September 14, 2015 Voice Your Opinions! Letters to the editor make a difference. You can send a letter of up to 200 words (shorter letters are more likely to be accepted) to the Alaska Dispatch News by email (letters@alaskadispatch.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; 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:

You've asked.  We have the answer.  This first news item goes in the "I can't believe it's actually going to happen" category. We've been told the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail bridge that collapsed last summer when a VERY heavy maintenance truck drove over it is finally going to be ready to walk, bike, ski, or run over.  New Mayor Ethan Berkowitz has pressed for quick action on this, and it is scheduled to be completed by October 19, and possibly as soon as October 14.

I also have some "I was fishing and missed the grand re-opening of a great neighborhood park" news.  It's one Senator Ellis and I helped secure modest funding for a number of years ago.

Suzan Nightingale was a great community member.  She passed away at far too young an age.  A park in her honor has been located on Government Hill for many years, and was upgraded this summer for children and visitors with a mix of local funds from the Anchorage Parks Foundation, and some state funds.  The park has a, well, awesome wooly mammoth.  It's a nice place to take your kids, or to take yourself if you feel like spending some time with great Cook Inlet scenery.  Here's a rundown on some other Anchorage city parks you might not know about, and that you or your kids might want to put on your "to go and see" list.
http://www.adn.com/article/20150904/woolly-mammoths-playgrounds-add-precious-outdoor-time-kids It's located on the West side of Government Hill at 201 W. Cook Avenue. 

Last and certainly not least, here's some possibly more controversial "equal rights" news, which you may or may not agree with me on.  But I should both be honest and share my views so you know them, and also let you know you can share your views this week before the Anchorage Assembly.  My job is to let you know what I believe, but also to let you know how to share your views so you have a voice.

I personally believe Alaskans should have equal rights to work, and equal rights in housing and to public accommodations, regardless of their sexual preference.  In my view, who someone loves is not my call, and not my business.  While it will take more time for a more politically extreme statelegislature to act on this on the state level (Rep. Andy Josephson and I and others have filed legislationto ban discrimination against our gay and LGBT neighbors statewide), action may happen much more quickly on the city level.  Like "this week-quickly."

The municipal bill originally allowed discrimination when it was a matter of an employer, landlord or property owner's "conscience".  While that might sound reasonable - and may have been intended to be interpreted narrowly - it would have resulted in no protection at all, as anyone who wanted to discriminate would have invoked the "conscience" exception.  The version being debated this week carves out a much narrower conscience exception for religious institutions.  Here is a copy of the bill that will be debated Tuesday starting at 6 p.m. (with testimony on Wednesday if too many people sign up for one evening).

http://acmedia.alaskacommons.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/flynn-evans-sectional-analysis.pdf

If you'd like to send your comments in writing you may fax them to (907) 343-4313 or wwmas@muni.org by e-mail.  The Ordinance number is AO-96.  

Wishing you enjoyment during what I hope will be an extended fall!

My Best,