Donny Olson

We call on our colleagues to bring the Legislature back into session and get Alaska small businesses the relief they need.

Opinion: Perhaps this will be a learning experience for us to realize we need to work together for the best interest of all Alaskans rather than letting the differences in personal politics prevent us from reaching a fair settlement for the state we serve.

The Legislature is currently reviewing a program that allows local communities a greater say in development decisions. It should be preserved and strengthened.

In 2005 the Alaska Legislative Council commissioned a pollster to ask state residents their opinion about whether teenage girls should be required to receive a parent's consent before obtaining an abortion. The result: Almost 80 percent of Alaskans endorsed this concept.