Coalition Government Returns to Alaska

[Oryxslayer]

Today Rep. Edgmon, the incumbent speaker of the Alaska State House was reelected to his position. After 5 weeks, the Democrat turned Independent will be reelected with support from Dems, Indies, and some Republicans. Republican Majority leader Charles Kopp voted for Edgmon. Peculiar, since I figured Alaska did these coalitions to form majorities that matched the governor.

More here: https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2019/02/14/alaska-house-deadlock-ends-with-rep-edgmon-elected-speaker/

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

Obligatory Politico article about Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins and his work to turn Alaska’s House purple.

[Ebsy]

This is vital considering the dystopian scope of Dunleavy's proposed budget cuts (slashing a quarter of the public school funding formula and like a third out of the University of Alaska's budget among other awful initiative). All so he can bump up the oil royalty checks by a couple hundred dollars to ensure reelection.

[Flyersfan232]

Today Rep. Edgmon, the incumbent speaker of the Alaska State House was reelected to his position. After 5 weeks, the Democrat turned Independent will be reelected with support from Dems, Indies, and some Republicans. Republican Majority leader Charles Kopp voted for Edgmon. Peculiar, since I figured Alaska did these coalitions to form majorities that matched the governor.

More here: https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2019/02/14/alaska-house-deadlock-ends-with-rep-edgmon-elected-speaker/

is really a coalition of the speaker is dem but majority is republican?

[Oryxslayer]

Today Rep. Edgmon, the incumbent speaker of the Alaska State House was reelected to his position. After 5 weeks, the Democrat turned Independent will be reelected with support from Dems, Indies, and some Republicans. Republican Majority leader Charles Kopp voted for Edgmon. Peculiar, since I figured Alaska did these coalitions to form majorities that matched the governor.

More here: https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2019/02/14/alaska-house-deadlock-ends-with-rep-edgmon-elected-speaker/

is really a coalition of the speaker is dem but majority is republican?

Its a coalition because the 'government' in this case is All Dems+D Caucusing Indies+Right now 5 Republicans (Tammie Wilson, Steve Thompson, Jennifer Johnston, and Chuck Kopp & Gary Knopp but he missed the vote). For example, Kopp is going to be majority leader, but a dem will have control over the House Finance committee.

[lfromnj]

THe 2 Indies and now 8 Republicans have joined the majority caucus.

RIP alaska GOP trifecta.

[Badger]

This is vital considering the dystopian scope of Dunleavy's proposed budget cuts (slashing a quarter of the public school funding formula and like a third out of the University of Alaska's budget among other awful initiative). All so he can bump up the oil royalty checks by a couple hundred dollars to ensure reelection.

Wow that’s gonna send him to Brownback levels of unpopularity real quick unless he gets people their oil welfare checks to palate them. He’d be a sitting duck for re-election

Even then. If I recall correctly Walker biggest weakness for re-election was that he cut the oil welfare checks to ensure the long-term economic viability of the fund. It was never a case of slashing services versus the oil checks.

Did Dunleavy run on this type of a Draconian campaign, or anywhere near so beyond typical Republican pablum of cutting waste and fat in government? I'm having a hard time seeing alaskans voting for someone who campaign on slashing education by 1/4 and University funding by 1/3.

[SnowLabrador]

After hearing about Mike Dunleavy's proposed budget cuts, I hate him even more. Good thing there should now be a check on him.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

The problem is alaska has no real reliable source of revenue - no income tax, no sales tax, not much in the way of a property tax. The vast bulk comes from oil royalties, so in times of low oil prices they either go significantly in the red or they're forced into austerity (which walker did by slashing the oil cheques and dunleavy is doing by attempting to abolish the state).