JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The bipartisan Alaska House majority has lost one of its Republican members in a disagreement over a budget vote.
Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux was the only House member Friday to vote to accept the Senate’s version of the budget. She said it’s because it contained a full dividend payout from Alaska’s oil–wealth fund.
The House version didn’t include a dividend amount. House leaders said a dividend would be debated later.
LeDoux said she expected her vote would mean she was out of the caucus. The caucus’ press secretary, Austin Baird, confirmed she was. The caucus now has 24 members.
Typically, the House passes a budget that in turn is reworked by the Senate. Generally the House rejects the Senate rewrite and the budget goes a conference committee for a compromise.
