Bill protects Board of Regents from adverse actions of individual members
JUNEAU – Today, the Alaska Legislature passed legislation creating a process for the University of Alaska Board of Regents to remove a regent for cause. The bill is a carefully crafted response to the unfortunate situation in 2007 where a regent refused to step down while being prosecuted for fraud.
Read More →The state needs to know if Port of Anchorage will keep coming back for more $$
JUNEAU – Today on the House Floor, Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) again demanded the Port of Anchorage tell Alaskans whether it’s asking for $350 million as it now claims or $1.2 billion as it has as recently as November 2011. The Port project has been plagued with hundreds of millions of dollars in cost overruns.
Read More →There are only four days left in the final session of the 24th Alaska legislature and there has been talk of an extended or special session to deal with unfinished business. Numerous bills are now in danger of failing due to lack of movement during the regular session. However, if we do go into extended or special session the main focus is sure to be primarily on oil taxes.
To make sure you have the facts about the oil tax issue, I have dedicated my recent newsletter to compiling the best information available.
Read More →Yesterday Alaska lost a great legislator, and a great family man. He was a friend of mine and of many. Carl Gatto, a fiercely independent Palmer Republican, fought prostate cancer for roughly a decade, and, though spry and active until very recently, passed away after bravely battling a month of rapidly declining health.
Carl and I had a running joke. We were both born in New York, and in our first year as legislators, voters, administrators who sent us our hiring packets, and many others got us mixed up. For a year I got blamed for his votes and he got blamed for mine - which we kidded about. I claimed the confusion got him votes because people thought he was me; he claimed it got me votes because it was obvious people thought I was him. He was probably right.
Read More →JUNEAU – Today, House Democratic Leader Beth Kerttula released the following statement on behalf of the House Democratic Caucus in response to the passing of Representative Carl Gatto:
“We are truly saddened by the loss of Representative Carl Gatto. Carl’s friendship went beyond politics. He was an intelligent man who loved doing the people’s work in the Legislature. He never let passions over an issue interfere with his genuine respect for and kindness to his colleagues, constituents and anyone he came in contact with. We will miss his smile, kindness and humor, and our thoughts and prayers are with Cathy, his family and all who are mourning his loss today.”
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