Representative LES GARA

Democrats’ Resolution Calls on Governor to Opt-Out of No Child Left Behind

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:03:41 +0000

ALASKA HOUSE
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS
(907) 465-3842 Room 404
WWW.AKDEMOCRATS.ORG
CONTACT: Mark Gnadt (907) 465-3842

February 22, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Democrats’ Resolution Calls on Governor to Opt-Out of No Child Left Behind

“The federal program has never worked for Alaska. It’s time we set our own standards”

JUNEAU – Today, Rep. Bob Miller and three other Democrats in the Alaska House of Representatives introduced a resolution (HJR 39) calling on the state of Alaska to opt-out of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) program and to develop its own Alaska-appropriate education standards.

“No Child Left Behind was a federal mandate that never worked for Alaska,” said Rep. Miller. “It’s time we develop our own Alaska-appropriate standards and get out from under this federal program that set too many of our schools up to fail.”

In order to opt out of NCLB, a state must develop its own standards that incorporate rigorous college and career standards, focus on fixing the worst performing schools and those with the biggest achievement gaps, and adopt teacher and administrator evaluations based partly on test scores.

“No bar in the opt-out process is too high,” said Miller, “and going through the opt-out process gives Alaskans the chance to set our own goals for our children’s education.”

As stated in the resolution, “developing an improved, Alaska-specific educational plan to meet the requirements of the waiver request will allow Alaska to develop rigorous but relevant state standards.”

In the first round of submissions, eleven states applied for NCLB waivers, and 28 additional states have already filed intent to apply in the second round.

The resolution calls on the governor to “direct the Department of Education and Early Development to develop Alaska-appropriate educational standards that will serve to improve the quality of education in Alaska and that will qualify the state to opt-out of NCLB” and to “pursue a waiver to the NCLB Act by the September 6, 2012 deadline established by the United States Department of Education.”

Representatives Gardner, Kawasaki and Gara are co-sponsoring the resolution. HJR 39 was referred to the Education committee.

###

Protecting Public Access To Alaska’s Fishing Streams: HB144 Moves Out of Committee

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:47:30 +0000

REPRESENTATIVE LES GARA
(907) 465-2647
www.replesgara.com
rep.les.gara@legis.state.ak.us
CONTACT: Toby Smith Legislative Aide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 21, 2012

Protecting Public Access To Alaska’s Fishing Streams:
House Bill 144 Moves Out of Committee

Today Representative Les Gara’s legislation to ensure future public access to Alaska’s fishing streams, House Bill 144, moved from the Senate Resources Committee. The bill passed the House last year with a vote of 38 Yeas, and tonight passed the Senate Resources Committee.

“We hope the next step is a vote on the Senate Floor, and believe the bill has the support to pass,” said Rep. Les Gara. House Bill 144 will inexpensively promote access to important fishing streams by encouraging voluntary land trades or purchases with willing landowners.

“In other states people have lost public access to prized fishing streams, or have to pay large amounts of money to fish those waters. By working cooperatively with interested landowners now, we can make sure Alaskans have access to our great fishing waters for generations to come,” said Rep. Les Gara (D-Anchorage).

In some states significant public access has already been lost. For example, in Montana public access is greatly impeded along the Ruby River, a noted trout stream, as well as along 180 miles of the Missouri River. Montana is known for waters that cannot be accessed unless large fees are paid to lodge owners or ranchers.

“As we have seen recently in several western States, stream access cannot be taken for granted. Annual reporting by DNR on Alaska stream access will go a long ways in assuring stream access for future generations,” said Mark Huber, President of the Alaska Fly Fishers Association.

House Bill 144 is supported by the Alaska Fly Fishers Association, the Alaska Sportfishing Association, and the Kenai River Sportfish Association.

Democrats Call on Governor to Make Stronger Commitment to Education

admin — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:49:45 +0000

ALASKA HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS
(907) 465-3842 Room 404
WWW.AKDEMOCRATS.ORG
CONTACT: Mark Gnadt (907) 465-3842

February 13, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Democrats Call on Governor to Make Stronger Commitment to Education

Keeping up with inflation allows schools to focus on where to improve, not where to cut

JUNEAU – Today, House Democrats called on the governor to join them in an effort to prevent Alaska’s school districts from having to make more cuts in the classroom due to inflation. The legislators sent a letter to the governor earlier today requesting that he be open to meeting school district needs by increasing the per-student allocation enough to cover the costs of inflation.

