Rep. Josephson’s Newsletter: Out and About

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Being home in Anchorage has been great. The downtown office is coming together, so please come by any time to say “Hi” (716 W 4th Ave Suite, 390). Throughout the past two weeks, I have had the pleasure of attending several community events as well as the opportunity to study some major projects directly affecting our community.

Congratulations to our Anchorage School District high school graduates this week. I am proud of you all!

NEWS: Democrats Comment on Signing of Oil Giveaway

Rep. Kerttula and Rep. Gara comment on the signing of the oil wealth giveaway

Today, House Democratic Leader Beth Kerttula (D-Juneau) and Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) issued the following statements in response to the governor signing Senate Bill 21, the oil wealth giveaway, into law.

NEWS: House Dems Comment on NCLB Waiver

House Democratic Legislators comment on Alaska’s waiver from No Child Left Behind

Today, five Democratic legislators from the Alaska House of Representatives released the following comments on Alaska receiving a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind Act. In 2012, nine House Democratic legislators sponsored a resolution (HJR39) calling on the Parnell administration to apply for these waivers to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and to develop a comprehensive plan to ensure student success and school accountability.

Rep. Kawasaki’s Juneau Note: Back to Work in Fairbanks

Dear Neighbors,

It’s hard to believe the first session of the 28th Legislature is already over, having wrapped up on the evening of April 14th. This session was unique – and while there were positive moments of collaboration between legislators, political parties and the public, there were also troubling trends regarding a lack of public participation and due process. Shortened public testimony, rushed bills through committees, and not taking the time to seriously consider some of the most historic issues we as legislators will ever see is a trend that must be reversed.

NEWS: Kawasaki to Present Citation to Honor Senior Citizen’s Recognition Day May 9

Fairbanks – Representative Scott Kawasaki will help celebrate Senior Citizen’s Recognition Day in Fairbanks this Thursday, May 9th.

Today, approximately 85,100 citizens aged 60 and older live in Alaska.

Note from Rep. Gara: Taking Credit for Gravity: Claims that Long-Planned Oil Projects are the “Sudden” Result of the April Oil Tax Rollback

Dear Neighbors,

It didn’t take long for silly season to start after the Legislative Session ended April 14. Expect a few years of “abracadabra” claims that oil projects, already being developed under ACES (the oil tax law that has been in place since 2007) are now magically the result of the massive rollback of Alaska’s share of oil revenue (an approximate $1.5 billion per year revenue reduction at $120 per barrel at a time when Alaska is already facing deficit spending). Senate Bill 21 is the oil tax bill that the oil companies, Governor, and his allies succeeded in pushing through the Legislature in April. The claims are, politely put, “flawed” in most cases.

Rep. Kerttula’s Juneau Newsletter: Top 6: Oil Tax Change is Bad for Alaska – Plus: District Capital Budget Projects

The House of Representatives gaveled out of the first session of the 28th Alaska State Legislature at 11:35 p.m. on April 14, 2013.Overall, it was a disappointing session for Alaska, with the elimination of cruise ship waste standards, passage of a massive giveaway of Alaskans’ oil wealth, and no commitment to education. Click here to read an article from KFSK in Petersburg on my take on the session.

I’m also including a list of some of District 32′s capital budget items in this newsletter. In anticipation of large budget deficits due to the oil tax giveaway, the Legislature returned to the more modest capital budgets of years past.

Thank you for reading my newsletter. I enjoy hearing from you, so please stop by the office, call, write or email me.

Rep. Drummond’s Dispatch: 2013 Final Notes from Juneau

Sunday, April 15 marked the final day of the 2013 legislative session, and there’s no doubt about it: This was a rough session.

The Giveaway Gang

The House Majority used their superior numbers to push through terrible legislation that could have a devastating impact on the lives of everyday Alaskans. SB21, the oil wealth giveaway bill, is going to remove about $1 billion a year from Alaska’s economy.

Rep. Josephson’s Newsletter: Country Roads, Take Me Home

We are packing up the Juneau office, and Meghan (my aide) and I are very excited to be back in Anchorage. On Monday I will be boarding the ferry to Haines and then driving the 800 miles to Anchorage.

Feel free to contact the office in Anchorage at 269-0265 – I would be happy to discuss events from the end of session or just catch up and talk face-to-face.

Rep. Tuck’s Community Connection: Historic Gamble to Give Away Alaska’s Oil Wealth

Dear Neighbors,

In a clear betrayal of public trust, last Saturday shortly after 2 a.m., a majority of members in the Alaska House of Representatives made the disastrous decision to give away a massive share of Alaska’s oil wealth to the most powerful and profitable corporations in the world—with no promise or guarantee of increased production or more oil in the pipeline.