Instead of attacking Walker, thank him
My name is Dave Dengel, and I worked for the city of Valdez for 15 years. Seven of those years I served as the Valdez city manager. I worked closely with Bill Walker on many issues. One issue was the development of Alaska's gas for the benefit of all Alaskans.
Bill was instrumental in the formation of the Alaska Gasline Port Authority. The port authority's highest priority is to bring economical energy to Alaska by exporting excess gas to the Asian market. Bill's work on the gas line has shown that the economics and the markets are there to develop our gas on terms favorable to Alaska as well as to the industry. Bill traveled to the Asian markets with his own funds to meet with the buyers of LNG.
Some have claimed that Bill and his firm received excessive compensation for work for the port authority. Bill has donated a significant amount of his time in this effort. Don't be distracted by these false claims; I can personally vouch that this just isn't so.
Rather than attack Bill Walker, we should be thanking him for his efforts and his passion to ensure that all Alaskans benefit from a gas line.
Bill Walker has a passion for doing what's right, no matter the personal cost. It's time to rise above the noise and help Bill finally put Alaska first.
-- Dave Dengel
Valdez
For the sake of Alaska, we need to keep Begich
Being an undeclared voter, I voted for Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich ... but ... now that Murkowski is trying to oust Begich, I can see that she is more interested in her party than Alaska having two senators with enough seniority to be effective. We need to keep Begich where he is. He is an Alaskan.
-- Claude Maney
Anchorage
Dunleavy gets it wrong; we do understand
When the attempt to bypass the education committee in order to amend our constitution failed miserably due to overwhelming bipartisan opposition, Sen. Dunleavy was asked why he kept pursuing it. His answer was that he believed Alaskans just didn't understand the issue.
Sorry, Mike, we understand the issue completely and reject it. For you to imply otherwise is arrogant, condescending and an insult to the intelligence of those you claim to represent. In contrast, Warren Keogh is a statesman of the highest caliber with a proven track record of listening to people and addressing their concerns regardless of political affiliation. That is why he is the independent choice for Senate District E. If you are looking for someone who truly cares about you and is not pushing agendas from outside interests bent on dismantling our fine constitution, please join me in voting for Warren Keogh on Nov. 4.
-- Adam Pollock
Palmer
Wheres the respect, Don?
Apparently, after 80 years on this earth, Don Young never learned that one simple rule: To get respect, you must give respect. He has been and always will be an embarrassment to this great state. We can do better than Don Young.
-- Wayne Martinez
Girdwood
Walker-Mallott team the right choice for Alaska
As a resident of Southwest Alaska for 44 years and a lifelong Democrat, I can't tell you how excited I am about the choice we have for new leadership for Alaska on Nov. 4.
I'm supporting the Walker-Mallott team for governor and lieutenant governor for many reasons as a resident of a fishery-dependent community, Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, the nation's No. 1 commercial fishing port. I want leadership that knows and understands fisheries of this state and their importance as part of the moral fabric and economic engine of fishery-dependent communities across the state. Bill and Byron understand fisheries; Bill was mayor of Valdez and Byron grow up in Yakutat and spent many years in Juneau, where he also served as mayor. They will fight to protect and enhance this very important resource to fishery-dependent communities across the state.
This team has strong positions in support of habitat and resource protection. The public will have the right to weigh in on the permitting process; we won't have to worry about legislation like HB 77 or the doing away with programs like the Alaska Coastal Zone Management Program if we still had one. I support their strong positions in support of education funding, health care and job creation, and they will do all they can to get the economy of this great state moving in the right direction.
I urge you to join me and vote for the independent team of Bill Walker and Byron Mallott for governor and lieutenant governor on Nov. 4. They are the right choice for Alaska.
-- Frank Kelty
Former mayor of Unalaska
To deal with problems, state needs bipartisanship
Alaskans are independent-minded. We make decisions based on information collected on our own from sources we trust, not from the kinds of half-truths and innuendos dished out by professional politicians.
For me, Alaska comes first, not partisan politics. I'm a unique candidate (state House of Representatives, District 22, Anchorage) because I was born and raised in the same community where I'm seeking office, so I know our community expects a lot more than political double-talk. When I go door-to-door and have conversations with neighbors, friends and families, we've talked openly and honestly about how we're going to rein in the state budget, fix our underfunded public schools and build a prosperous future for our kids.
It's not going to be easy. The Legislature has some hard decisions to make. Leaders, both Republican and Democrat, have warned us that excess capital spending will bankrupt the state. We should listen to what Alaska's past leaders such as Bill Egan, Wally Hickel and Jay Hammond have had to say: that our state was best able to tackle tough problems when there was consensus on a bipartisan basis, and when individual legislators had the courage to put the best interests of the state first. It's time for a bipartisan coalition of Alaskans dedicated to finding common ground in the Legislature.
I have a proven history of building consensus across party lines: as a former assessor and a member of the State Assessment Review Board, I've worked with five different mayors and three different governors from both parties. I know what it takes to build bridges -- and to stand up and say no when we don't have the money for one.
-- Marty McGee
Anchorage
Young continues to be an embarrassment
I am not surprised about Don Young's behavior at my son's high school this week. He's been embarrassing this state for many decades.
I'm also not surprised by his hypocrisy. When he talks about people living off the largesse of the federal government and not doing anything to get it, really he should look in the mirror.
The federal government has been paying his bills since he went to Washington.
He also confessed that he was going to sit at his desk and put his feet up and do nothing for the two years since he was reelected.
Hmm, sounds familiar.
The sad part is that the people of this state will once again reelect him for another term, even though he hasn't done anything beneficial for our state in a long while.
It's really time to send that crotchety, bad-mouthed, befuddled old Grinch to a nice quiet retirement.
-- Lori Wilkins
Wasilla
The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter for consideration, email letters@adn.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@alaskadispatch.com.