A Small Election

Sometimes the law just seems weird to me. This is one of those times. This weekend, 17 people will decide among themselves who will represent House District 39 for the next year or so. And I’m one of the 17.

Here’s how that came about.

In October, Rep. Richard Foster of Nome, who has represented the district for 20 years, died of complications from kidney disease. The law provides that the governor must propose someone to fill the position until the next election. That nominee is forwarded to the members of Foster’s party in the House in which he served for their approval. Even though Foster caucused with the Republicans for most of his legislative career, he was in fact a registered Democrat.

But the tradition in Alaska is that process begins with members of Foster’s party in his election district sending three names to the governor from which he makes his pick. This is a tradition that has been mangled and kicked around from time to time, but the District 39 Democrats did a workmanlike job and sent Gov. Sean Parnell three names: Foster’s son, Neal, of Nome and two men from Unalakleet, Sam Towarak and Ralph “Weaver” Ivanoff.

There has been trouble with the governor not picking from the list, too, but to his credit Parnell stick to the script and chose Neal Foster.

Now, it’s our turn. So this weekend the House Democrats will meet to decide whether to seat Foster. There’s a wrinkle, of course. This is politics, after all. The three Democrats who left the minority and went to sit with the House Republicans are still entitled to vote on the Foster selection. So for the first time since Reps. Reggie Joule, Bryce Edgmon and Bob Herron left, all the House Democrats will meet together.

That’ll be a little weird, actually. But like I said. It’s politics, where weird is the new normal.

Back To The Grind

Those who think legislating is a part time job, take note. For the past month, I’ve spent more time going to committee meetings and talking to constituents than anything else. Certainly more time than I’ve spent eating doughnuts, which just seems wrong to me.

Anyway, in the past week or so, the powerful Economic Development, Trade and Tourism Committee, of which I am a powerful member, has met on the newly controversial federal preference for Alaska Native contractors – the so-called 8A issue. The powerful Legislative Budget and Audit Committee, of which I am also a powerful member, met to rearrange money and listen to various reports on government performance. The powerful House Finance Committee, of which I am not a powerful member but they let me sit at the table anyway, met on a variety of topics, including the question of reigning in the amount of spending from so-called “other funds,” which has swelled to more than $1 billion.

I’ve also attended a couple of community council meetings, and spent some time on the Neal Foster nomination (see above). The time demands are not as relentless as they are during the session, but they’ve been brisk nonetheless.

Pizza and Politics

And lest I forget, we had a lively pizza-and-politics constituent meeting on Halloween Day at Romig Middle School. About 80 people showed up to talk politics with Sen. Hollis French, Rep. Lindsey Holmes and myself. I spent the time mostly listening and sometimes talking about issues from education to railroad train vibration. Unlike the last such meeting, I actually had a chance to eat a piece of pizza, but not until the event, scheduled for two hours, was two-and-a-half hours old.

And the Poll Results Are

The person who really runs my office, the lovely and talented Priya Keane, has been busily tallying the results of the poll we mailed to the voters of District 25 on ways to stop the mayhem on the Seward Highway. Here’s Priya’s report:

The poll results -- though not scientific in any way -- are as follows.

Most people are polarized over whether the highway should be divided all the way along.  They either put it as their first choice, or their last.

The most important fix, as most people see it, is more police enforcement.  People also would like to see more slow vehicle turnouts and more than a few noted there needs to be better signage for the turnouts that exist. 

People are not very excited about more double yellow lines, lower speed limits or minimum speed limits.  They are fairly wish-washy on whether rumble strips are a good idea.

Overall, it seems that people want a mix of more police enforcement and more slow vehicle turnouts, and are highly divided on the barrier issue.

Priya also had some ideas about how to make the next poll we do clearer and easier to do, which is her kind way of saying that the person who wrote the poll needs to do a better job. That person is, of course, me.

Anyway, we’ll take those results to Juneau and see what other legislators think of the problem, and the suggested solutions.

That’s it for now. I’ll send another e-news as events warrant.

Best wishes,