Contributed by Edna DeVries for State House (District 11)
Producing and securing Alaska’s future is an area in which all Alaskan’s can agree. What road to take is where the disagreements begin, which include acceptable compromise, though many would agree it is actually excluding compromise.
Alaska is at a critical juncture. Never before have we faced such a crossroads, such as selling out PFD monies to balance our budget instead of finding feasible, long-term solutions. We are the only state that has an oil revenue fund like this, so why is this being hailed the “go-to hail Mary of deliverance” from our economic problems, when in fact our budgetary woes remain. The bandaid approach to the budget deficit only prolongs the aptly named shadow budget that the administration’s use of smoke and mirrors attempts to reflect a positive upturn in Alaska’s forecast. Yes, our Standard and Poor’s (S&P) credit rating was recently upgraded from negative to stable, but (rhetorical), could this only be because they are a financial agency that looks to credible sources of revenue for rating purposes? Because a new revenue stream has been tapped does not mean it is a wise or healthy choice for our future.
Taking money from the people is like taking a child’s piggy bank to buy their toothpaste or notebook paper and trying to spin it as to how well they are being taken care of because of what they have received. The budget may look better, presented in its elaborate spreadsheets, but family budgets have been developing a look much different over the past few years.
Reducing the budget deficit by approximately 40% by vetoing the dividend payout in 2016 and then garnering support of the House to invade the dividend for continued financial support that in turn increases poverty as much as 40% in many areas of Alaska does not make sense. We need to put aside party differences and personal agendas and work together to find a plan that works for our state, for our people. Alaskan’s depend on the PFD to combat the high cost of living, to keep stable housing, put food on the table, to help make ends meet. This move is bad for our local economies and creating hardships that the ripples have not yet began to reveal.
Alaska needs to work together to provide better options for judicial reform across our state. The first reform since statehood, rolled out as SB91 and the recent SB54 addendum has resulted in an increase in crime, confirmed by the attorney general and commissioner’s commentary on SB54. And of course, by all of our neighbors who have experienced or know someone who has been affected by this “reform” and more recently, many of the politicians that supported its passing. Alaskans don’t want backroom politics. They want leaders who follow the promises they blew out on the campaign trail like pixie dust, the laundry list of do’s and not’s that won them the vote into office. Alaskans want to be informed and have choices. They want their financial and personal security protected and they want long-term economic stability and growth for this state.
Our state has earned high numbers recently, but on the opposite side of the scale we want to see. A first for a judicial reform since statehood that gave criminals a free pass to take what they didn’t work for, a free pass to cause fear and uncertainty in our own homes, on our own streets. First in choosing to use PFD monies to fund government, taking away Alaskan’s choices on how they want to invest their money into their communities. We rank the highest in the nation for unemployment and voted America’s worst state for business. At a cost of over $20,000 per student, we rank #45 in education with some of the lowest test scores in the nation last year for K-12. We are #46 for cost of living and #1-#3 for healthcare costs.
Alaska is in a crisis. Our leadership is failing us and our once great state has brought home a report card with failing grades. Something must be done. This is not the Alaska I want to leave to our next generation. It is time we work together and piece back this great state to the economic empire it has always been known. We can make Alaska great again and build it to be all it can be.
As your State House Representative, I will go beyond the needs of my district and will fight for the needs and rights of all Alaskans. I will work to restore our PFD, limit government overreach and find sustainable ways to balance our state budget. All while including you in the plan. I care about you, I care about Alaska and I will make your voice count in Juneau!