Democrats Prioritize Education, Promote Solutions; FOCUS: parent involvement, commitment to districts, lowering cost of college and job training

JUNEAU – The state of Alaska needs to make education more of a priority, House Democrats told reporters at a press conference in the capitol today. House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula (Juneau), Representative Chris Tuck (Anchorage), Representative Pete Petersen (Anchorage) and Representative Les Gara (Anchorage) outlined their proposals to increase parent involvement in early education, to make sure school districts have the resources they need, and to make college and job training more affordable for Alaskans.

House Democratic Caucus Announces Social Media Pages

Today, the House Democratic Caucus announced its presence on three major social media websites, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The caucus will post timely news, legislative updates, and other points of interest throughout the legislative session and the rest of the year.

Please find us on the following pages:

Facebook: facebook.com/AKdemocrats
Twitter: @AKHouseDems
YouTube: youtube.com/user/AKHousedemocrats

All content is public and available to use for any non-campaign related purpose.

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.

Democrats Introduce Accountability Measures for Oil Tax Credits

JUNEAU – Today, House Democratic Whip Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage) introduced two pre-filed bills designed to provide Alaskans more information on the State’s North Slope investments. The bills will help Alaskans know if our massive investment is meeting our twin goals of more oil in the pipeline and more jobs for Alaskans.

Democrats Encouraged by Strong Interest in Alaska Oil Lease Sales; Robust bidding shows Alaska has much to offer new oil and gas producers

Today, House Minority Whip Berta Gardner (D-Anchorage), Representative Chis Tuck (D-Anchorage), and Representative Scott Kawasaki (D-Fairbanks) released the following statements after the state’s successful oil and gas lease sale this morning brought great interest from new and independent oil producers.

“The success of these sales is another positive sign that Alaska’s doing a lot right when it comes to developing our tremendous oil and gas resources,” said Rep. Gardner. “These new leases, new access to the west, and the record level of exploration expected on the Slope this season will go a long way toward generating jobs for Alaskans and oil for the pipeline.”

Rep. Tuck’s Community Connection: Give Thanks Through Giving – Help Desperately Needed by Charities

I wish you many blessings this Thanksgiving holiday, and I hope the season finds you and your families well. I wanted to take this opportunity to alert you there is a desperate need for food, warm clothing, and other donations throughout Anchorage and Alaska this Thanksgiving.

The unusually cold weather this year has strained the resources of many of our nonprofit organizations as they provide assistance to needy families and individuals. Many of these organizations are critically low on supplies and your help is needed to make sure that those who are less fortunate are able to have a happy Thanksgiving. Please take a moment to learn about some of the needs that have come to my attention, and about ways you can provide assistance.

Rep. Tuck’s Community Connection: Thanking Our Veterans – Your Service Will Not Be Forgotten

Dear Neighbors,

Veterans Day is a time for us to come together and honor the sacrifices our veterans and their families have made in defense of our freedom. Please join me in thanking all veterans and active duty military for their service. We owe a great debt of gratitude to these men and women, many of whom have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.

Rep. Tuck’s Community Connection: Winter Driving Safety: Icy Roads Require Extra Caution

Dear Neighbors,

Now that the snow has finally arrived, I thought I would take a moment to remind everyone that we should use extra caution over the next few weeks as we adjust to the new winter driving conditions. I have found the following list of winter driving tips provided by the American Automobile Association to be very informative, and I hope you will take a few moments to read them:

Rep. Tuck’s Community Connection: Recent Crimes Highlight Need for Parking Lot Vigilance

I want to alert you to a disturbing criminal trend happening in the Anchorage area.

It has been reported there are increasing number of robberies where purses and handbags are snatched from individuals in parking lots. Recently, an acquaintance of mine was blindsided by a punch and her wallet was taken in broad daylight in a very busy parking lot. These crimes are happening in situations that normally would be safe. This concerns me.

Rep. Chris Tuck’s Community Connection: Senate Labor & Commerce Committee to Hold Hearing on Oil Industry Hiring Practices

As your representative in the Alaska Legislature one of my highest priorities has been to promote local hire in Alaska.

I am excited to report this Thursday, September 8th, the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee will hold a public hearing in Anchorage to discuss ways to increase the percentage of Alaskans employed in the oil industry.