Op-Ed published in the Alaska Dispatch News Saturday, Jan. 2nd, 2015
Members of the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition and I resolve to continue working closely with the Walker-Mallott administration and the Republican-controlled majorities on solutions to close Alaska’s fiscal gap. However, I cannot support proposals that focus on protecting the wealthy and corporations at the expense of working Alaskan families.
The path forward must include major reforms to Alaska’s flawed oil tax regime and tax credit system that currently has the state paying out more in tax credits than we receive in production taxes.
The Republican-controlled majorities, who control the legislative agenda, must end the expensive lease on the Anchorage Legislative Information Office, stop the practice of funding excessive staff and lawmaker travel and costly court battles against the governor that have no merit.
Our current fiscal environment was not caused by Alaska’s children and it is unfair to try and balance our budget by shortchanging their future academic and economic success. That is why it is important to continue to advance early education opportunities, adequately fund our public schools and teachers, and ensure that we have a strong and thriving university system.
I resolve to remind our governor and my legislative colleagues the importance of cost-effective pre-k and early education opportunities for the future of Alaska. The dangerous cuts to eliminate early education are insignificant to the overall budget and devastate our potential. A great education produces a great economy; a great economy produces great jobs.
I resolve to double my efforts to restore faith and integrity in the National Guard and to protect and support Alaska’s men and women in uniform by updating our outdated military code of justice.
As I prepare for the next legislative session, my primary New Year’s resolution is to put the best interests of the people before politics and work together for a sensible economic plan that does not destroy the economy, with the hope that my colleagues in the House and Senate will do the same.
Follow