JUNEAU – The House Democratic Independent Coalition and the Senate Democrats will be holding a press availability at 1pm, TODAY, at the Anchorage LIO to discuss the disappointing lack of progress in the special session and to announce a plan of action for public hearings.
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JUNEAU – The Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition concurs with Governor Bill Walker in his call for lawmakers to continue working towards a fully funded budget before taking a break from the special session in Juneau. On Monday, without support from the 13 members of the Coalition, the House and Senate Majorities approved a FY 2016 budget that includes a five percent cut to public education and spending over $3 billion more than available revenue. This flawed budget could result in the elimination of vital state services as soon as August.
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JUNEAU – Today, Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) submitted legislation to cut the cost of state government without voiding statutory cost of living pay increases for public employees. The Legislature is currently considering a rollback for pay increases in the proposed FY 2016 operating budget and individual bills in the House and Senate. Rep. Gara opposes these proposals.
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JUNEAU – Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) has filed legislation to raise education funding to account for inflation since last year’s education budget. The bill sets the base student allocation at $5,979 in FY 2016. That’s an increase of $149, which is the amount the non-partisan Legislative Research Division says is needed to inflation proof education funding from last year.
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JUNEAU—Today, Representatives Les Gara (D-Anchorage) and Dan Ortiz (I-Ketchikan) called on the State to prevent the destruction of wild salmon spawning and rearing waters on the prized Chuitna River near Tyonek. The Canadian company PacRim Coal proposes to dredge and dewater an 11 mile stretch of the Middle Fork of the Chuitna River. PacRim Coal plans to sell the coal from the Chuitna River streambed to China.
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