Claman-AKMatters

Thank you for voting! While Election Day is over, we may not know the outcome of several key races in Alaska for days or weeks. Read on to learn the key dates for ranked-choice tabulation and election certification.

The General Election is on November 5th. Make sure you’re ready to vote and check out our last newsletter with information on how to register and how to vote early. When Alaskans vote, Alaska wins!

This month, we received disappointing news that Alaska will miss important opportunities for federal funds. The U.S. Department of Transportation rejected $52 million for statewide transportation funds, and U.S. Department of Education withheld $17.5 million from the Alaska Department of Education for our public schools. The administration’s failure to secure these funds to maintain our

This month, Governor Dunleavy vetoed bipartisan bills that passed the Legislature with broad support. One of those, Senate Bill 127, would have lowered the current tax rate for peer-to-peer car rentals like Turo and would have protected Alaskans from efforts to collect back-taxes on prior Turo rentals.

On Labor Day, we honor the working people who keep our communities running, and the legacy of collective action for dignified working conditions. This Labor Day, we wish everyone a safe and happy holiday to close out the end of summer. Read on for a history of the holiday and community events.

Fall is nearly here and the Anchorage School District (ASD) started classes last week. Several changes at ASD will impact students, families, and community members this school year.

Last week, the governor signed House Bill 66, the consolidated crime bill, into law. I was pleased to attend and speak alongside other advocates and legislators. Today, Senate Bill 91, improvements for telehealth services, became law. Our office worked extensively on both of these bills, and we’re proud to see them cross the finish line.

Last week, the Governor approved the FY 2025 operating and capital budgets, which included his FY 2025 line-item budget vetoes. The vetoes include cuts to public education, public safety, and public health services. Below, we discuss his vetoes, the final budget, the Alaska Supreme Court’s correspondence school ruling, and 4th of July events.

Summer has begun, the busiest time of year, and whether you’re traveling with family, hunting and fishing, working in the garden, or enjoying our great trails, we hope you’re enjoying the long days.

This week, I attended the Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference. This session, we had substantial discussion on energy policy and several substantial energy bills passed the Legislature. Moving forward, we have more work to do to ensure future energy supplies in Cook Inlet.