited my dad in a state office - of maybe 20-30 folks in the office, only a half dozen were doing state work. The rest were working on retirement plans or talking about retirement. Those guys getting a layoff notice would be, well, asking to go nuclear. Second, it would help fuel the exodus out of state. Alaska actually lost population last year due to some combination of factors in spite of all the attractors (TV shows in tough times, no/low taxes, PFD). There are major tax/spending proposals on the table, and they will have real consequences. |
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Posted: 5/19/2015 4:34:45 PM EDT
[#2]
I suspect that there is a push here from the majority to cut into the PFD and blame it on the minority because they can't be "reasonable"
If the PFD goes bye bye, I suspect there will be many who up and leave If welfare, medicaid and the other entitlement programs don't get funded, even for a short term, there are many likely to leave with winter not being that far away |
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Posted: 5/19/2015 5:32:43 PM EDT
[#3]
This is going to be interesting to follow. We Alaskans are the ones to blame for this mess. If we had held those elected to do their jobs and not wanted everything 'given' to us then we might not be in this position. There have been many un-needed projects that wasted our money/resources in the last few decades, that it is any wonder that the state has any money to work with. As for people leaving over the 'tightening' of the budget, I do not believe that there will that big of an exodus. Many of us have weathered out past issues with the budget and we are still here.
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Posted: 5/19/2015 7:53:24 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I suspect that there is a push here from the majority to cut into the PFD and blame it on the minority because they can't be "reasonable" If the PFD goes bye bye, I suspect there will be many who up and leave If welfare, medicaid and the other entitlement programs don't get funded, even for a short term, there are many likely to leave with winter not being that far away so your saying I can hope for a nuke strike...
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Posted: 5/19/2015 8:00:14 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
This is going to be interesting to follow. We Alaskans are the ones to blame for this mess. If we had held those elected to do their jobs and not wanted everything 'given' to us then we might not be in this position. There have been many un-needed projects that wasted our money/resources in the last few decades, that it is any wonder that the state has any money to work with. As for people leaving over the 'tightening' of the budget, I do not believe that there will that big of an exodus. Many of us have weathered out past issues with the budget and we are still here. I fully agree with you |
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Posted: 5/19/2015 8:57:42 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
This is going to be interesting to follow. We Alaskans are the ones to blame for this mess. If we had held those elected to do their jobs and not wanted everything 'given' to us then we might not be in this position. There have been many un-needed projects that wasted our money/resources in the last few decades, that it is any wonder that the state has any money to work with. As for people leaving over the 'tightening' of the budget, I do not believe that there will that big of an exodus. Many of us have weathered out past issues with the budget and we are still here. It was bad in 1981-2, and really bad in 1987. I worked at the local church in 81-82, and we had many people walking in looking for just enough money for a plane ticket to go back home. In 1987, the real estate section in the newspaper was 1/4-1/2" thick. A billion dollars of budget cuts equals 10,000 jobs at 100k each, not counting the multiplier effect of spending those wages in the local economies. There is going to be a real shortfall in the Alaskan economy, whether from the cutbacks in state gov or reductions in the PFD. It may not be the end the world, but this state has not had a fiscal shock like the upcoming one since 1987. |
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Posted: 5/19/2015 9:33:50 PM EDT
[#7]
Other thought to consider IF , and that is a BIG IF , they lay DOT off , noone to inspect state construction projects , so the contractors wont be able to have their jobs inspected / certified
so that could mean private sector contractors laying people off temporarily |
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Posted: 5/19/2015 9:46:24 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:If we had held those elected to do their jobs and not wanted everything 'given' to us then we might not be in this position Large percentages of the population (individuals and businesses) believe that having the state give them things is the exact job of the politicians. All the bloated gov't, wasted money, welfare, and failed projects were someone's "gotta have or we're all doomed" issue. If we're not willing to live within our means now, when will we be willing to? Whether the state has $1M, $1B, or $1T to spend, it's never enough. |
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Posted: 5/20/2015 1:09:48 AM EDT
[#9]
Looks like 7-9 troopers are being cut out here.
Also rumor is they have been told to lay off on charging /arresting people.  Agree with some of the projects needing cuts. |
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Posted: 5/20/2015 9:29:05 AM EDT
[#10]
That's the usual tactic. Instead of cutting the fat they especially focus on cutting the core services that will impact public opinion the most. They're going to fight back if they don't get ever increasing budgets.
They'll SHOW US for trying to reign in their spending. |
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Posted: 5/20/2015 9:54:36 AM EDT
[#11]
Good.
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Posted: 5/20/2015 1:11:17 PM EDT
[#12]
I was told the trooper outpost in Talkeetna was being shutdown meaning no outpost from wasilla to cantwell.
