Alaska Information
From Sunshine Review
The Alaska state budget is administered by the Division of Finance, which is part of the state's Department of Administration. The fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30, with year-end accruals made through August.
In the first week of February 2008, the Division of Finance created a new website, the Alaska Checkbook Online, that discloses some aspects of the Alaska state government's spending practices on an ongoing basis, similar to having a checkbook register online.[1]
The original sponsor of the legislation authorizing the online spending database was Sen. Bill Wielechowski (D - Anchorage).[2]
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[edit] Alaska Open Government Act
In early 2008, Sens. Wielechowski and Ellis proposed SB 201, known as the Alaska Open Goveernment Act, that would mandate additional information be added to the Alaska Checkbook Online database.[3],[4]
[edit] Features of Alaska Checkbook Online
- Payments to vendors and grantees who received at least one payment of $1,000 or more in the current fiscal year through the end of June 2008 are included. (Individual payments of less than $1,000 are not included.)
- The information provided includes the name and location of the vendor or grantee, the purpose of the payment, and the state agency or department that requested the payment.
- Twenty-six different types of payments are excluded for confidentiality reasons.[5]
[edit] Community funding databases
Alaskans can access two online databases that allow users to search state grants, revenue sharing, and capital project funding given to Alaskan cities and towns. The Community Funding Database provides information on the year, grant type, recipient, project description and status, award amount, disbursement information, and staff contact for each entry.[6]
The Capital Projects Database contains descriptions, funding levels, and status for over 16,000 capital projects in Alaska communities.[7]
[edit] State budget over time
| Year | Expenditures | Increase/decrease |
|---|---|---|
| 2006-2007 | $6.777 billion [8] | + 3.49% |
| 2005-2006 | $6.215 billion[9],[10] | + 3.79% |
| 2004-2005 | $5.529 billion [11] | |
| 2003-2004 | $5.418 billion[12] | |
| 2002-2003 | $5.582 billion[13] | |
| 2001-2002 | $5.184 billion[14] | |
| 2000-2001 | $3.757 billion[15] | |
| 1999-2000 | $3.553 billion[16] | |
| 1998-1999 | $3.425 billion[17] | 4.28% |
| 1997-1998 | $3.295 billion[18] | - |
[edit] External links
- Institute of the North
- Alaska Checkbook Online, official website
- Division of Finance, Alaskan government
- State budget surpluses could dry up
- The Alaska Citizen's Guide to the Budget
[edit] References
- ↑ National Public Radio, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18764744, February 7, 2008
- ↑ SitNews, New Legislation Would Open The State's Checkbook to Public Scrutiny, January 7, 2008
- ↑ Text of SB 201
- ↑ Americans for Tax Reform letter endorsing SB 201, dated February 20, 2008
- ↑ Payment systems excluded based on confidentiality analysis
- ↑ Grants: Community Funding Database
- ↑ Capital Funding: Capital Projects Database
- ↑ Alaska Department of Finance budget report for 2004-2005
- ↑ U.S. Census expenditure details for Alaska state government, 2005-2006
- ↑ Alaska Department of Finance budget report for 2005-2006
- ↑ Alaska Department of Finance budget report for 2004-2005
- ↑ Alaska Department of Finance budget report for 2003-2004
- ↑ Alaska Department of Finance budget report for 2002-2003
- ↑ Alaska Department of Finance budget report for 2001-2002
- ↑ Alaska Department of Finance budget report for 2000-2001
- ↑ Alaska Department of Finance budget report for 1999-2000
- ↑ Alaska Department of Finance budget report for 1998-1999
- ↑ Alaska Department of Finance budget report for 1997-1998
