"Les Gara"

The House Finance Committee voted to fully fund school debt reimbursement, and voted against cutting the Base Student Allocation.

Committee members who are part of the Republican minority caucus voted for deeper cuts.

Another bill proposing changes to the state’s oil and gas tax credit regime was released on Wednesday. This new bill, sponsored by Les Gara (D-Anchorage), would raise minimum tax on oil companies.

Employers could deduct state income tax payments from workers’ paychecks. But if workers prefer to pay with PFDs, they could ask their employers to deduct less money each pay period.

Chenault said the legislature already considered the Permanent Fund restructuring and tax increases that Gov. Bill Walker asked them to pass.

“For me to have to ask for something that I feel he’s already earned – it’s kind of humiliating in a way,” said Brandy Johnson, widow of slain State Trooper Sgt. Patrick “Scott” Johnson.