Anchorage -- Upon hearing the news that fellow majority members were planning to cut state municipal assistance, Senator Dave Donley (Republican-Mid-town Anchorage) expressed his disapproval for such a plan.

"I strongly oppose any more reductions in municipal aid programs," stated Donley.

"All such a plan would accomplish is to pass the burden on to the taxpayers of local governments such as the Municipality of Anchorage ," said Donley. "These proposed cuts would hit Anchorage hard and are not the cuts people want."

"Anchorage pays for and provides many services that other Alaskan communities receive free from the state. Non-incorporated Alaskans are paying nothing for local services or the education of their children. It is simply unfair to cut incorporated areas while un-incorporated areas continue to receive free state services," explained Donley.

"Last year the House opted to cut these municipal assistance funds altogether. I successfully fought in the Senate to reinstate two-thirds of these funds. This year I plan to continue the fight to protect municipal aid funding from more cuts. Taxes are high enough for the citizens of Anchorage," continued Donley.

"The truth is, that the majority failed to meet its five year budget plan target of $40 million in budget cuts last year. If not for the $16 million dollars in cuts made to municipal aid funds, the Governor and the Legislature actually increased overall spending if you include capital budget add-ons." Donley continued, "The people of Alaska want the state bureaucracy's budget to be reduced, not municipal aid. It is wrong that the legislature decreased municipal aid funding more than it's willing to cut the state bureaucracy."

"It's time the Governor and state legislature started doing what people want-cutting state bureaucracy and not passing the buck to local taxpayers," said Donley.

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