Dear Neighbors:
Sometimes politics gets a little loopy. OK, very loopy. But I also know I have a job to do, and will keep working for a smart budget, and budget cuts that don’t move Alaska backwards or to the brink of recession.
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JUNEAU – Today, Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) submitted legislation to cut the cost of state government without voiding statutory cost of living pay increases for public employees. The Legislature is currently considering a rollback for pay increases in the proposed FY 2016 operating budget and individual bills in the House and Senate. Rep. Gara opposes these proposals.
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JUNEAU – Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) has filed legislation to raise education funding to account for inflation since last year’s education budget. The bill sets the base student allocation at $5,979 in FY 2016. That’s an increase of $149, which is the amount the non-partisan Legislative Research Division says is needed to inflation proof education funding from last year.
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Since I asked for this job, I can’t say, at the weirdest Juneau moments, “Help! Get me out of here!” I actually love representing you in Juneau. Things are a bit frantic at work. But I want you to know what’s happening. You are heartily invited to write letters to the editor to get the public activated, if you feel that’s appropriate.
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JUNEAU—Today, Representatives Les Gara (D-Anchorage) and Dan Ortiz (I-Ketchikan) called on the State to prevent the destruction of wild salmon spawning and rearing waters on the prized Chuitna River near Tyonek. The Canadian company PacRim Coal proposes to dredge and dewater an 11 mile stretch of the Middle Fork of the Chuitna River. PacRim Coal plans to sell the coal from the Chuitna River streambed to China.
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