The Legislative Session started Tuesday. As far as I can tell, I have two major jobs right now. They are to:
1. Work hard to put you, your families, and neighbors first;
2. Figure out how to walk five blocks in horizontal Juneau rain without collecting three pounds of rainwater on my clothes. It’s not a good look.
It’s close to the Holidays. If you’re like me, you don’t want to talk a lot of politics. So let’s talk about:
1. The launch of our 2014 Holiday Laptops for Foster Youth Drive (thanks to you we’ve matched roughly 400 laptops with foster youth so far);
2. A potential last??? chance for you to get State Rebate$ for upgrading the heating and energy efficiency at your homes; and,
3. Holiday donation and volunteer needs if you haven’t figured where to direct your efforts.
I and other legislators were not allowed to send out newsletters in the month before the November election. That’s why you haven’t received a newsletter in a while. But, well, that season of loud ads is thankfully over.
Read More →Anchorage – Thursday Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) asked the Parnell Administration to hold off on a controversial proposal for tens of millions of dollars in additional tax reductions on a North Slope oilfield. Last week Governor Parnell’s Commissioner of Natural Resources announced his proposal to reduce the 12.5% royalty on the Nuna oilfield by over 50%.
Read More →
The delayed-again City Planning and Zoning Commission Public Meeting on GCI’s proposed cell tower in South Addition has been, well, delayed. It’s now been moved to October 6 so there is time for a meeting in September at the South Addition Community Council.
Read More →
I wasn’t thrilled that the Legislature continued three years of educator cuts for yet another three years. In Anchorage we’ll lose roughly 400, or more, staff over the next three years, on top of over 600 staff lost statewide since 2011. While I voted to reverse these party-line cuts, it doesn’t mean we can’t work as individuals to help increase student opportunity, even if a majority of your elected leaders won’t.
Read More →