FEBRUARY 6, 2014  

Action Alert
I need your help making sure that your voices are heard!

School Vouchers

We need your voice at the House Education Committee meeting this Friday, February 7th, at 8 a.m. in the State Capitol Building – in person or by phone.

The Education Committee is going to discuss the school voucher resolution, HJR 1, which would allow the public to vote to amend the Alaska Constitution. This amendment sanctions the state to take public school funding and use it for private and religious schools. This means that your dollars would be funding private schools, not your local public schools.

This Resolution is the final of three being discussed at the meeting, so make it there as soon as you can!

Raise your voice and speak out against the threat of our tax dollars not funding our schools by visiting the Capitol or your local Legislative Information Office to join the meeting via telephone.

Anchorage Legislative Information Office
733 W 4th Avenue, Suite 100
Anchorage, AK 99501-2133
(907) 269-0111
TDD: (907) 269-0260
LIO.Anchorage@akleg.gov

For a list of other LIOs, check here.

Mental Health First Aid

Rep. Ben Nageak, Jill Ramsey, from the Trust Training Cooperative, Rep. Tarr, and Rep. Shelley Hughes introducing the Lunch & Learn.

We had a great event at the Capitol today which was co-sponsored by me, Rep. Shelley Hughes, and Rep. Benjamin Nageak. The event covered Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), a new method of addressing mental health concerns. In Alaska, we are more likely to encounter someone in a mental or emotional crisis than we are someone having a heart attack. This makes it really important for people to know how to respond to the situation properly and make sure the person gets the help that they need.

Many of our most devastating problems are symptoms of mental crises, including alcoholism and abuse. We need to reduce the stigma against and the fear of mental health problems and address them the same way we might address equally devastating problems, like serious physical illnesses.

The Alaska Primary Care Association and the Trust Training Cooperative are working to certify people across Alaska in MHFA. The organizations are encouraging police and other first responders, nurses, school districts, and all community members to have someone in their area become certified. At this event, we updated Legislators, staff, and community members on MHFA and the upcoming trainings so that they can bring this information back to their communities. I am really pleased with the turnout and the interest from people in Juneau about MHFA and look forward to bringing to the forefront of mental healthcare back in Anchorage.

The next MHFA training will be in Juneau on March 20th, 2014, for legislators and their staff. I plan to attend and will report back after I become MHFA certified!

Also, check out the Facebook Page for Mental Health First Aid Alaska here!

Weatherize Your Home

You can apply to have your home weatherized by RurAL CAP! Check out their informational flyer or give their office a call at (907) 771-7800 to see if your household qualifies.

To apply now, fill out this application.

Real Property Assessment

Find out the results of your Anchorage Municipal Real Property Assessment here.

Upcoming Events

U-MED Access Road

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) and the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) invite you to an open house and presentation on the Northern Access to U-Med Project in the commons are of East High School on Tuesday, February 18th, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with the presentation to start at 7:00 p.m.

Over the past six months, the project team has focused on design work and public involvement efforts to determine a preferred route. Project members will be available to present and discuss the selected route and gather feedback on types and priorities of the amenities the public wishes to see in the project.

Meeting information is posted on the public website.

Also check out the meeting flyer.

Save Our Schools Public Education Rally

For those of you in Juneau or who have friends and relatives in town, we invite you to join us on Monday, February 17th, on the Capitol Steps at noon for our S.O.S. Public Education Rally!

Anchorage Legislative Caucus Public Meeting

WHAT: Anchorage Legislative Caucus is a bipartisan group comprised of Senators and Representatives representing the Anchorage and Eagle River Area.

WHERE: Loussac Library, Assembly Chambers 3600 Denali Street, Anchorage (MAP)

WHEN: 9am-2pm, Saturday February 22, 2014

Sincerely,

Representative Geran Tarr