A Statewide Hammer
This incredibly difficult year forced far too many Alaskans out of work. Throughout the pandemic, unemployment insurance has been an absolutely vital support for countless families.
Alaska has one of the lowest weekly UI benefits in the country. So extra money from the federal government made the checks just big enough for a lot of Alaskans to get by. Those extra federal dollars had no effect on Alaska's deficit, but they did a lot for ordinary Alaskans trying to pay the bills.
So imagine Alaskans' shock when Governor Dunleavy decided to turn down the cash, apparently prompted by some stories of businesses that couldn't fill openings. You can only get UI if you’re looking for work. Turn down a job offer and you get kicked off. UI isn't a way to avoid work—it’s a vital bridge for folks who just can’t get a job right now. And needless to say: if someone cheats, they should get the boot.
Even with sectors of the economy finally starting to recover, vast swaths of Alaska still have no jobs. That's especially true in tourism-dependent parts of our state like Healy or Skagway.
Governor Dunleavy didn't even try to take targeted approaches to help those Alaskans. Instead, he took a statewide hammer to their rent and grocery money.
The Senate put some back-to-work bonuses in the budget to add incentives where jobs do exist. That, and enforcing the rules, should be enough to take care of situations where work is available. But we can't force the governor to help Alaska families who are truly out of work through no fault of their own. That's between him, Alaska voters, and his conscience.
