Representative
Chris Tuck
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April 16, 2015
Session Update and Survey Results
Dear Neighbors,
The Legislature has kicked into high gear with the scheduled adjournment date of April 19 fast approaching. As is typical for this time of year, we have been attending daily floor sessions which often go late into the night.
The situation is rapidly changing as the House, Senate and the Governor negotiate and at times clash over the key issues of the session. I have provided the following update so you will see what issues are in play at this time.
HB 132 – Limiting the powers of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation: This bill, introduced by the Speaker of the House, would limit potential expansion of Alaska’s Stand Alone Gas Project (ASAP) and prevent the Governor from using it as a backup plan should secret negotiations under the Parnell Administration’s Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas Project (AKLNG) fall apart, or generate a plan that is not a good deal for Alaskans.
Rep. Chris Tuck, far right, joins First Lady Donna Walker and Reps. Geran Tarr and Dan Ortiz for a Go Blue Friday rally on the Capitol steps. On April 10, participants wear blue to demonstrate their commitment to ending child abuse.
A key difference between the two projects is that the AKLNG plan is being confidentially negotiated in corporate board rooms, and we will be forced to either take it or leave it when, or if, a deal is negotiated. In contrast, the ASAP plan will allow Alaskans to have a seat at the table in public negotiations and also allow us to move ahead with a gas line project rather than starting over from scratch if the AKLNG project turns out not to be viable.
Stating that “self-determination is the right of a people to control their own destiny,” the Governor has expressed that he will veto HB 132. We can expect a big fight coming up from the Republican Majority to override the veto, but I intend to stand with Governor Walker so that Alaska is not at the mercy of large multinational corporations.
Governor’s Appointments: Currently more than 80 appointees, some of whom are held over from the Parnell Administration, are awaiting confirmation by a joint vote of the House and Senate. These appointees include key Walker Administration officials such as the Attorney General and most of his department commissioners.
A joint session of the House and Senate was scheduled for this Friday but was then cancelled by the Majority Leadership. If the Legislature does not take action on these appointees they will not be confirmed and must be removed from consideration.
Yesterday the Governor used his constitutional authority to issue an Executive Proclamation ordering the Legislature into joint session this Friday to consider his appointees. A Governor has not used this power since 1983, when Governor Bill Sheffield issued a similar proclamation because the legislature would not consider his appointees.
The voters put their faith in Governor Walker and I believe he should be allowed to assemble the best team he can for Alaska. At the very least the Legislature owes him an up or down vote on these appointees.
The Budget: I and the other members of the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition worked in the House to negotiate for a fair operating budget which would make tough cuts while protecting our most vulnerable citizens. Among our proposals were amendments to restore $32 million in forward funding that was promised to school districts last year and would help slow impending increases in class sizes, to partially restore the complete elimination of all Pre-K programs, and to return $5 million to the Senior Care Program which assists desperately poor Alaskan seniors with a small amount of money each month.
Although these are large sums, is important to bear in mind that we have a budget deficit of over $3.5 billion. The deficit is so massive that we could cut every single state employee and only save $1.5 billion. We cannot cut ourselves into prosperity. Fortunately, we have roughly $10 billion in savings intended for days like today which can give us time to form a sensible plan that doesn’t devastate kids and seniors or send our economy into a tailspin.
While the Majority is moving forward with devastating cuts that hurt regular Alaskans but don’t do anything to balance the budget, they have held the oil industry harmless, agreeing to pay them $700 million dollars in tax credits in the next fiscal year.
This session has also seen proposals from Majority members to use part of the Permanent Fund Dividend to pay for government, to raise gasoline taxes, and to implement a statewide income tax. We in the Independent Democratic Coalition are opposed to these proposals. We instead support a sensible budget plan which gets us a fair share for our oil before we demand greater sacrifices from children, seniors, and hardworking Alaskans.
Further devastating cuts were made in the Senate while continuing to give away millions to the oil industry. The operating budget is now in conference committee where differences between the House and Senate version are being debated.
Medicaid Expansion: So far this session the Republican Majority has refused to consider Governor Walker’s proposal to expand Medicaid to 40,000 uninsured Alaskans at no cost to the state.
Accepting Medicaid expansion is simply the right thing to do. Not only will the Federal Government pick up 100 percent of the costs through 2017, and 90 percent thereafter, expanding Medicaid will also save the state millions of dollars, create jobs and grow the economy. Over the next seven years Medicaid Expansion would likely yield:
• $1.1 billion in new federal revenue
• 4,000 new jobs
• $1.2 billion more in wages and salaries
• $2.49 billion in increased economic activity throughout the state
Even after the Federal contribution is reduced to 90 percent, the state will still save money because we will be able to greatly offset the amount we currently are required to spend on people who will qualify for Medicaid after the expansion, such as those who are incarcerated.
Two recent polls show that over 60 percent of Alaskans support the expansion, and I am truly disturbed that the Majority continues to block the program seemingly just to obstruct the Governor’s agenda. Alaskans paid for this expansion through their federal taxes and I will not give up the fight to see that they get what is rightfully theirs.
2015 SURVEY RESULTS AVAILABLE ONLINE!
On a lighter note, I want to thank everyone who took the time to fill out and return my survey this year. I am very happy to have received hundreds of responses which will guide me as I continue to work to best represent you in the Alaska Legislature. I have compiled the results in this newsletter along with a sampling of some of the comments I received. I hope you will find this information as valuable as I do!
Please find the results at the following link:
Rep. Tuck's 2015 Survey Results
Rep. Chris Tuck’s 2015 Survey Results, front page reproduced above, will be arriving in District 23 mailboxes soon.
I’m here for you, so please keep in touch on matters important to you and your family!
Warm regards,
![[signed] Chris Tuck](../../images/signatures/46.gif)
Chris Tuck
Alaska State Representative
District 23 - Anchorage