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From the Desk of e-mail: Senator_Johnny_Ellis@legis.state.ak.us |
My Priorities for this Legislative Session
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Dear Constituents, Friends and Neighbors, Several times since the beginning of the year, I have been quoted as saying this could well be an historic session of the Alaska Legislature. The recent announcement that a gasline deal may be forthcoming is encouraging. I will approach the issue with caution and remain committed to getting the best deal for Alaskans. I am also optimistic momentous breakthroughs might be achieved on oil revenue reform and municipal assistance for property tax relief. Gasline- The time is now to commercialize our enormous natural gas resource. I want to see a project that is economic and delivers the maximum benefit to Alaska residents- jobs, business contracts and in state use of natural gas. I will keep pushing. Property Tax Relief- Representative Berta Gardner and I have sponsored legislation to bring back the state's municipal assistance program that was killed by Gov. Murkowski several years ago. Almost everyone agrees he made a serious mistake that played a role in increasing our property taxes. Mayor Begich has publicly committed to use the state funds for tax relief. Budget Surplus- I strongly believe we should do the responsible thing and save at least half the $1.2 billion budget surplus. The surplus is enormous and temporary. I want to repay the savings account we used to balance the state budget during the lean years. New Science Building- I have joined Rep. Berta Gardner in making a strong push for the final phase of funding for the UAA Integrated Science Center. We are the sponsors of Senate Bill 99 and House Bill 145. We hope to see the money rolled into this year's capital budget so students can get the degrees necessary for the good paying jobs of today and tomorrow. Privacy Protection- I deeply respect the Right to Privacy voters inserted into the Alaska Constitution. That is why I sponsored anti-identity theft legislation that has been rolled into Senate Bill 222. It holds both government agencies and private companies responsible for any breach of your personal information. Crooks steal financial information every day and they must be caught and held fully accountable. Smaller Class Sizes- Children, especially in the earlier grades, do better academically and socially, in smaller classes. I am pushing a level of K-12 funding that would give incentives for class size reduction in grades one to three. Voluntary Pre-K is also on my priority list. Kids in Foster Care- I have authored a bill to encourage churches, non-profits and any other community organization to establish UA 529 education savings accounts for children in long term foster care. The money could be used for a college education or vocational-technical training. These children need our support to become productive citizens. Please help me pass Senate Bill 287. Please contact all legislators and encourage their support. Neighborhood Upgrades- From sound barriers to road upgrades to school improvements, I work with Rep. Les Gara and Rep. Berta Gardner on the quality of life projects that strengthen our neighborhoods. There are hundreds of bills and thousands of budget items before me in the Senate this year, so it is impossible to cover all of them. I hope this report has given you a sense of my main priorities and the values I bring to this position of public trust. Best Regards, Senator Johnny Ellis P.S. As always, it is my honor and privilege to serve you. Let's keep in touch! |
