Governor Dunleavy’s FY21 budget announcement
This afternoon Governor Dunleavy released his fiscal year 2021 operating and capital budget proposal. This is the first step in the legislative budget process. As anticipated, the governor set the University of Alaska’s general fund operating budget at $277 million. This is the amount the Board of Regents requested as agreed to in the August 13 three-year compact. This is a $25 million reduction from this year’s $302 million general fund operating budget.
The governor’s capital budget includes $2.5 million for the USArray project at the Alaska Earthquake Center, which will significantly enhance Alaska's ability to predict extreme weather events, assess earthquakes and tsunamis, and provide better forecasts of wildfire conditions. Unfortunately, the budget does not include any funding to address the sizable deferred maintenance backlog at the university. The Board of Regents had requested $50 million. The governor does propose a $30 million deferred maintenance pool that state agencies and the university may be able to access.
In the weeks ahead and during next year’s legislative session, we will continue to underscore the value of the state’s investment in the University of Alaska. Our advocacy will include promoting the importance of higher education and scholarships for students, UA’s role in the economy, creating jobs for Alaskans, the importance of our world-class research, and plans to monetize our physical assets and generate more philanthropy.
We will share regular updates on the university’s budget, other legislative priorities and opportunities for you to engage in advocacy efforts and outreach.