Yesterday, the Alaska State Senate passed House Bill 300 and House Bill 302, the Fiscal Year 2011 Statewide Operating and Mental Health budget bills.   According to the Senate majority, the $8.1 billon Senate Finance Committee Substitute calls for $5.1 billion in general fund spending, trimming more than $17 million from the governor’s amended fiscal year 2011 budget, while funding $11 million for gas pipeline development and $6.5 million for in-state gas.  The Senate’s operating budget is $22 million over the budget approved by the House of Representatives earlier this month.  Senate Finance Co-Chair Bert Stedman, R-Sitka, said in addition to the gasline funding, the Senate budget includes $3.3 million for the Department of Transportation, $2.3 million for the University of Alaska, and $1.8 million for the Department of Fish and Game to address fishery disasters and stock levels in Southwest, Southeast and central Alaska.  Both bills now head back to the House of Representatives for concurrence.

Filed under: News by Joe Nicks