I have monitored the progress of the UMed/Northern Access Road project since it first received funding last year. This summer I watched the developers give many presentations at community councils throughout the area. In August, hundreds of our neighbors attended an Open House at East High School to submit comments and participate in discussions on the future of the road.
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This year’s legislative session has been deemed the “education session.” Big topics include public school funding, vouchers, early education, and the High School Graduating Qualifying Exam. I am dedicated to ensuring our public schools get funding they can count on. I also think that is important to have an open, public conversation about education, and it is long overdue. I am very interested in hearing from you on these issues so please contact me with your questions and comments.
Read More →We’re off to a quick start this session. In addition to dealing with important issues like giving our public schools support they can count on and asking the hard questions about the large diameter gasline, I have been able to spend some time working on my own legislation. Last week I offered a bill that would provide health care coverage to Alaskans who need it the most.
Read More →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.
Read More →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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