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Walker begs lawmakers to reach compromise

Published 2:12 am Wednesday, June 7, 2017

By James Brooks

In a press conference held Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Walker warned of a potential government shutdown if the state house and senate could not reach an agreement on the state budget and several tax bills by July 3. (Erin Granger | Juneau Empire)
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In a press conference held Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Walker warned of a potential government shutdown if the state house and senate could not reach an agreement on the state budget and several tax bills by July 3. (Erin Granger | Juneau Empire)
In a press conference held Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Walker warned of a potential government shutdown if the state house and senate could not reach an agreement on the state budget and several tax bills by July 3. (Erin Granger | Juneau Empire)
Gov. Walker held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to discuss the state budget and his compromise plan, which was rejected by the House on Monday. If a budget was not agreed upon, Walker warned of a possible government shutdown. (Erin Granger | Juneau Empire)

A day after the Alaska House Majority rejected his compromise bid to avert a statewide government shutdown, Gov. Bill Walker said he still hopes that shutdown can be averted.

“My message to legislators: If you can’t find further compromise in what I have presented, please, please develop your own compromise,” he pleaded during a Tuesday press conference with the Capitol press corps.

Wednesday is the 21st day of a 30-day special session called by Walker to give the Legislature time to avert a statewide shutdown by agreeing upon a budget and a way to pay for that budget.

The state’s fiscal year starts July 1. If lawmakers can’t reach a deal before that date, state services will all but end on Monday, July 3.

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