The perils of AGIA

Gov. Sarah Palin's Alaska Gasline Inducement Act is now in the Finance committee of each house. House Finance has set a target date of May 9 to move its version of the bill (HB 177). I'm not sure what the schedule is for the Senate bill (SB 104). Hopefully, the bills that emerge will do what's necessary to make some progress toward getting a gas pipeline built, but the talk in the hallways is still that Very Bad Things will happen to AGIA in one committee or the other. What this means for the prospect of passing AGIA by the May 16 adjournment date is anyone's guess.

Money, money, money, mo-ney

I had another round of school board folks through my office during the week, all of them concerned about how much money the legislature will approve for schools this year. The current situation is that the governor has set a limit of $111 million or so in increases, to cover increasing the base student allocation, district equity, special needs and so on. Just how much goes to what is still in play, and the decision could mean more or less money for Anchorage schools. The details are being negotiated between the leaders of the House and the Senate and the governor's office. Although, as regular readers of this e-news know, I am a powerful member of the House of Representatives, I'm no where near powerful enough to be a part of these negotiations.

Speaking of school budgets

I have a bill (HB 192) that would change the date when tenured teachers have to be pink slipped. Right now, a district has to pink slip a tenured teacher by March 16. That means that some school districts have to fire teachers simply because they're not sure how much money the state is going to give them. That doesn't seem right to me. My bill says that, if an education funding bill hasn't passed by March 1, the notification date changes to the end of the school year. (My original bill was different, but Rep. Bob Roses convinced me this approach is best.)

The teachers' union doesn't like the bill. In fact, the new executive director of the National Education Association-Alaska testified against it during a hearing in the House Health, Education and Social Services Committee. The first words out of her mouth were that I am trying to erode tenure.

Actually, I'm trying to save teachers from being put in the difficult position of not knowing for sure if they have a job the next year, and to save districts from losing good teachers who decide to go elsewhere because they're not sure if they have a job.

Recognizing the difficulty that the current system causes for some teachers, the HESS Committee moved the bill along to Finance.

The 24-hour rule now in force

The Senate officially agreed to disagree with the House version of the operating budget (HB 95). Conference committees have been appointed (no, I'm not powerful enough to be on these, either) and the 24-hour rule has been invoked, meaning bills can be heard with only 24 hours notice now.

A little theory

After the advisory vote on same-sex partner benefits, I got several e-mails saying, in essence, da people have spoken. You have to vote in favor of a constitutional amendment to outlaw the benefits.

I have two answers to that. (A good politician always has at least two answers to any question.)

First, I don't represent the people of the state of Alaska. Only a handful of politicians do: The governor and lieutenant governor, the two U.S. Senators and our lone member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Every other elected official represents a smaller group of Alaskans. I represent the people of House District 25. The people of House District 25 voted against the amendment, 58 percent to 42 percent. So if I thought my job is to mindlessly punch a button the way the voters tell me to, I'd be voting no. (So, by the way, would Rep. Mike Kelly, a staunch supporter of the amendment, whose district voted 52 percent to 48 percent against it.)

But, second, I don't think that's why I'm here. I think I'm here to apply my limited intelligence, my values and my sweat on behalf of the people of House District 25 (and, when I get the chance, the people of the state of Alaska). I spent eight months walking through that district, banging on doors and talking to people, telling them who I am and what I think. I sent them mail and recorded radio ads and appeared at forums to do the same. For 14 years before that, I did the same in the newspaper, three days a week. Anybody who doesn't have a pretty good idea who I am and what I believe just hasn't been paying attention.

Now, I'm here, doing my best. To me, that doesn't mean sticking my finger in the wind on every issue. It means applying what I know and what I've learned and what I feel and what I believe to the questions in front of me. I listen to my constituents, but my decisions are mine. I figure that if the people of House District 25 don't like my decisions, they can elect someone else and I can go back to the life I had before running for office.

Best Wishes,