Legislators are not good role models
How is it that legislators seem to get away with claiming to be education advocates who care about kids when they are running for office, and then go to Juneau and cut education in ways that make it impossible for all students to succeed? Who are these people, each year proposing bills to continually dismantle public education? Even people like me, who pay attention, have trouble keeping track when they sneak in last-minute revisions without public testimony. The governor and legislators' offices are being flooded with calls from across the state asking that they not cut education funding, but these impassioned calls are being ignored. Alaska has spoken. Do you not hear us, or are you just not listening?
Our state Constitution mandates every child have access to a public education, not to mention that our schools serve other important societal functions. At a time when we rate among the highest for suicide, abuse, and drug/alcohol issues nationally, studies show that students can overcome adversity if they have one caring adult in their school. These cuts are depriving them of those adults, and leaving our most vulnerable at risk, with devastating impacts on real kids and their families. We will either pay now to help produce productive citizens, or pay later for property destruction, violence, prison, and other court costs.
I write this on a day when I am helping to provide support for a family and school community who lost a child through unfortunate circumstances. Make no mistake — education funding is, quite literally, a life or death issue.
Our children and communities will suffer without the positive role models they need to show them the way. When our leaders give lip service to "family values," but cannot be counted on to keep their word, what does that show our youth? I expect each legislator who campaigned as an education advocate to keep his or her promise to keep education funding intact. Are you just glib politicians, or public servants we can count on? Your actions will answer that question.
— Tina Bernoski
Anchorage
LIO could lend hand to the homeless
The deluxe no-bid multimillion-dollar Legislative Information Office building Alaska's lawmakers have given themselves in downtown Anchorage — the same downtown where a drive through any night presents shivering homeless people bedded down in any niche they can find — could have another use during its downtime.
When legislators are away in Juneau, taxpayers are still paying for the mostly locked building's upkeep — lease, maintenance, utilities, security — so during the 90-day session perhaps at least its hallways could be opened to the homeless for a safe overnight refuge this winter.
— Cheryl Chapman
Anchorage
Public safety must include safe traffic
Every minute of every day I am driving, my personal safety is challenged. Not due to anything I do. I drive my son to school, work, shopping etc. — the same thing all people in Anchorage are doing. With all this talk about public safety before the elections, where are the traffic police to monitor the ignorant drivers? There are three to four daily red light runners at intersections. People drive on the median or sidewalk. A yellow light means slow down, not gun it.
Yes, you can turn on red at most lights, but stopping and looking is the first requirement. And the speeders, I am not talking about the 5-mph-over people, I am talking about being passed by a speeding vehicle in a work or school zone. There is no police presence to deter the violators. Why does public safety not include traffic safety?
— Juli Webster
Anchorage
Medicare is low-cost option to ERs
I read with interest Brent Fisher's commentary on Medicaid expansion (ADN, Monday). He made several good points but missed the mark on one of his primary points. "Cost-shifting" by hospitals is done when uninsured and unreimbursed care is provided by the hospitals, and the costs of that care are added into the prices charged to the insured patient-base of the hospital. In the real world, this type of cost-shifting is not more efficient than using Medicaid to pay for the uninsured.
First, most of the uninsured medical care occurs in hospital ERs, which are vastly more expensive per unit of patient care than private practice normal costs. Second, the cost-shifting to insured patients done by hospitals occurs mostly through privately insured patients. Overheads on private insurance typically run 20-30 percent whereas most studies show Medicaid and Medicare plans being administered with less than 10 percent overhead.
Alaska's Medicare program has had its problems, but overall it remains a relatively low-cost method of providing medical care for low-income patients, especially when compared to cost-shifting to hospital ERs.
— Allen Tigert,
Symbiotes — 25 years of medical billing support
Anchorage
U.S. health care needs second opinion
I would like to reassure Brent Fisher (ADN, Monday) that there are no lifetime caps on medical treatment in Germany, the United Kingdom or my country, Canada. Yet even seemingly well-insured Americans may find themselves medically indigent if they acquire a serious illness or disability, notwithstanding that the U.S. has double the per capita health costs of these wealthy countries that have universal public health insurance.
I think your readers should ask for a second opinion.
— Michael Rachlis MD
Toronto
Nonhunters need Game Board voice
When the Legislature rejected Robert Ruffner's appointment to the Alaska Board of Fisheries (ADN, Monday) one of the arguments against him was he was not from Anchorage and therefore would not effectively support the interests of Anchorage residents, including those participating in personal use fisheries. But similar arguments did not apply when a Alaska Board of Game appointee from Yakutat was confirmed to replace a member from Anchorage. Residents of Anchorage, the largest population center in the state, are now left with no one to represent them on the Game Board.
While it is true that the statutes do not require geographic balance on these boards, tradition has always favored it. Now, thousands of Anchorage residents interested in wildlife who observe, photograph and experience wild animals as nonhunters must interact with seven board members who all too often only consider the interests of hunters.
In recent years, the Game Board has become less and less diverse and more and more focused solely on hunting and trapping issues. But wildlife management must also include the interests of nonhunters who deserve representation from board members who are part of the local community.
During the remainder of his term, Gov. Bill Walker will have the opportunity to provide balance on the Game Board as terms expire and new appointments are made. Anchorage residents must strongly encourage him to find well qualified candidates from Anchorage. If the Fish Board deserves balance, why should the Game Board be any different?
— Vic Van Ballenberghe
Anchorage
Heres to moose and Mayor Berkowitz
Recently there was an ADN commentary by a former Alaska Department of Fish and Game official that reported on a presentation to the Anchorage Assembly about outlawing the spiked design for wrought-iron fences. Moose are jumping these fences and are often impaled on them with obvious suffering.
Assemblyman Dick Traini reportedly said that Assembly members don't represent the moose. It was further reported that Assemblywoman Amy Demboski commented on how attractive the spiked design is. I am appalled that we have people in municipal government who think like this.
Here's to Mayor Ethan Berkowitz.
— Dody Froehlich
Anchorage
Stop cutting and give us a real plan
I'd like our dear state senators to know Alaskans actually do understand the state is broke. We understand the state is so broke there is no way to cut ourselves out of this mess. We need a comprehensive budget plan that looks at corporate and individual taxes, new industries, and budget cuts.
But so far, what we have seen from our legislative leaders is an effort to gut our public schools while they ride in glass elevators in their fancy new building. I think they are using our budget problems as an excuse to dismantle public education in this state.
When families make financial priorities, they take care of their children first. So should the state of Alaska. Adults need to step up and take care of our children's educations as the state's top priority. Then we need to get real and come up with a comprehensive fiscal plan so we aren't in this same place a year from now. We elected our legislators to solve problems. It's time to do it.
— Megan Richotte
Anchorage
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