My staff and I have reached the end of the first week of session. I wanted to take the time in this newsletter to update you on some of my early observations about what’s happened and what’s to come this session: things like more money to public schools or vouchers, HB77, and a large diameter natural gasline.
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Five days from now I will pack up the car and begin the drive to Haines, at which point I will board a ferry headed to Juneau. In my previous newsletter I may have mislead you regarding the start date of the legislative session. To be clear, the first day of session is Tuesday January 21, 2014. However, before I leave, I hope to see you all tomorrow night at Wendler Middle School from 5:30pm – 7pm to discuss the future of natural gas in Alaska with specialist Larry Persily. Best wishes in the New Year!
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
It is nearly time for my staff and me to move back to Juneau for the second session of the 28th Alaska State Legislature. Other than the mere fact that it is December 19th and the session convenes one month from today, the Governor just released his budget and the Department of Revenue submitted its fall report on revenue sources for Alaska, which are both tell-tale signs that session is coming, and in this case, that we need to tighten our belts. In this newsletter I will discuss both of these subjects and how each will impact the upcoming session.
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I have spent much of the past few weeks in the classroom, exploring our local elementary schools and middle school; this month I am visiting East High School. Through these visits I have learned about capital project priorities and general budgetary priorities for specific schools, as well as our public education system as a whole. It’s been a nostalgic time for me recalling previous years spent as a high school teacher in the Kuspuk School District in the early ‘90s. The kids in our classrooms are our future, and I believe that it’s up to us to provide them with meaningful, wide-ranging, and rigorous public educations.
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
You can’t listen to the TV or radio without hearing about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the effect it is having on Americans’ lives. I would like to use this newsletter as a chance to help further inform you about how the ACA will impact your life.
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