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Over the past decade, landslides have cost Southeast Alaska communities in both death and destruction - 11 deaths and tens of millions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage. Now communities around Southeast are reckoning with a future in which more destructive landslides are likely, as climate change fuels the extreme rainfall events and storms that scientists say may lead to increasingly powerful events in the future. The most recent major landslide, on Nov. 20 at 11-Mile Zimovia...
A bill that would ban discrimination on the basis of COVID-19 vaccination status passed the Alaska Senate on March 16 in a move to limit state service providers and private businesses from requiring the life-saving vaccine. The bill, sponsored by Eagle River Republican Sen. Lora Reinbold, would make it illegal for the state to withhold services based on COVID-19 vaccination status, such as in public education or assisted living in Pioneer Homes. The bill would also ban private businesses from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition for...
JUNEAU (AP) — The state has reported the deaths of five residents of the Pioneer Home in Ketchikan who had tested positive for COVID-19. “In the last week, the Ketchikan Pioneer Home has had five resident deaths and there has been a total of 12 residents and five staff test positive for COVID-19 this month,” Clinton Bennett, a state Department of Health and Human Services spokesman wrote in an email to the Ketchikan Daily News on Aug. 18. He did not provide a more precise timeline. The state Pioneer Homes “do not determine the cause of death n...
Setting the amount of this year's Permanent Fund dividend - and deciding on how to pay the cost - continues to hold up agreement on a state spending plan for the fiscal year that starts July 1. The Legislature has been in special session since May 20. The joint House-Senate conference committee that was appointed to settle budget differences has met only a few times, briefly reviewing non-controversial items, with a meeting expected sometime Wednesday. Most legislators have left Juneau to...
JUNEAU (AP) - The governor sent a one-sentence letter to legislative leaders last week, notifying lawmakers that he has withdrawn his request to split the Department of Health and Social Services into two departments. Multiple groups had questioned the split, including tribal organizations, advocates for foster children and the largest state employee union. And a lawyer for the Legislature said portions of the executive order that would have split the department appeared to conflict with state law and faced potential legal challenges,...
ANCHORAGE (AP) – The state-operated Anchorage Pioneer Home for older Alaskans has reopened its doors to family members and others eager to see residents after a lockdown of 11 months. The building welcomed back visitors beginning Feb. 3. The largest state-run assisted living facility closed to outsiders in March 2020 to protect its vulnerable residents from the coronavirus. The state operates six homes serving nearly 500 Alaska residents ages 60 and older in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Palmer, Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan. While some of the f...
House Bill 96, “Pioneers Home and Veterans Home Rates” passed the Legislature and is headed to the Governor’s desk for his signature. The goal of the bill is to adjust rates for our Pioneer Homes to reflect the level of service provided while protecting the Pioneer Home residents. The rate increases proposed by Governor Dunleavy last year were painful and ineffective. With HB96, we adjusted rates for inflation that hadn’t been accounted for since 2004. Residents’ rates will go up from 2018, but in most cases decrease significantly from last...
As our nation and the world experiences the life-altering impacts of the novel coronavirus pandemic, I wanted to take a moment to speak to you directly. If you’ve followed our many press conferences this week, you know that Alaska is rapidly preparing for an outbreak, and that an emergency was declared prior to our first confirmed case. Now that the inevitable first case has occurred, our schools are safely closed, testing requirements have been liberalized, and steps have been taken to protect our seniors. Visitation has been suspended or l...
Earlier this week, the Alaska House of Representative passed the operating budget. It took the House 43 days of session to pass the budget, which is the fastest we have passed one since 1993. I am proud with how quickly, efficiently, and cooperatively we worked to get it done. The budget is $4.45 billion in Unrestricted General Funds (UGF), which reflects total state spending. It is a relatively flat budget that is similar to last year and within $10 million of the Governor’s proposal. Despite the limited spending, we were also able to add b...
Last year, I cosponsored and voted for House Bill 96, which reverses massive rate increases at the Pioneer Homes. This bipartisan legislation passed the House 35-4 and now is being considered by the Senate. If the Senate passes HB 96, we can reverse the devastating rate increases and provide critical financial stability both for residents and our Pioneer Home system. Lowering and stabilizing Pioneer Home rates is a win-win for residents and for the system’s fiscal stability. We heard t...
Governor Mike Dunleavy's administration released a proposed budget for FY 2021 on Dec. 11. Total revenues for the state of Alaska would be about $8.77 million, and expenditures at $10.18 million. A press release from the governor's office highlights a few items of interest with the budget, such as fully funding K-12 education and the court system, as well as providing for a full PFD payment. This new budget would also fund 15 new State Trooper positions, and increases general fund spending on...
