JUNEAU -- Gov. Bill Walker will deliver an extra prime-time speech to lawmakers at the start of the legislative session next week, a Thursday address on the state budget that will follow the traditional State of the State speech Wednesday.
A spokesperson for Walker said he plans the extra address because of the state's "unprecedented fiscal situation." Alaska faces a $3.5 billion deficit this year and a $3.2 billion deficit next year, with planned 2015-16 spending at $5.4 billion.
Past governors have delivered separate State of the Budget speeches, but none appear to have done so since Frank Murkowski in 2006.
Walker so far has not released his operating budget plan to legislators, instead presenting a preliminary document prepared by predecessor Sean Parnell in advance of a December deadline.
Walker press secretary Grace Jang referred questions about Walker's budget plans to Pat Pitney, the state budget director. Pitney didn't answer phone calls but said in a text message that the administration plans to release state and agency spending totals, at a general level, in time for Walker's budget speech.
Pitney added that most of the administration's full budget proposal would be released within two weeks of the budget speech, and a full plan will "for sure" be available by the legal deadline of Feb. 18.
Legislators are anxiously awaiting Walker's budget proposal, and some viewed his request for a separate speech with skepticism, given that recent governors have addressed budget issues in their State of the State speeches. Rep. Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, the House speaker, asked the Legislative Research Services for a report showing how often governors have given two speeches. The report indicated Murkowski appeared to be the only governor to give a pair of speeches since Tony Knowles in 1998, though the practice was routine before that.
But legislative leaders, who must convene in a joint session of the House and Senate to receive Walker's speeches, ultimately acquiesced. The addresses are each scheduled for 7 p.m.
"I'm fine with it," said Rep. Steve Thompson, R-Fairbanks, the co-chair of the House Finance Committee. "It'll be interesting to see what he comes up with."