“The governor’s support could make the difference in giving local districts the resources they need to prevent more cuts in the classroom,” said Rep. Pete Petersen (D-Anchorage), the prime sponsor of legislation to ensure the per-student allocation keeps up with inflation. “It’s the state’s duty to make sure schools get those resources, and it’s important for our future that we honor that obligation to our students this year and every year.”

The Alaska Constitution requires the state to “establish and maintain” the state’s public schools, and court rulings have interpreted that to mean the state is obligated to provide adequate resources to school districts.

“Alaska’s educators need to know they have a commitment from the state so they can focus on where to improve, not where to cut,” the representatives say in the letter.

Alaska House Democrats are working to garner support in the House for increasing the per-student funding amount enough to cover the costs of inflation. There was no increase to the per-student allocation last year, and the governor has proposed to flat-fund it again this year. The Alaska Senate passed legislation to increase the per-student allocation incrementally over the next three years.

“The Senate bill is a good start,” said House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula (D-Juneau), “and if we’re going to expect our schools to improve and to perform to the standards they need to, we should do even better and at least keep up with inflation.”

Read the letter: http://akdemocrats.org/docs/021312_letter_to_gov.pdf

###

Gara Bill Stops Bogus Bank Foreclosures

admin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:06:13 +0000

REPRESENTATIVE LES GARA
(907) 465-2647
www.replesgara.com
rep.les.gara@legis.state.ak.us
CONTACT: Toby Smith Legislative Aide

February 10, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gara Bill Stops Bogus Bank Foreclosures

(JUNEAU) – Today Rep. Les Gara filed legislation to stop one of the most abusive bank practices since the 2007 recession. “Banks have been taking homes from people who are current on their payments. It’s a national dilemma. It’s time to stop this abuse,” said Gara.

Across the country there are thousands of stories of destroyed lives and confiscated homes. Innocent people deserve better. House Bill 317 requires banks to have a face to face meeting with homeowners before they foreclose. If they are in substantial compliance, foreclosure will simply be forbidden.

Please contact our office with questions or for more information.

###

Note from Rep. Gara: Double Standard? Guv Freezes School Funding, but Grants Inflation Increases to Every Other State Agency

admin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:12:24 +0000

While I look for common ground with our Governor - like our efforts to keep pushing to find ways to build a natural gas pipeline (we agree a large diameter line that exports gas, produces low-cost gas, and brings in revenue is smarter than a small in-state line that brings us very high cost natural gas and no revenue) - I do disagree with him on educational policy.

Rep. Gara: Parnell Pumps Money Into All Agencies – Except Education

admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:54:50 +0000

REPRESENTATIVE LES GARA
(907) 465-2647
www.replesgara.com
rep.les.gara@legis.state.ak.us
CONTACT: Toby Smith Legislative Aide

February 9, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rep. Gara: Parnell Pumps Money Into All Agencies – Except Education

Proposed budget flat funds education, covers inflation increases for all other agencies

This year Governor Sean Parnell proposes to fund K-12 students at the same level as they were funded two years ago, yet his budget includes increases for every other state agency other than education.

“Freezing school funding to 2010 levels, without recognizing costs have gone up with inflation, translates into a major education cut. The proof’s in the pudding. It is causing schools across the state to plan for layoffs and the end of courses and summer school. The bottom line is that the Governor has granted state employees and bureaucrats inflation increases – just not kids,” said Rep. Les Gara.

Under the governor’s budget every state agency has been granted funds to recognize the reality of inflation. The governor’s salary and benefit increases for those agencies total roughly $45 million.

“School cuts don’t increase opportunity. Letting funding lag behind inflation – and letting it lag to 2010 levels, will only undercut our children’s opportunities to succeed in school and prepare for the workforce,” said Rep. Pete Petersen (D-Anchorage) who has taken the lead on legislation to make sure inflation does not eat away at school resources so schools can avoid cuts to teachers, staff and courses.

