Embattled Alaska Gov Bill Walker’s Budget “Misses The Mark On Transparency,” Fails To Decrease Spending

Embattled Alaska Governor Bill Walker is once again showing Alaskans that his words mean nothing.

After releasing his 2019 budget a few weeks ago, Walker was finally forced to admit that he was breaking his past campaign pledge of achieving “a sustainable budget” in his term. In hopes of deflecting attention away from this failure, the Walker Administration has been claiming their budget is transparent.

But, according to a new report from the Legislative Finance Division, the non-partisan agency responsible for providing Alaska’s legislature budget analysis, Walker’s budget “misses the mark on transparency.” Instead of giving it to Alaskans straight, Walker uses “distortion-inducing elements” to claim reduced spending of $150 million, when in reality he proposes increasing spending $228 million.

Walker may think he can distract voters with budget gimmicks and more empty campaign rhetoric, but he can’t hide from his failed record of skyrocketing crime, a massive budget deficit, and an abysmal business climate. Alaskans deserve better.