Rep. Doogan in Juneau: SPECIAL I REALLY NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE EDITION
March 30, 2012
Thomas Jefferson we ain’t
Welcome to constitutional amendment week. Please don your powdered wig and listen up.
I’m not a big fan of constitutional amendments. Some of them, like the one establishing a right to privacy, are great. The jury is still out on others, like the Alaska Permanent Fund. Still others, the one outlawing same-sex marriage, for instance, are a stupid mistake.
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Rep. Kawasaki’s Juneau Note: Your Money, Your Voice, and my Fairbanks Visit this Weekend
March 20, 2012
The legislature is quickly winding down to the last few weeks of session, set to adjourn on April 15th. Members are eager to pass their favorite bills which are moving through committees after very little public testimony. Here are some important issues facing our legislature over the next few weeks.
Budget
The Operating Budget passed the first hurdle in the House last week and is headed to the Senate. This budget contains money for everything from teachers to police and firefighters, to road maintenance.
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Beth Kerttula’s Newsletter: Operating Budget Passes House; Coastal Management Update
March 16, 2012
In this newsletter, I’ll share updates on the state’s operating budget and the Alaska Coastal Management Program. I’m encouraged by some of the good progress that has been made and look forward to even more progress.
Thank you for reading my newsletter. I enjoy hearing from you, so please stop by the office, call, write or email me.
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Rep. Les Gara: Governor’s Education Proposal Really $10 million Over Last Year, Not $30 million
March 8, 2012
Today, Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) released the following statement on the governor’s proposal to give additional one-time funding to Alaska’s schools.
“The governor shouldn’t suggest a $10 million increase over last year is a $30 million increase. It’s less than 1 percent more than last year’s school funding and is roughly one quarter of what schools need just to keep up with inflation. The governor gave all his other departments inflation adjustments for salary and fuel increases, just not for Alaskans’ educational opportunity.”
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Rep. Gara: Parnell Pumps Money Into All Agencies - Except Education
February 9, 2012
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.
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