Alaska Gov. Walker signs shutdown-averting budget

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Alaska Gov. Bill Walker signed a shutdown-averting $8.8 billion state operating budget into law.
The Juneau Empire reports Walker signed the budget Friday, one day before the start of the state fiscal year and eight days after the Alaska Legislature approved the budget.
The budget uses $2.3 billion from Alaska’s Constitutional Budget Reserve to close a multibillion-dollar annual deficit, and it cuts the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend to $1,100. It fails to allev