Proposing a budget is just one step in the budget making process, and Liz Medicine Crow and Kendra Kloster want to make sure Alaska Natives help shape Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposed budget as it takes its ultimate form.<\/p>\n
Medicine Crow, President and CEO for First Alaskans Institute, and Kloster, Executive Director for Native Peoples Action, were guest speakers at a Native Issues Forum Wednesday and urged those in attendance to pay attention to proposed budget cuts, be mindful of how communities will be impacted and be willing to share their stories with state lawmakers.<\/p>\n
“If this really is just a conversation starter, then let’s not let that be a conversation that’s one sided,” Medicine Crow said. “This is a proposal, and the Legislature has to do the duty of vetting this proposal and hearing from the citizens of this state and that means we need to really show up. If the plate and the door is open for proposals, let’s put our own bold proposals forward.”<\/p>\n
Medicine Crow and Kloster did not drill in on one particular topic, but instead provided an overview of the budget’s $1 billion in proposed cuts for the audience in Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. Kloster said with so many areas on the chopping block, it’s important for people to find the ways the proposed budget could affect them and share their story with lawmakers.<\/p>\n
Both speakers shared ways the proposed budget could impact their lives.<\/p>\n
Medicine Crow said she has an aunt who cannot fly but needs to travel to receive medical care, so she is wary of reduced funding for the Alaska Marine Highway System.<\/p>\n
[Governor proposes cutting ferry funding<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n “If there’s no ferry for her to catch, how is she going to access the kind of medical care she needs?” Medicine Crow asked.<\/p>\n Kloster said she’s personally keeping an eye on education funding because she has a daughter who is about to enter preschool and will soon be working her way through the public school system.<\/p>\n “We’re looking at catastrophic cuts to education,” Kloster said. “Being a parent and having a 3-year-old, going through and realizing there’s no pre-K funding and looking at classroom sizes that could be 40 or more, and it’s just not the kind of education system I want to see for Alaska.”<\/p>\n [Senate finance grills Office of Management and Budget and Education Commisioner<\/a>]<\/ins><\/p>\n Additionally, the two talked about proposals that could send up to 500 inmates out of <\/a>state<\/a>, and reduce spending on health and social services, senior citizen services and rural support.<\/p>\n Less spending on rural communities would disproportionately affect Alaska Native villages, Medicine Crow said.<\/p>\n Kloster and Medicine Crow particularly highlighted a proposal that would allow the general fund to absorb the Power Cost Equalization fund, which helps subsidize the cost of power for residents of rural communities.<\/p>\n “Once they get it into that pool (the general fund), they get to decide however they want to spend it on whatever they want to spend it on, which means they don’t have to spend it on PCE,” Medicine Crow said.<\/p>\n Reduced spending on village public safety officers was also discussed.<\/p>\n “Our communities across Alaska deserve equitable public safety, and we haven’t had it,” Medicine Crow said. “To see a proposal that cuts our VPSO program more than it already has been is troubling and concerning, and it signals to us we have a lot more education to do in this area, so people understand that when you cut our VPSO program you’re going to further cause harm to rural Alaska.”<\/p>\n