February 10, 2014 Voice Your Opinions! Letters to the editor make a difference. You can send a 175-word letter to the Anchorage Daily News by e-mail (letters@adn.com); or by fax or mail (call them at 257-4308). Send letters to the Anchorage Press via e-mail editor@anchoragepress.com or by mail to 540 E. Fifth Ave, Anchorage, 99501. Feel free to call us if you need factual information to help you write a letter. Contact the Governor. The Governor can be reached at 269-7450; sean.parnell@alaska.gov; or www.alaska.gov. Contact us. My office can be reached at: 716 W. 4th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501; by phone: 269-0106; visit my website at http://gara.akdemocrats.org; or email: Rep.Les.Gara@akleg.gov

Dear Neighbors-

Class, welcome to the first day of Third Grade. Oops. I just got reality mixed up with, well, disturbing reality.

As you may know, the Governor, and according to him, some unnamed Legislators, threatened they would deny infrastructure and other projects to the people of Ketchikan because the community filed a lawsuit against the state. See here. At least the Governor was honest.

I don’t agree with the Ketchikan lawsuit, which would lead to the layoff of even more educators than the 600 we’ve lost since 2011, and the 200 more Governor Parnell proposes to lay off next year. But I wouldn’t retaliate against a community that challenges their state.

The Ketchikan suit says communities should not have to pay towards their public schools. That, in any mind, is short-sighted, and would harm public school opportunity. Communities across the country contribute to their public schools so children have a chance to succeed, prosper, and achieve their dreams.

The logic of the Ketchikan suit is that the few, poorest Alaskan rural areas with little tax base pay no local school contributions. The Ketchikan suit says if that is the case, we should take local help for schools away from all children across Alaska as a matter of “fairness.”

It’s fair to look and see whether a tax base has yet grown in our poorest districts to help fund local schools – I don’t think one has.

But taking away local contributions at a time schools are facing crippling layoffs is the wrong way to go. While I disagree with the Ketchikan lawsuit, threatening the people of that community is not governing. It’s a politician’s version of schoolyard bullying.

Let’s govern like adults. Let’s debate the merits. Let’s not hurt our neighbors because of something their government does. Let’s move forward, together. And let’s come up with an education policy that prevents a fourth year in a row of school cuts.

As always, call with any questions. And as always, I hope this newsletter finds you well.

My Best,