Your Legislators Flew Off to Juneau and Abandoned You
Contributed by David Eastman
If this is how you feel, you are not alone, and you are not wrong.
Picture this: Every two years you go to a dance. When you get there, your partner (the one you brought to the dance) insists on dancing, but with someone else. Then, two years later, they want you to take them to the next dance where they can do it all over again. They tell you what a grand time you will have together. They show you the pictures of the last time, hoping you don’t remember what happened once they got there and suddenly discovered so many other interesting people to dance with.
Juneau might as well be in another galaxy. Few Alaskans will ever have the time to visit the state capitol building where the beautiful people congregate. Alaskans voted to move the state capital, twice. Legislators in Juneau blocked it both times.
Alaskans voted against using the PFD to fund pet projects. Legislators spent the money anyway.
In October, you will get a check for whatever’s left because legislators have already spent most of this year’s PFD. If you are a government contractor you may get to see some of that money in your next contract, but if you are like most Alaskans the success of special interests in Juneau will come at your expense.
Years ago, Alaskans voted to shorten long legislative sessions in Juneau to no more than 90 days. This year, legislators chose to ignore that law and remain in Juneau until Day 122. During his first year as governor, Dunleavy selected Wasilla as the location of a 30-day special session. In response, 39 legislators ignored the session, thumbed their nose at the Constitution, and flew down to Juneau anyway. Legislators are eligible for per diem in Juneau. Most legislators are not eligible for per diem in Wasilla.
This year, legislators refused to allow public testimony before passing a series of bills even though state law requires opportunities for public testimony.
That is the status quo today. Those who advocate, as I do, for following the law when it comes to the PFD, spending no more than 90 days at a time in Juneau, and honoring laws that require the legislature to allow public testimony, are in the extreme minority today. The vote to cut the PFD this year was 39-1. The vote to ignore the law limiting sessions to 90 days was 34-6. The vote to honor the right of the public to come and testify on bills was 7-33.
The prevailing wisdom in Juneau is “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”. Unfortunately for the Mat-Su, that means abandoning Mat-Su voters and supporting special interests. Very few Mat-Su residents have the time or the inclination to closely watch what happens in the capitol building. Fewer still will ever fly down to Juneau in person.
Those in Juneau know this, just as they know that few Alaskans will ever file to run for public office. There are nine legislators that represent parts of the Mat-Su in the legislature. Most will have no opponent in the coming election. Of the 60 legislators in Alaska, more than 20 will not face a single opponent on Election Day. Most will easily win reelection.
Some legislators are running for their third or fourth term and have never had an opponent on Election Day. This should tell you something: These legislators are not a threat to the status quo in Juneau.
Unfortunately for the Mat-Su, the status quo in Juneau is hellbent against giving Alaskans the type of government that they want and that they have repeatedly voted for. There is what the people want and there is what Juneau wants, and Juneau is used to winning.
For those few legislators who insist on “dancing with the one that brought you”, Juneau has prepared a series of carrots and sticks. Some respond to the carrots, others to the sticks, but most legislators quickly discover that aligning with the status quo is much more comfortable than the alternative. Inevitably, being labeled a threat to the status quo also means having an opponent on Election Day in August. Those in Juneau will make sure of it.
If you believe, as I do, that the status quo needs to change, find out which candidates are being supported by those in Juneau. Once you’re pretty sure who Juneau is supporting, vote for the other guy. If they have no opponent, it’s usually a safe bet that Juneau isn’t worried about who your next legislator is going to be.
Rep. David Eastman serves in the Alaska House of Representatives representing the Mat-Su. He ran on a platform of fighting for genuine conservative reform, fiscally and socially, and remains committed to that promise.