Education funding must be
priority No. 1 for Legislature
I am a lifelong Alaskan, graduate of public schools in Fairbanks, and ASD parent and educator. I count myself among the thousands of parents and voters who are appalled at the proposed cuts to education coming from Juneau. Funding the education of our future citizens is the constitutional duty of our legislators. Doing so without compromising the integrity of our school system is imperative.
There are myriad alternatives to the proposed cuts. While it's obvious that oil tax income has dropped dramatically, we still have annual earnings from the Permanent Fund that can and should be added to the equation. With the lowest tax rate of any state in the U.S., we Alaskans can and should start contributing to the services we receive with an income tax. Legislators should reinstate the defined benefits retirement program to save millions. Maybe legislators should have a bake sale or garage sale to fund office supplies or travel expenses like our children do in their schools. There are many, many options which need to be explored — but cutting education is not one of them. Our children — our future workforce — are depending on us to explore every option to preserve their futures.
— Susan Gullickson
Anchorage
Our wonderful community
deserves better than Jenkins
In his Sunday column, Paul Jenkins made light of the threats painted on the vehicles of refugees from the killing fields of Darfur, Sudan. He claimed that Anchorage is fortunate to have a polite brand of vandal.
If he had attended Saturday's celebration of diversity at the Northway Mall and met some of the fine Sudanese who live in our community, he would have written a more accurate and helpful piece.
Jenkins' lack of professionalism is demonstrated by his statement that "in one such attack years ago, the vandal — a business owner later prosecuted for attacking his own business — painted simply 'We hate Arabs.' "
He refers to our friend Mike Maad, a U.S. citizen born in Syria who, following the 9/11 disaster, spoke out against the terrorists. Knowing Mike was of Arab descent, local vandals trashed his print shop, destroyed his valuable printing presses, and wrote hateful words on his office wall. These vandals were never identified or punished.
Jenkins claims Maad was "prosecuted" for that vandalism, which is untrue. Federal prosecutor Dan Cooper announced to the press that Mike was to blame; however, when he realized he had no evidence, he prosecuted Mike for making errors on an application for a small business loan. Cooper's gaffes eventually caught up with him. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the verdict on all counts.
It's disappointing that Alaska Dispatch News continues to print Jenkins' biased, out-of-touch and poorly researched opinions. Our wonderful community deserves better.
— Malcolm and Cindy Roberts
Anchorage
Dont cut schools funding
People have kids, and they need education now, not in 10 years. Cut something else.
The Alaska Senate Finance Committee with its majority five Republicans (Kelly, MacKinnon, Micciche, Bishop, and Dunleavy) and minority two Democrats (Hoffman and Olson) cut $47 million more from the House budget (that had already cut $32 million from promise made last year). Hundreds of teachers in major districts will lose their jobs to that budget constraint. Who will teach all these different kids with their different ages and abilities and interests?
Republicans, please stand up for all Alaskans and support funding for education. Cut something else.
— Wendy Weber
Anchorage
New taxes needed for state
My sincere congratulations to Sen. Click Bishop and Reps. Paul Seaton and Bryce Edgmon for their political courage in confronting the need for new taxes to support our state. No doubt, this will cost them a few votes in their next election, but hopefully it will gain them more votes from citizens who want honest, realistic representation in Juneau.
I differ with all three on the method and extent of the tax, but we must first admit the validity of the need — then we can fight out (at great length, I'm sure) the nuts and bolts of the process.
— Don Neal
Anchorage
Why no election results?
OK, I suppose I can (grudgingly) live without baseball box scores in my morning paper. But no Anchorage election results, when the polls closed at 8 p.m. and the ballot was extremely light? That goes beyond disappointing — that's shameful.
— Dave Rush
Former newspaper editor
Anchorage
Editor's note: Due to a production error, some home-delivery subscribers in Anchorage received an early edition of Wednesday's newspaper without the results of Tuesday's municipal election. We're sorry for the problem and thank you for reading.
With a tweak, great idea, Sen. Huggins!
Sen. Charlie Huggins, R-Wasilla, has suggested that the DNA of all middle-school students be tested to match up today's children with tomorrow's hypothetical crimes. This idea definitely should be implemented, though with Alaska legislators, and Sen. Huggins should head the line. Can't be too careful.
— Cheryl Chapman
Anchorage
Protect states well-being and natural resources
Alaska was ranked as the happiest state in the union in 2014 — according to research done across the country by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Why? I believe a significant reason is because Alaska has the unique beauty and natural resources that contribute to residents' love for what we do each day and to our physical, financial, social and community well-being.
Most Alaskans have some sort of daily access to our natural treasures. And salmon is one of the most valuable and accessible natural treasures in our state: providing for subsistence, sport and commercial fishing. The Chuitna River — across Cook Inlet from Anchorage, and sometimes called the "Kenai River of the West Side," is one of our state's beautiful resources that nurtures salmon.
The proposed Chuitna coal strip mine would completely destroy the underlying water flow paths essential for overwinter survival of salmon eggs in a primary tributary of the Chuitna River — Middle Creek — by tearing it apart to mine underneath, and setting a precedent of destructive mining practices. Is it worth sacrificing a renewable resource that supplies many Alaskans with subsistence, for a finite resource that will benefit only PacRim, an out-of-state company, and the countries it exports to? Will this mine add to the well-being of Alaskans by taking our salmon? By polluting our air? Will it help Alaska remain the happiest state? Submit your comment to keep water in the Chuitna by emailing DNR (kimberly.sager@alaska.net) and Gov. Bill Walker (bill.walker@alaska.gov) by Thursday, April 9.
— Krista Timlin
Soldotna
School funding cuts sting
I am shocked by the budget cuts that Republicans passed in Juneau over the Easter weekend. Did they think we wouldn't notice? Now they are leaving it to a conference committee to make this fateful decision. They need to put the funding back that they promised in the last legislative session. That is the funding that schools have made their plans around.
Our children did not cause this financial crisis and their education should not be where we make up the difference. They were not able to get vouchers passed so now they are intent on gutting public education. It is very short-sighted for the future of Alaska. I don't remember this ever happening before in the 40 years I've lived in Alaska.
— Mary Bristol
Anchorage
Lawmakers, have decency
Senate Republicans who voted to demolish school funding should be ashamed of themselves. Exercising your "fiscal conservative" credentials against those who are too young to vote is a dirty trick, but not all that unexpected given the horrendous state of corruption in politics throughout the country and especially here in Alaska.
I realize having a "dumbed down" electorate helps you yahoos get elected, but do we really need to stick it to the grade-schoolers? Have a little decency, for God's sake.
— Lee Pulliam
Anchorage
Motorists take it in tank
While crude oil prices have been stagnant for several months, has anyone else noticed that gasoline pricing has started its seasonal, upward, not-so-subtle creep? From the lowest price of recent times several months ago of around $2.39 to the most recent $2.79. With no appreciable change in the crude oil pricing. Here we go again — with no competition, the purveyors get to charge whatever they choose and the motorist gets to "take it in the tank."
And let's drop that $0.009 from pricing — it is as antiquated as daylight saving time — well past its useful life and serves no purpose.
— David M. Schauer
Anchorage
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@alaskadispatch.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.