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Posted: 5/20/2015 1:52:35 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I was told the trooper outpost in Talkeetna was being shutdown meaning no outpost from wasilla to cantwell. That is true but that was already planned prior to this issue It is in relation to department budget cuts |
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Posted: 5/21/2015 4:38:06 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That is true but that was already planned prior to this issue It is in relation to department budget cuts Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I was told the trooper outpost in Talkeetna was being shutdown meaning no outpost from wasilla to cantwell. That is true but that was already planned prior to this issue It is in relation to department budget cuts Well I'm glad I stayed in the lower 48 after I got out of the Marines. Shit, what's this whole budget cut thing going on ? |
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Posted: 5/21/2015 3:44:10 PM EDT
[#15]
Just read that they are going to tap the PFD so they don't have to have a 3/4 vote
Popping my popcorn and getting the lazy boy kicked back for the bitching that is sure to come |
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Posted: 5/21/2015 5:18:34 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Just read that they are going to tap the PFD so they don't have to have a 3/4 vote Popping my popcorn and getting the lazy boy kicked back for the bitching that is sure to come 
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Posted: 5/22/2015 11:29:21 AM EDT
[#17]
I am unfamiliar with the way the budget works in this state. Is there a drop dead date, or can they do like the Federal government and do a two month extension? I imagine that now the legislature is meeting in Anchorage, they could drag it on indefinitely if that were the case.
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Posted: 5/22/2015 2:11:14 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I am unfamiliar with the way the budget works in this state. Is there a drop dead date, or can they do like the Federal government and do a two month extension? I imagine that now the legislature is meeting in Anchorage, they could drag it on indefinitely if that were the case. The only thing that the legislature is constitutionally bound to do is pass an budget annually. Technically they did that this year, though they only funded roughly 1/3 of the budget so the governor vetoed it |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 1:47:17 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote History It may not be the end the world, but this state has not had a fiscal shock like the upcoming one since 1987. This isn't like 1987. Even though it appears so superficially, this really isn't a financial crisis - it's a political one. The state has about $2 billion in the SBR, $16 Billion in the CBR, and $54 Billion in the Permanent Fund. ALL CASH! Even if we continue to run $3 bln annual deficits, the State could continue at current spending levels for another 20 years. However, it's the politicians who are completely incapable of telling their constituents that their sacred cash cow programs must end. They would rather let the State crash than agree on meaningful cuts in spending, or equally meaningful alternate sources of funding. Alaska is like a crazy married couple who - even though they have $10 Million cash in their bank account (and still have decent, steady incomes too) - would rather let their $200,000 home mortgage foreclose because they can't agree on if the wife should be forced to cut out spending on some of her weekly Spa & Hairdresser appointments, or if the Husband should give up on some of his trips to Vegas. |
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Posted: 5/24/2015 6:37:41 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That's the usual tactic. Instead of cutting the fat they especially focus on cutting the core services that will impact public opinion the most. They're going to fight back if they don't get ever increasing budgets. They'll SHOW US for trying to reign in their spending. Exactly. I've worked for the State in D.O.T. for over 21 years now as my main source of employment, and can't believe how screwed up things are. There are so many things most of us inside the system could point out to improve efficiency and places to cut but it continually falls on deaf ears. The Commissioners are either too busy, don't give a shit, or are just down right freakin corrupt. Yeah, I mean you Pat Kemp. There are a ton of great people that do work for the State and truly care about helping out. But we just can't make a difference without level headed people that truly care leading the show. Time will only tell if this administration will be any different. So far, I am unimpressed... 
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Posted: 5/25/2015 5:58:27 PM EDT
[#21]
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Posted: 5/26/2015 12:52:48 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryExcellent use of post 223 |
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Posted: 6/16/2015 3:03:04 PM EDT
[#23]
Dammit, this is depressing.
So AK is basically like the rest of the U.S.? Here, I was hoping to find out it was a little less...uh....advanced compared to what I'm dealing with down here. But it sounds the same. Dammit.  |
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Posted: 6/16/2015 3:46:31 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Dammit, this is depressing. So AK is basically like the rest of the U.S.? Here, I was hoping to find out it was a little less...uh....advanced compared to what I'm dealing with down here. But it sounds the same. Dammit. We put the corrupt in corruption 
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Posted: 6/16/2015 4:00:26 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: We put the corrupt in corruption Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Dammit, this is depressing. So AK is basically like the rest of the U.S.? Here, I was hoping to find out it was a little less...uh....advanced compared to what I'm dealing with down here. But it sounds the same. Dammit. We put the corrupt in corruption At least you guys can have belt feds up there. I guess that's something. |
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Posted: 6/16/2015 4:40:16 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Having been in California, New Mexico, and Arkansas.....God, I hope you're not more advanced than they are. At least you guys can have belt feds up there. I guess that's something. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Dammit, this is depressing. So AK is basically like the rest of the U.S.? Here, I was hoping to find out it was a little less...uh....advanced compared to what I'm dealing with down here. But it sounds the same. Dammit. We put the corrupt in corruption At least you guys can have belt feds up there. I guess that's something. Queen Lisa doesn't even try to cover up how corrupt she is anymore. |
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Posted: 6/16/2015 5:25:08 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Queen Lisa doesn't even try to cover up how corrupt she is anymore. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Dammit, this is depressing. So AK is basically like the rest of the U.S.? Here, I was hoping to find out it was a little less...uh....advanced compared to what I'm dealing with down here. But it sounds the same. Dammit. We put the corrupt in corruption At least you guys can have belt feds up there. I guess that's something. Queen Lisa doesn't even try to cover up how corrupt she is anymore. Nope |
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