Juneau -- The briefing and debate on the Healthy Alaska Plan convened on Monday night in the House Finance Committee. Representative Alan Austerman (R-Kodiak) was one of the principal architects of the All-Alaska Plan, a forerunner to the current proposal to solve Alaska's fiscal crisis.

"I have been working diligently on a long range revenue plan for the State of Alaska since last fall. Starting very early in the session, several legislators and I have been meeting regularly to discuss options for dealing with Alaska's billion dollar plus deficit," said Representative Austerman.

Austerman continued, "A cap on the PFD isn't so bad when you consider the alternative of no PFD at all. If we do nothing and keep drawing down on the state's cash reserves, then we will have no choice but to virtually eliminate the permanent fund dividend (PFD) program."

With a long range fiscal plan in place, the State of Alaska will no longer be at the mercy of the production of oil (which has been declining over several years) or the price per barrel of oil.

On Wednesday May 12th at 6:00 p.m. by request, the House Finance Committee will be taking public comment on the Healthy Alaska Plan. On Thursday May 13th at 6:00 p.m. the same committee will be taking public testimony from all over the state. Please call the Kodiak Legislative Offices at 486-8116 if you would like to testify on Wednesday or Thursday.

For more information about either plan, you can go to Alan's web site at: http://www.akrepublicans.org/pastlegs/Austerman.htm