Governor Dunleavy prioritizes his amendments and crime bill

Gov. Mike Dunleavy questioned the potential for any deal with lawmakers if they don’t act on his proposed constitutional amendments and crime bills.

Dunleavy says little will have been accomplished if the session ends with “small” budget cuts and without passage of crime legislation and sending to voters the proposed constitutional changes he considers cornerstones of a fiscal plan.

The constitutional provisions are aimed at limiting spending and giving voters a say on changes approved by lawmakers to taxes and the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend.

Dunleavy expressed openness to a public advisory vote on the dividend but said he thinks it would show Alaskans don’t want the dividend changed without their approval.

The House is debating its rewrite of Alaska’s operating budget, which shuns the level of cuts Dunleavy proposed.