State budget the focus as Legislature prepares to meet

Alaska’s budget deficit is expected to be the focus of the legislative session beginning this week.
But the road to a solution could be rocky, with differing ideas for how to help close the hole and difficult choices that could significantly impact state services.
Some Republican legislative leaders want far deeper cuts than the governor has proposed. Some lawmakers want to pursue cost savings in areas like Medicaid and the state correctional system.
The director of the Institute of Social