JUNEAU -- The Alaska House Finance Committee is taking four days of public testimony on the state operating budget next week as legislators look to put finishing touches on a reduced spending plan in the face of a massive state budget deficit.
The committee will take public testimony on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and evenings from 22 cities and towns with Legislative Information Offices. There's also time set aside for residents in areas without a legislative office.
Testimony is limited to two minutes, and long wait times should be expected. Alaskans can also email lhscfin@akleg.gov with their testimony, which will be forwarded to the committee.
The schedule for public testimony is below. The Legislature's budget documents are available at www.legfin.akleg.gov/, and you can find the address of local LIOs at akleg.gov/lios.php.
Monday, Feb. 29
4 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Juneau
Tuesday, March 1
1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Homer, Kenai, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Mat-Su, Seward
3:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Barrow, Dillingham, Fairbanks
6:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. – Off-network sites
Wednesday, March 2
1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Anchorage
4:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. – Sitka, Petersburg, Delta Junction, Unalaska, Glennallen, Tok
7 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Off-network sites
Thursday, March 3
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Bethel, Cordova, Kotzebue, Nome, Valdez, Wrangell
4:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Off-network sites
Off-network sites are communities without a LIO. Call 907-465-4648 before 5 p.m. to get the call-in number.