Alaska funds its schools by granting a certain amount of dollars per student under what’s called the base student allocation. Two years ago that amount was $5,680 per student. It remains the same under Governor Parnell’s budget this year. Combined inflation of roughly 5% in the years since the last funding adjustment has led to significant cut to school budgets. s when every other agency receives a funding increase to offset cost of living increases.

The governor has tried to shift the focus to other funds the Legislature put into schools starting around 2008, most of which the Legislature appropriated to make up for past inequities in rural and special needs education funding. While those funds helped rural schools and special education students, they too are being eaten away by inflation under the governor’s recent budgets and current proposal. Even with the money the governor is referencing from the Legislature’s 2008 plan, non-special education students in urban districts will receive no more funding under the governor’s proposal than they did two years ago.

Likewise, the Legislature wisely took a good step starting in fiscal year 2008, and offered help to local school districts to help pay for the multi-billion school district retirement system debt. That funding formula also has not changed since 2008.

So, while the governor has been taking credit for decisions the legislature made years ago, the fact is that he is proposing a per student funding level for next year that ignores the rising costs of providing education and is frozen at the same level it was two years ago. Even one time “fuel cost” funding added by the Legislature last year to help schools has been left out of the governor’s budget this year. As a result, Fairbanks, Juneau, and Anchorage school districts have announced major staffing cuts under the based on the governor’s proposed budget, and in Anchorage, officials are faced with the prospect of closing summer school for students who need the extra help to succeed.

Representatives Tuck, Gara, Kawasaki, Kerttula, and Gardner are co-sponsors of Rep. Petersen’s HB 143 to hold schools harmless from inflation.

###

Democrats Push for Hearing on Oil Tax Credit Accountability

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:04:36 +0000

REPRESENTATIVE BERTA GARDNER

(907) 465-4930 1-800-331-4930
www.repbertagardner.com
rep.berta.gardner@legis.state.ak.us
CONTACT: Noah Hanson Legislative Aide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Democrats Push for Hearing on Oil Tax Credit Accountability

“Alaskans need to know what we got for our four billion dollar North Slope investment”

JUNEAU – Today, House Democratic Whip Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage) called for a hearing on two bills designed to provide Alaskans more information on the State's North Slope investments. The bills will help Alaskans know if our massive investments are meeting our twin goals of more oil in the pipeline and more jobs for Alaskans. Recent testimony puts the state’s investment at over $4 billion over the last five years.

“This year, Alaskans invested another $850 million on the North Slope, yet we still haven’t asked for or required a public description of what exactly we bought with that money,” said Rep. Gardner. “How do we make sure our investments are working toward more oil in the pipe and more jobs for Alaskans if we don’t ask? It’s time we did.”

Each bill would require that, when an oil company applies to receive tax credits from the state for an investment, it makes public certain information on the expenses incurred for which it is seeking state credits. The first bill (HB 263), would require a simple description of the creditable expenses, such as the name of the company, a brief description and location of the project, and the purpose of the expense. The second bill (HB 268) would require the company to report the number of jobs resulting from the investment and the number which went to Alaskans.

“These bills simply require the industry to report to Alaskans the projects they’re doing and the Alaskans they’re hiring when they ask the state to participate in the costs,” said Rep. Gardner. “We’re not asking companies to share proprietary information, just include enough of a description for Alaskans so we can know what we bought with our public dollars.”

“A big part of why Alaska invests in the oil patch is to create jobs for Alaskans,” said Representative Chris Tuck (D-Anchorage), a co-prime sponsor of the legislation requiring more information about job creation related to the oil tax credits. “The state should make sure Alaskans know about the job opportunities that come from these investments and how many of them went to Alaskans.”

Since going to a profits-based oil tax, the state has given over four billion dollars in tax credits to oil companies who invest in Alaska. In the oil tax discussions last session, the Department of Revenue stated that it either did not know or could not release without changes to state law the information about the work companies were doing to earn the credits they were claiming. These bills would allow Alaskans to know what Alaska is buying with our own investment.

Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage), Representative Chris Tuck (D-Anchorage) and Representative Scott Kawasaki (D-Fairbanks) are co-prime sponsors of HB 263 requiring more information about the expenditures. House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula (D-Juneau) is a co-sponsor.

