April 25, 2014

Legislature Adjourns After 95 Days

Dear Neighbors,

The Twenty-eighth Alaska State Legislature is adjourned and I’m thrilled to be headed back home. It was a whirlwind of a session with lots of incredibly important legislation debated on the floor. Just during the second half of this legislature we worked on an LNG export project, a massive education reform package, an overhaul of the criminal system and found various ways to streamline our state government. I worked tirelessly to ensure Fairbanksans’ needs were heard in Juneau.

Big Budget – What’s in it for you?

In a year when we faced a two billion dollar deficit thanks to SB 21, the Oil Tax Giveaway, the legislature was forced to make severe budget cuts. The capital budget took a major hit. Fortunately, one of Fairbanks’ largest priorities, the UAF heat and power plant, was fully funded. I worked across the aisle with other Interior legislators to ensure this project was a top state priority.

In addition to the UAF power plant, I also helped secure funding for several Fairbanks priorities. The City of Fairbanks received funds for their emergency service patrol; the Fairbanks Children’s Museum will be able to relocate downtown and expand their facilities; and the Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living will be able to replace their copy machine.

I worked diligently on four Finance Subcommittees to cut broken programs and streamline those that weren’t working at peak efficiency. Specifically, we cut $2 million from the failing Kodiak Launch Complex and maintained funding for other programs, making administrative tweaks to ensure state money is spent responsibly.

An F-Grade for the “Education Session”

At the beginning of this session, I was glad to hear the governor announce “the education session” where the funding of our schools would be a top priority. We dedicated lots of time to this issue, but have yet to commit to fully funding Alaska’s public education system. Throughout the session, I’ve maintained that our public schools are underfunded. Alaskans heard the call and it was very inspiring to see so many Alaskans speak out and fight for public schools and the kids that attend them. Thousands of concerned parents, teachers and students got involved, made their voices heard and made the difference.

Although this was billed as the “Education Session,” the legislature failed students, teachers and all Alaskans. Instead of increasing the BSA by the necessary $400 to avoid most teacher cuts, leadership barely gave families half of that, leading to three more years of teacher layoffs. If this legislature had to attend public school, we would have earned an ‘F-Grade’ based on our tardiness and an inability to get the job done.

Picnics in the Park

There are over 60 free public parks across Fairbanks! Join me all summer long as we celebrate the sun at your local neighborhood park. Our first picnic will be a barbeque at the Fairbanks Senior Center.

When: Saturday, May 10, 11:30am-1:30pm

Where: Fairbanks Senior Center, 1424 Moore Street

Please feel free to use my office as a resource if you have any questions, comments or concerns. I will be working diligently all summer to ensure your interests are heard and represented.

Working Hard for Fairbanks Families,

Scott Kawasaki
Alaska State Representative
District 4 - Fairbanks