House Bill 17 Sponsor Statement “Reducing the Principal of Postsecondary Education Loans for Alaska Students Who Remain in or Return to Alaska”
Link to the sponsor statement PDF from the office of Rep. Les Gara
Read More →PRESS RELEASE: Alaskan Earns National Casey Foundation Award for Local Foster Care Work
(JUNEAU) - Alaska foster youth advocate and peer support group leader Amanda Metivier, herself a former foster youth, has just returned to Anchorage with a prestigious award. From a broad selection of former foster youth from all 50 states, Metivier has won the Casey Family Foundation’s Excellence for Children alumni award. Metivier went from foster care to college, earned her Master of Social Work at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and now helps foster youth and alumni at the University succeed in school.
Read More →NEWS: Democrats Respond to ASD Cuts
Democrats: State Must Do More to Avoid School Cuts
Governor’s budgets allow inflation to undercut Alaska’s schools
JUNEAU – Today, Anchorage Democratic legislators warned that the governor’s proposed budget will lead to even more school cuts in coming years, and they called on the Legislature to make sure school resources at least keep up with inflation.
Read More →Note from Rep. Gara: Governor’s New Bill Raises Concerns - and a Few Words on Hieroglyphics
Last night the Governor released his latest oil tax rollback bill. It maintains the worst part of last year’s bill, and makes it even more draconian. The largest part of the bill massively rolls back state revenue, and oil company taxes, with no commitment that companies spend that “reward” in Alaska. We’ve tried that before. Until 2006 our Production Tax was nearly 0% on almost every field on the North Slope, and what did we get for lower taxes that didn’t require Alaska investment and more Alaska production work? We got oil production that was declining between 5 - 8% a year, and 40% less investment in the North Slope than we have today. And a fraction of the new companies are exploring for new oil on the North Slope today.
Read More →NEWS: Democratic Leaders Offer Strong Vision for Alaska
Fair share, education and energy priorities for Democratic Legislators
in State of the State response
JUNEAU – Tonight, Senate Democratic Leader Johnny Ellis (D-Anchorage) and House Democratic Leader Beth Kerttula (D-Juneau) presented a strong vision for Alaska in their response to the governor’s state of the state speech. The two leaders said making a commitment to education, lowering the cost of energy, and standing up for Alaska’s fair return on its resources are the Democratic caucuses’ priorities.
Read More →Democratic Leadership to Give State of the State Response Immediately after Governor’s Speech
JUNEAU – Senate Minority Leader Johnny Ellis (D-Anchorage) and House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula (D-Juneau) will give the Democratic caucuses’ response to the governor’s State of the State speech immediately following the conclusion of the governor’s speech on tonight.
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