2010-02-03                     Senate Journal                      Page 1401
Thank you for your consideration of this legislation.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Sean Parnell                                                                                                                    
Governor                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SB 254                                                                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 254 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                               
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
          "An Act making supplemental appropriations, capital                                                                   
          appropriations, and other appropriations; amending                                                                    
          appropriations; repealing appropriations; making                                                                      
          appropriations to capitalize funds; and providing for                                                                 
          an effective date."                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Finance Committee.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Governor's transmittal letter dated February 1:                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Stevens,                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Art. III, Sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I                                                         
am transmitting a bill relating to supplemental appropriations for the                                                          
State's operating and capital budgets for Fiscal Year 2010 (FY2010).                                                            
                                                                                                                                
My guiding principles for the budget include maintaining budget                                                                 
discipline by limiting State agency growth, focusing on results for                                                             
Alaskans, and promoting economic opportunities for our families.                                                                
Supplemental appropriations are intended to respond to unanticipated                                                            
increases in the current year budget, and provide the opportunity to put                                                        
more money into savings for future needs.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
With the upward trend of oil prices, I asked the Department of                                                                  
Revenue to prepare an interim forecast to update the projection from                                                            
December 2009. The interim forecast projects a FY2010 surplus of                                                                
over $2.2 billion, rather than the original forecasted surplus of $1.5                                                          
billion.