NEWS: Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition Leader Praises Ruling Invalidating Anchorage LIO Lease
March 24, 2016
Juneau – Today, a Superior Court judge invalidated the Alaska Legislature’s expensive no-bid lease for the Anchorage Legislative Information Office. Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition (AIDC) Leader Rep. Chris Tuck (D-Anchorage) praised today’s ruling.
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Note from Rep. Gara: It’s Still Alive? Anchorage Legislative Building Lease Too Expensive, Not Ended Yet
January 6, 2016
ANCHORAGE – A funny thing happened when I was gone for vacation. At first it looked like legislators would come together and finally agree that we needed to end the overpriced Anchorage Legislative Office Building lease. Then they didn’t.
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NEWS: Legislative Office Building Renegotiations: Rep. Gara Says Costs Should Not Exceed Moving to Much Cheaper Atwood State Office Building
January 5, 2016
ANCHORAGE – Last month, the Alaska Legislative Council voted to allow 45 days to potentially renegotiate the costs of the controversial Anchorage Legislative Information Office Building (LIO) in downtown Anchorage. Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) is concerned Republican leaders, who have repeatedly voted and stood against Democratic efforts to move from this space, might renegotiate a new contract that still costs far more than existing options. Rep. Gara wants the public to know how much one of the options would save so they can fairly evaluate any attempt to renegotiate this lease. A report by the non-partisan Legislative Research Division shows that moving to the Atwood State Office Building would be 80 to 90% cheaper than the current Legislative Information Office Building, which costs roughly $4.2 million a year. Whether moving to the Atwood Building would cut the costs by 80%, or over 90%, depends on how much space the Legislature leases. However, Rep. Gara believes the cost of any lease should be at least as low as moving to the Atwood Building.
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NEWS: Cost-saving Alternative Proposed to Overpriced Anchorage LIO
December 14, 2015
ANCHORAGE – Billion dollar deficits and drastic proposals to shift the burden of paying for state government onto the backs of working Alaskans and their families demand innovative ideas to save the state money. The multi-million dollar renovation and expense of remaining in the Legislative Information Offices (LIO) on 4th Avenue in Anchorage flies in the face of the legislature’s demand for fiscal conservancy.
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Note from Rep. Gara: Protecting Schools, Fish, But Not That New Leg. Office Building
April 10, 2015
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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