What, oil companies might not be telling the truth?
Dermot Cole, the columnist for the Fairbanks News-Miner, has been doing a bang-up job writing about how poorly the state is doing in extracting information from the oil companies and releasing it to the public.
If that sounds like a discussion that would put you to sleep so fast you’d get a concussion when your head hit the table, here are a couple of things to consider.
Read More →(JUNEAU) – Today Rep. Les Gara filed legislation to stop one of the most abusive bank practices since the 2007 recession. “Banks have been taking homes from people who are current on their payments. It’s a national dilemma. It’s time to stop this abuse,” said Gara.
Read More →While I look for common ground with our Governor - like our efforts to keep pushing to find ways to build a natural gas pipeline (we agree a large diameter line that exports gas, produces low-cost gas, and brings in revenue is smarter than a small in-state line that brings us very high cost natural gas and no revenue) - I do disagree with him on educational policy.
Read More →Proposed budget flat funds education, covers inflation increases for all other agencies
This year Governor Sean Parnell proposes to fund K-12 students at the same level as they were funded two years ago, yet his budget includes increases for every other state agency other than education.
“Freezing school funding to 2010 levels, without recognizing costs have gone up with inflation, translates into a major education cut. The proof’s in the pudding. It is causing schools across the state to plan for layoffs and the end of courses and summer school. The bottom line is that the Governor has granted state employees and bureaucrats inflation increases – just not kids,” said Rep. Les Gara.
Read More →The Alaska State Legislature is in full motion, and I have been hard at work standing up for issues that are important to Fairbanks and the Interior. It is not always an easy battle, but with the help and cooperation of the Interior Delegation, I am encouraged by the dialogue with the rest of the Legislature.
While we have been busy in Juneau advocating for Interior issues, we know Fairbanks is facing some tough news. Last week we received word of the Department of Defense’s plans to relocate the Eielson Air Force squadron to Anchorage and retire four C-130 transport aircraft at Elmendorf.
Read More →