The Corrupt Bastards Club sequel is coming to light. This time, it is forming in Gov. Dunleavy’s administration. He is using the excuse of an emergency order to award a no-bid contract to a private for-profit company with close ties to Donna Arduin, the governor’s budget director. This is at the expense of very vulnerable Alaskans and the safety of the employees at Alaska Psychiatric Institute.
Past Legislatures, through their draconian budget cuts to API, the Department of Health and Social Services, treatment programs, staffing to these departments, and education, to name a few, must share responsibility for many of the problems at API. The Legislature and the governor must fix the revenue shortage problem.
More budget cuts is not the answer. Privatization of the management of API is not the answer either. What is the cost of oversight to protect the clients and staff? The only real winner is for-profit Wellpath Recovery Solutions.
— Laura Bonner
Anchorage
Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.