JUNEAU — Alaska Gov. Bill Walker is requesting about $110 million in additional spending for the current year.
The request, from Walker’s budget office, includes state and federal dollars.
One of the biggest costs is for Medicaid provider payments, stemming from problems that state had with its payment system. The budget office says system problems have been fixed but the state health department is playing catch-up in making payments.
Additional funding is sought for such things as higher state contributions for health insurance; higher-than-expected health costs in the corrections system; and a consent agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over cleanup of old wells.
There is a request, too, to bolster the state’s disaster relief fund.
