FEBRUARY 26, 2016  

Constituent Meetings & Public Testimony

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The Anchorage Caucus Public Testimony will be held this Saturday, February 27th at the Loussac Library, 3600 Denali St., at11 am to 2 pm.

Please take a look at the schedule below if you would like to participate in the public testimony for House Finance. 

House Finance Public Testimony

The House Finance Committee schedule is listed below.  Please note the earlier 1:00PM start time Tuesday through Thursday of next week and the extended public testimony schedule.

Monday, February 29, 2016                          House Finance Room 519 – 1:30 PM
HB 256-APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET/LOANS/FUNDS
HB 257-APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET
Introduction and adoption of the Committee Substitutes incorporating the Subcommittees’ recommendations
Subcommittee Reports

Public Testimony:
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.* Juneau

-Public testimony limited to 2 minutes each.
-Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the end of the allotted time period or testimony will close early.
-If you are a member of a group with the same message, in the interest of time, please select a spokesperson to testify for the entire group.
-If you are calling from a community without a legislative information office, i.e., an “Off Net” caller, only call during the designated Off Net time period on March 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
-All Off Net callers are required to hang up immediately after your testimony is taken to keep as many lines open as possible for other callers.  Testifiers can continue to access the meeting on your computer through akleg.gov, click on Alaska State Legislature and then choose the “Live Now” button.  The hearing may be televised on Gavel to Gavel, please check listings.
-Please try to arrive 15 minutes early to expedite the sign-in process.

-*If you live in a community with a legislative information office, but are unable to access it during the specified time period, you may send your written testimony to the House Finance Committee via lhscfin@akleg.gov

Please note: Operating Budget public testimony for “Off Net” callers (communities without a legislative information office) is scheduled for March 1st, 2nd and 3rd (see schedule).  Please call 465-4648 by 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Thursday to obtain the call-in phone number.

Bills Previously Heard or Scheduled

Tuesday, March 1, 2016                                House Finance Room 519 – 1:00 PM
HB 256-APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET/LOANS/FUNDS
HB 257-APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET
Public Testimony:
1:00 – 3:30 p.m.* Homer, Kenai, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Mat-Su & Seward
3:45 – 6:00 p.m.* Barrow, Dillingham & Fairbanks
6:15 – 7:30 p.m.* Off Net sites

-Public testimony limited to 2 minutes each.
-Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the end of the allotted time period or testimony will close early.
-If you are a member of a group with the same message, in the interest of time, please select a spokesperson to testify for the entire group.
-If you are calling from a community without a legislative information office, i.e., an “Off Net” caller, only call during the designated Off Net time period today or on March 2nd or 3rd.
-All Off Net callers are required to hang up immediately after your testimony is taken to keep as many lines open as possible for other callers.  Testifiers can continue to access the meeting on your computer through akleg.gov, click on Alaska State Legislature and then choose the “Live Now” button.  The hearing may be televised on Gavel to Gavel, please check listings.
-Please try to arrive 15 minutes early to expedite the sign-in process.

-*If you live in a community with a legislative information office, but are unable to access it during the specified time period, you may send your written testimony to the House Finance Committee via lhscfin@akleg.gov

Please note: Operating Budget public testimony for “Off Net” callers (communities without a legislative information office) is scheduled for March 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (see schedule).  Please call 465-4648 by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday to obtain the call-in phone number.

Bills Previously Heard or Scheduled

Wednesday, March 2, 2016                           House Finance Room 519 – 1:00 PM
HB 256-APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET/LOANS/FUNDS
HB 257-APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET
Public Testimony:
1:00 – 4:30 p.m.* Anchorage
4:45 – 6:45 p.m.* Sitka, Petersburg, Delta Junction, Unalaska, Glennallen & Tok
7:00 – 8:00 p.m.* Off Net sites

-Public testimony limited to 2 minutes each.
-Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the end of the allotted time period or testimony will close early.
-If you are a member of a group with the same message, in the interest of time, please select a spokesperson to testify for the entire group.
-If you are calling from a community without a legislative information office, i.e., an “Off Net” caller, only call during the designated Off Net time period today or on March 3rd.
-All Off Net callers are required to hang up immediately after your testimony is taken to keep as many lines open as possible for other callers.  Testifiers can continue to access the meeting on your computer through akleg.gov, click on Alaska State Legislature and then choose the “Live Now” button.  The hearing may be televised on Gavel to Gavel, please check listings.
-Please try to arrive 15 minutes early to expedite the sign-in process.

