The governor’s pushback against a recall is no surprise. Now that a recall is going forward, he once again believes in educational funding, supports a bandage to the ferry system and flat funding for other services. That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be recalled. His initiatives already have caused great harm to Alaska in many ways, and more of the same is going to be disastrous.
His initial approach was to cut state services to the bone to provide a $3,000 Permanent Fund dividend was an intellectual exercise, in more or less his own words, to show a path to a balanced budget with a “full dividend” every Alaskan deserved. This plan was striking in the way it violated so many of his campaign promises and even tried to steal local infrastructure and property taxes from oil- and seafood-impacted communities. His campaign promises included no cuts to education, social services, Medicaid, ferry service, etc. All were deeply hurt by his betrayals.
I live in rural Alaska, close to where I was born and where endless generations of my ancestors merged with newcomers. I spent most of my adult life working to expand economic opportunities in coastal Alaska. During my retirement, I have dedicated my life to giving back to my community and all of Alaska. My volunteer work with the Seward Community Foundation certainly strengthened my understanding of the number of Alaskans needing assistance.
I recently helped produce two videos of the history of Moose Pass and was inspired by the grit and independence of the Alaska spirit I experienced during Territorial days and early statehood. What a stark contrast to the current entitlement and no-payback attitude of too many Alaskans.
I grew up paying a state income tax as well as a school tax and received little in return. Now I get a hefty PFD and pay no taxes to the state. Sounds a lot like entitlements/and/or socialism to my ears.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposals showed a fundamental detachment from the real impacts upon all rural residents, which would have been devastating until the people stepped in and the Legislature finally crossed its partisan divide. I’m not a legal expert, but I know Dunleavy is not fit to be the governor of the state that is in the marrow of my bones.
— Rodger Painter
Moose Pass
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