Subcommittee presses DOT on deleted positions and recent director resignation
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Summary
DOT told the subcommittee it plans to delete 23 positions as part of FY27 savings of roughly $33.5 million and that a division director had resigned recently; legislators asked for exact vacancy dates and whether savings in the budget book relied on positions that were not yet vacant.
Dom Pinon told legislators the FY27 governor's request includes reclassifications and organizational changes that would delete 23 positions and produce roughly $33.5 million in savings.
"We've deleted 23 positions and have a cost savings here outlined of roughly $33,500,000," Pinon said. Members pressed whether the savings assumed positions were already vacant. Chair Hannon and Representative Stutes asked about an Anchorage division director position that the committee's budget book listed as vacant; DOT clarified region-by-region position classifications and said that the specific deputy-director slot in question had been vacant while a named director (Holland) resigned recently.
Deputy Commissioner Catherine Keith told the panel "he's departed state service entirely without being reassigned" and said the department would provide exact resignation timing and further context to the committee. Members requested follow-up on when positions became vacant relative to the budget book assumptions.
What happens next: DOT committed to provide the subcommittee with exact dates and additional context on the personnel changes that feed the FY27 savings estimates so the committee can reconcile budget-book assumptions with actual vacancy timing.