During a Facebook Live event Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Charlie Pierce spoke about the proposed cuts the borough faces in the FY20 budget put forward by Governor Mike Dunleavy.

Pierce: “The budget is a big concern. On February 13, Governor Dunleavy presented a budget to the House, Senate, and Alaskans. Talk about shock and awe, I think it was a lot of shock and awe for some. Some would say that it was long overdue, I’m one that says it was long overdue, I think that we have been irresponsible with our spending and planning for many years. I think that you could have anticipated these types of things happening.”

Among the cuts proposed to the borough is a shift tax revenue from oil and gas properties from municipalities to the state. This would equate to a roughly $15 million reduction in borough revenue. Another proposal would end commercial fish tax revenue that is shared among fishing communities, such as the cities within the borough.

The Kenai Peninsula also faces major closures of the sentenced facilities at Wildwood Correctional Complex. According to budget documents, the move would eliminate 46 local jobs.

Pierce: “Make your voice heard. Contact your legislative representatives and encourage them to get on with business. They need to do some things down there in Juneau, and we were hoping that they would have a timely session so that we could do our business and plan our budget. We don’t think that’s going to happen, obviously they will have an extended session and it will make it more difficult for us to put our plan together.”

The proposed budget is still making its way through the Legislature.