###

Rep. Gara to State: Permit Cannot Ignore Destruction of Salmon Stream

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:22:26 +0000

REPRESENTATIVE LES GARA
(907) 465-2647
www.replesgara.com
rep.les.gara@legis.state.ak.us
CONTACT: Toby Smith Legislative Aide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rep. Gara to State: Permit Cannot Ignore Destruction of Salmon Stream

Gara calls on state to scrap flawed ruling that salmon and trout stream can be “rebuilt”

Today, Representative Les Gara called on the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to reverse its ruling that concluded the proposed Chuitna coal project is consistent with the state’s “Unsuitable Lands” law.

“Their proposal states they will completely remove at least 11 miles of wild salmon spawning and rearing habitat for a period of 25 years; digging down at least 300 feet below the streambed, thereby destroying not only the streambed but also the underlying functions that support a salmon stream and permanently impacting the water quality for all downstream reaches of the Chuitna,” said Rep. Gara, an avid fisherman and fishing writer.

In a February 2 letter to the commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Rep. Gara states, “I would ask you to fully review the scientific realities of the actual proposal PacRim has made, and not disregard them under the theory that an alternative plan may come forward in the future.”

In 2007 PacRim, a Delaware coal company, applied for permits to operate a surface coal mine that would require the company to dredge and destroy 11 miles of the Chuitna River, one of Cook Inlet’s best wild salmon streams located next to the Village of Tyonek. Despite PacRim stating that it will dredge the streambed and dig down 300 feet below the salmon stream it is removing, DNR claimed it did not consider the effects of “surface coal mining” in determining whether the prevention of and repair of damage to this fishing stream is “feasible.”

“In concluding the project was legal, the state refused to consider the actual proposal – to dredge 11 miles of salmon stream and dig 300 feet below the salmon stream bed. The state doesn’t get to bury the obvious in order to justify burying a salmon stream,” said Gara.

In an attempt to justify not considering that dredging “will destroy 11 miles of one of the best king salmon streams in the State of Alaska” (Decision P. 6.), the administration argues that perhaps a different project might be considered before the final permits are granted.

“DNR was required by law to rule on the actual project being proposed, not a mythical one that might appear in the future,” said Rep. Gara. “The current project is a salmon disaster, and should have been rejected.”

“This project to destroy a wild salmon and trout stream is still moving forward only because the administration decided to ignore the most relevant facts,” said Gara. “DNR only found restoration of this stream was feasible because they disregarded PacRim’s stated plans – to dredge 11 miles of Middle Fork, a major tributary of the Chuitna.”

“The Commissioner’s decision buries the facts and justifies the destruction of the Chuitna River that our families have relied on for generations. It cannot be denied that PacRim coal and the Mental Health Trust want to destroy 11 miles of healthy salmon tributaries to provide coal to China,” said Frank Standifer III, President of the Native Village of Tyonek.

“My greatest concern is the scope of the damage done to the waterway, riparian zone, and ground which would take several lifetimes to bring back to its current state. Trading coal exports for in-state fisheries is poor policy,” said Bob Churchill, former president of the Alaska Flyfishers Association and member of the Alaska Board of Game.

A number of local citizen groups oppose PacRim’s proposal including the Native Village of Tyonek, who subsistence fish the Chuitna River; United Fishermen of Alaska; the Anchorage and Central Peninsula Fish and Game Advisory Committees; and the Kenai Peninsula Fishermen’s Association.

Read Rep. Gara’s letter to DNR: http://akdemocrats.org/gara/020212_Letter_to_Comr_Sullivan_re_Chuitna.pdf

###

House Bill 272 “Student Loan Interest Reductions”

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:48:06 +0000

Currently Alaskans pay interest rates of roughly 7% and 8% for outstanding and new student loans. In contrast, used car loans are currently being issued by some lenders at 3% and less. Many Alaskans are struggling and Alaska has a history of losing those who obtain higher education degrees and job training to jobs outside of Alaska...

House Bill 244 “Corporations Not ‘Persons’ in Elections”

admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:20:07 +0000

"An Act providing that for-profit corporations and limited liability companies organized in this state are not persons for purposes of influencing the outcomes of public office elections, initiatives, referendums, or recalls." House Bill 244 will prohibit corporations from contributing to elections. This bill will amend state law that allows corporations to be recognized as persons and therefore contribute to campaigns with unlimited financial contributions...