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to host three Community Meetings in Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan to hear input on the governor's proposed budget for the next fiscal year. First and foremost, I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to attend, especially those who had the courage to speak. In Ketchikan, almost 130 people attended, and 51 people spoke during the 2.5 hours allowed for public comment. In Sitka, over 200 people attended and 61 people spoke. I'd like to share some...
Last week, Governor Dunleavy unveiled his amended budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2020. As expected, there were substantial cuts to government agencies, all of which will affect Southern Southeast. Some of the cuts that will be most noticeable here in District 36 are the Marine Highway, services to our seniors, education, Fish & Game, public safety, and access to information. Governor Dunleavy proposed 68.3% cut to our ferry system, including an 80% decrease in funding for fuel. The intent of such a steep cut is to eliminate the ferry system...
What are the priorities of Alaskans? Does our budget reflect those priorities? The Senate’s priority is loud and clear: oil companies. The Senate’s revision of HB 111, “Oil and Gas Production Tax,” works only for oil companies while leaving Alaskans worse for the wear. Originally, the House version of HB 111 reduced the base tax rate on oil from 35% to 25% to encourage increased exploration and development on the North Slope. It protected Alaskans during low oil prices by hardening the minimum tax floor. The House version was projected to brin...
Ending its regular 120-day session without a budget plan in place, the Legislature was called back into its first special session of the year by Gov. Bill Walker. The body’s regular session expired last week, with unresolved questions on how to address a multibillion-dollar spending deficit. Led by a mostly Democratic majority, the solution put forward by the House consisted of an income tax with some cuts, as well as changes to the state’s oil tax and credit structure. Maintaining its majority in the Senate, Republicans put forward a pro...
For those following the issues facing our state, it’s no surprise that Alaska’s $2.7 billion budget deficit is the biggest issue. For the last five years, Alaska has had a budget deficit. Those deficits have caused the state to burn through at least $12 billion in savings, and we are quickly running out of savings. In the previous legislative sessions (2013-2016), the Legislature – led by Republican majorities – was unable to address the issue in any meaningful way other than to continue reducing the budget and kicking the can down the road. S...
As expected, it’s been a challenging legislative session, and from here on, the budget will be the forefront of every discussion. Both the House and the Senate are creating Alaska’s budget, but it’s clear that the bodies have differing approaches. Last week, I wrote a letter explaining the House approach to resolving Alaska’s fiscal crisis. To recap, the House proposed budget is $81.7 million in General Funds less than our current fiscal year. State agencies have been reduced by $62 million. Despite these cuts, the House Majority Coaliti...
August 8, 1941: Like the ad about the chap that sat down to the piano and nobody thought he could play, they laughed back in 1922 when F.A. Cooper, Wrangell pioneer, decided that fruit could be grown successfully in Wrangell. For several years now fruit grower Cooper has been having the laugh, and this year it is a little more hearty than usual. The reason is that the successful Wrangell fruit producer has one of the most prolific crops in history. One of his Blue Damson plum trees is so loaded that it is necessary for him to prop up the limbs...
By Representative Dan Ortiz Is oil, or any commodity, really Alaska’s most valuable resource? I, for one, would say no. Our most valuable resource, the resource that most contributes to Alaska, is our people. If we were to make a ranking list of the most valuable populations, senior citizens would be at the top. As we in the Legislature attempt to deal with our significant fiscal challenges, it’s important for us to protect our seniors. Our seniors are a treasured asset to our communities and our economy. The Alaska Legislature shouldn’t adopt...
It went down to the wire, but fishermen were relieved to learn they can continue to hose down their decks without fear of violating the Clean Water Act. Congress voted unanimously this week to extend a moratorium for three years that exempts commercial fishing vessels 79 feet and under from needing incidental discharge permits from the Environmental Protection Agency for deck wash. The current moratorium, which affects 8,500 Alaska vessels, was set to expire on Dec.18. The regulation is aimed at preventing fuels, toxins or hazardous wastes...
Dec. 5, 1912: Bills have been distributed advertising a wrestling match to be pulled off at Red Men's Hall tomorrow evening. Alf Olsen, who has boxed his way to the title of “Terrible Swede” among the Frisco sailors, will try to get two falls out of three from Ed Lynch, “Champion of Chemawa.” The contestants have been training faithfully this week. Lynch at the Wrangell Hotel and Olsen at his training quarters at the A.P.A. cannery. Everything has been arranged for a fine bout, except, of course, who will win and the division of the motion...