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Carhartts and Xtratufs Ball — get tickets here!

Protesters greet but don't meet governor's team in Kenai

Shaylon Cochran/KDLL

 

Governor Mike Dunleavy spent most of Seward’s Day in Kenai Monday, promotinghis controversial budget plan. Tagging along were several members of the governor’s administration.They were all part of a panel that discussed the governor’s vision at Cannery Lodge in Kenai Monday night.

Well outside sight and sound of the lodge, a few dozen protesters gathered at the end of Cannery Road. Most were there in support of education funding. And some took issue with the group behind the closed-access meeting, Americans for Prosperity, a conservative political action committee founded by billionaires David and Charles Koch.

"I think this is absolutely a criminal budget," said Shelley Gill of Homer. "I've lived in Alaska 50 years and Chapman school was here 50 years ago, long before they found oil. I'm ashamed of Alaskans for voting for somebody who told them they were going to get $6,000...It's a real simple equation; kill the oil subsidies, and the budget is balanced."

"I'm really concerned about the governor not having open meetings. I'm glad that he's taking information about how people feel on the budget, but not this process...It's devestating what the potential this proposed budget has for the state," said Karen Murdock, also from Homer. 

Inside the lodge, the 70 or so people able to get tickets were much more evenly divided on the budget. There were calls for more details about education cuts, but the majority of those in attendance were in favor of the plan, including the constitutional amendments that would make the traditional PFD formula permanent, put a lower cap on state spending and leave questions about new taxes to voters, not the legislature.

"We really play on the feelings versus the facts and I don't want to do that," said Cindy Glassmaker of Soldotna. "I work tremendously hard with my husband to take care of our family and that's super important to me. I'm not willing to give it up without a fight."

 

Paul Huber of Nikiski was also generally in support of the governor's plan, but is waiting for more details.

 

"Trust but verify," he said.

 

 

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