-*If you live in a community with a legislative information office, but are unable to access it during the specified time period, you may send your written testimony to the House Finance Committee via lhscfin@akleg.gov                                        

Please note: Operating Budget public testimony for “Off Net” callers (communities without a legislative information office) is scheduled for March 2nd and 3rd (see schedule).  Please call 465-4648 by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday through Thursday to obtain the call-in phone number.

Bills Previously Heard or Scheduled

Thursday, March 3, 2016                              House Finance Room 519 – 1:00 PM
HB 256-APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET/LOANS/FUNDS
HB 257-APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET
Public Testimony:
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.* Bethel, Cordova, Kotzebue, Nome, Valdez, Wrangell
4:15 – 6:00 p.m.* Off Net sites

-Public testimony limited to 2 minutes each.
-Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the end of the allotted time period or testimony will close early.
-If you are a member of a group with the same message, in the interest of time, please select a spokesperson to testify for the entire group.
-If you are calling from a community without a legislative information office, i.e., an “Off Net” caller, only call during the designated Off Net time period today.
-All Off Net callers are required to hang up immediately after your testimony is taken to keep as many lines open as possible for other callers.  Testifiers can continue to access the meeting on your computer through akleg.gov, click on Alaska State Legislature and then choose the “Live Now” button.  The hearing may be televised on Gavel to Gavel, please check listings.
-Please try to arrive 15 minutes early to expedite the sign-in process.

-*If you live in a community with a legislative information office, but are unable to access it during the specified time period, you may send your written testimony to the House Finance Committee via lhscfin@akleg.gov

Please note: Operating Budget public testimony for “Off Net” callers (communities without a legislative information office) is scheduled for today (see schedule).  Please call 465-4648 by 5:00 p.m. today to obtain the call-in phone number.

Bills Previously Heard or Scheduled

Upcoming Opportunities

The Anchorage Park Foundation and the Municipality of Anchorage are currently looking to fill their 2016 summer Youth Employment in Parks (YEP) crew! This is an incredible 10-week program where teen crew members learn natural resource management job skills by building trails and restoring stream banks, while also increasing civic engagement, environmental awareness, and leadership skills. This is the best first job one could have!

They are looking for 20 YEP Crew Members. Applicants must be Anchorage residents, ages 16-19, and in high school or a GED program. Applications are due March 18th!

Learn more about the YEP program and positions here.  Apply through the Municipality of Anchorage here.

The fifth installment of the WorldMatters series will feature women working in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields: Janet Weiss, President of BP Exploration Alaska Inc; Jenna Desmarais, Materials Management Advisor of the Point Thomson Project with ExxonMobil; and Katherine Barnes, a PR consultant with a background in science.

Join them to hear about their experiences on Wednesday, March 9th at Cyrano's Theatre Company.  Also, at 5:30pm there will be a social mixer with guest speakers prior to the program starting at 6:00pm. Beverages and light snacks will be available for purchase from Cyrano's Cafe.  Register here.

Trail Training Classes to be held in April in Anchorage
Three days of trail classes will be held in Anchorage this April. The classes are being sponsored by Alaska Trails, the US Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Sign up now, as these classes can fill up in a hurry. Fees cover the cost of training materials, food and related expenses. You can register via Paypal at the Alaska Trails website. For more information or to set up other billing arrangements please call 907-334-8049 or e-mail office@alaska-trails.org

Mark Your Calendar!

Neighborhood Meeting Pizza Party

Sincerely,

Representative Geran Tarr