Rep. Spohnholz’s Newsletter: The Special Session
May 27, 2016
Last week on Wednesday, the legislature adjourned without passing a responsible fiscal plan for Alaska. As the newest member of the Alaska State Legislature, I was extremely disappointed that we were not able to balance the budget even after the session was extended. There is no more important responsibility of the Legislature than to make sure that we honor our responsibility to the people of Alaska by passing a responsible budget. However, we have another chance to get the job done.
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Rep. Josephson’s Newsletter: My Take on the Special Session
May 27, 2016
A recent commentary in the Dispatch from Senate leadership omits some important facts concerning the present legislative stalemate. This omission calls for clarification.
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OPINION: Stop Wasteful Spending During a Fiscal Crisis
May 27, 2016
As the newest member of Alaska’s Legislature, there have been a lot of things that have surprised me about our political process. One of the biggest surprises has been the disconnect between our fiscal situation and some of our spending decisions. This was made crystal clear for me on March 10, 2016, which was my first day in the legislature, when we voted on the proposed budget.
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Rep. Claman’s Newsletter: Governor Walker Calls Special Session
May 20, 2016
At midnight on Wednesday, the legislature adjourned without passing a responsible action plan for Alaska and Governor Walker immediately called a special session. The Governor called the special session to address a comprehensive fiscal plan and a limited number of other matters important for Alaska.
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Rep. Kawasaki’s Newsletter: 120 Day Session Adjourns, Oil and Gas Update
May 20, 2016
The 29th Alaska State Legislature adjourned Wednesday night with many of the state’s most pressing issues still unresolved. Despite coming close to agreement on the state operating budget, the one thing the Legislature is constitutionally required to pass, the Legislature is still deadlocked on oil tax subsidies and education funding. In fact, the Republican-led Senate Majority gaveled out before the House could vote on an agreement to extend the session just before midnight. While it’s clear we are much closer to reaching an agreement, we still have miles to go.
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