NEWS: House Democrats Announce Leadership for 28th Alaska Legislature
Leadership team brings experience, new energy
ANCHORAGE – Today, Alaska’s House Democratic Caucus announced its leadership for the 28th Alaska Legislature and its commitment to continue to work toward oil taxes that earn a fair return for Alaskans, lowering energy costs across the state, and ensuring Alaskans have access to top-quality education.
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NEWS: House Democrats Call for Firm Timelines on Pt. Thomson Development
Without work schedules, continued delay likely
JUNEAU – Today, nine members of the House Democratic Caucus called on the Department of Natural Resources to require firm timelines and work schedules before approving Exxon’s most recent Plan of Development for Pt. Thomson. In their official comments submitted today, the lawmakers said that without a timeline for Exxon to complete the work, this Plan of Development is likely to result in the same delay and inaction that has kept the resource undeveloped for over thirty years.
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Democrats on Education Proposal: Fair Compromise, Schools Still Deserve Better
Lots of good for schools, but not enough to prevent cuts this year or in the future
JUNEAU – Today, House Democrats claimed a partial victory in the debate over school funding as the House passed a bill that provides far more resources to Alaska’s schools than what the governor proposed. The governor flat funded education and later proposed what was effectively a $10 million one-time increase, far short of keeping up with inflation.
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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.
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Democrats: Today’s Resources Build Tomorrow’s Opportunity; Democratic Response to the State of the State shows vision for Alaska
JUNEAU – In her response to the governor’s state of the state speech tonight, House Democratic Leader Beth Kerttula (Juneau) told Alaskans that Alaska must use today’s resources to build tomorrow’s future.
“You’ve elected us to lead, and it’s our job to lead in a way that honors Alaska’s courageous spirit by using today’s resources to build tomorrow’s opportunities,” said Rep. Kerttula.
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Legislature Requests TSA Hearings in Alaska
Air travel, airport procedures of upmost importance to Alaskans
JUNEAU – Today, fifty-nine of sixty members of the Alaska Legislature sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs requesting hearings be held in Alaska on the often invasive procedures used by the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA).
“Alaskans depend on air travel more than most other Americans,” said Rep. Max Gruenberg (D-Anchorage) who drafted the letter and gathered signatures from his colleagues in the State House. “The committee needs to hear from Alaskans about our unique concerns.”
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