Protecting Your Rights: Serving West Anchorage

July 3, 2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Happy Independence Day! With a beautiful Alaskan summer in full swing, I hope everyone is enjoying our long days with friends and family. Read on to find information about Fourth of July celebrations happening around Anchorage this weekend.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate passed the Congressional Reconciliation Bill that will cut Medicaid benefits for Alaskans. The House of Representatives passed the bill today. Governor Dunleavy called a special session to begin on August 2nd. And the Governor vetoed three bills intended to protect Alaskans from predatory loans, fund a rural boarding school, and help audit oil and gas taxes.

Happy Independence Day!

Our best wishes to everyone celebrating Independence Day. There are several events happening around Anchorage. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Anchorage 4th of July Celebration

When: Friday, July 4th, 11am

Where: Delaney Park Strip

Head to the Delaney Park Strip (between E and I Street) for a day filled with carnival rides, food trucks, craft and farmers market vendors, live music, and a 21-and-older beer garden. The festivities kick off at 10 a.m. with the parade scheduled for 11 a.m. For more information, click here.

4th of July Baseball Game

When: Friday, July 4th, 7:00 PM

Where: Mulcahy Stadium

Take the family out to the ball game Friday for the Alaska Baseball League’s annual faceoff between the Anchorage Glacier Pilots and the Anchorage Bucs . It’s a doubleheader at Mulcahy Stadium at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. with fireworks to follow the second game. Tickets are $10 and are available at the gate.

Note on Fireworks

All fireworks, including sparklers, are illegal in the Municipality of Anchorage and face a fine of up to $300. In the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, fireworks are only legal on New Year’s Eve. The Bureau of Land Management is restricting fireworks and open fires in the Interior due to fire danger. For more information, click here.

Federal Reconciliation Bill

This week, the Senate passed the federal budget reconciliation bill 51-50, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. The House of Representatives passed the bill today by a vote of 218-214.

The bill permanently extends tax cuts first established in 2017 and largely benefits wealthy taxpayers over poor ones. It is projected to increase the national debt by $3.3 trillion over the next ten years. It increases Medicaid work requirements and is expected to cause 12 million Americans to lose their health care over the next decade. It slashes Federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps feed roughly 80,000 Alaskans each year, and will force states to shoulder more of the costs. It will end renewable energy tax credits that helped finance many Alaskan energy developments, including in rural villages that struggle to access affordable energy. The loss of these clean energy tax credits is particularly concerning as the Railbelt faces a natural gas shortage that is expected to raise energy prices for Anchorage residents in the coming years.

Senator Murkowski, Senator Sullivan, and Congressman Begich all voted in support of the bill. The Senate repeatedly revised the bill in recent days, with several last-minute additions specifically added to win Senator Murkowski's vote. There are tax credits for whaling captains and Western Alaska fishermen, and funding for rural hospitals. And Alaska won't have to pay the additional SNAP costs for another two years. Finally, a key change that would have funneled more money for Medicaid to Alaska was ruled out of order and removed from the final version.

Many of these provisions are concerning. With declining oil prices and lower tax revenue, Alaska faced a budget deficit that forced us to make difficult cuts this year. Our state lacks the resources to take on more costs for basic services like healthcare and food assistance that thousands of Alaskans depend on.

President Trump is expected to sign the bill on Friday.

Additional Vetoes and a Special Session

Last month, Governor Dunleavy vetoed three more bills:

Senate Bill 183 requires the Department of Revenue to release certain records of tax payments to the Legislative Auditor. In recent years, the Department of Revenue has refused to comply with requests for oil and gas tax records, meaning there is no way to know if oil and gas companies are paying all of the taxes they owe. In response to the Governor's veto of Senate Bill 183, the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee voted to issue a subpoena to collect the information required to assess oil and gas taxes. SB 183 passed the Senate 19-0 and the House 31-7.
House Bill 174, by Representative Burke, changes the funding mechanism for Mount Edgecumbe High School, a state-run boarding school located in Sitka. Currently, the State funds that school through the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. It competes for funding with much bigger projects. House Bill 174 would place Mount Edgecumbe High School on the same maintenance priority list as other school maintenance projects. HB 174 passed the House 34-5 and the Senate 20-0.
Senate Bill 39, by Senator Dunbar, protects Alaskans from predatory loan practices. It would cap loans of up to $25,000 at a 36% interest rate. Some payday lenders charge interest of up to 500%. These loans disproportionately affect low-income Alaskans. SB 39 passed the Senate 14-6 and the House 24-16.

These vetoes are in addition to the Governor's line-item budget vetoes, which we discussed in our last newsletter, and his vetoes of two education funding bills earlier this session. For a full list of legislation the Governor has vetoed, click here.

On Wednesday, the Governor issued notice for a special session on August 2nd. The subjects of the special session are limited to education reform and the creation of a Department of Agriculture. Earlier this year, the Legislature voted to disapprove an executive order creating a Department of Agriculture.

Article II, Section 16 of Alaska's Constitution states:

"Bills vetoed after adjournment of the first regular session of the legislature shall be reconsidered by the legislature sitting as one body no later than the fifth day of the next regular or special session of that legislature."

Because the legislature has been called into a special session, we will be required to reconsider the bills the Governor has vetoed. This includes Senate Bill 183, House Bill 174, Senate Bill 39, and the Governor's line-item vetoes, including over $50 million in vetoed education funding.

Under Article II, Section 16 of the Constitution, bills to raise revenue and appropriations bills or items require a three-fourths vote of the Legislature to override a veto (45 out of 60). Other vetoed bills need a two-thirds vote (40 out of 60).

Community Information

Right Tree, Right Place

Planting evergreens can create a winter windbreak for your home, and planting trees which lose their leaves in the fall can provide shade in the summer while allowing the sun to shine through on short Alaska winter days. If you are thinking of planting, choose the appropriate tree or shrub to minimize conflicts between trees and utility lines. And remember, planting in the utility easement can make it difficult for Chugach or other utilities to gain access and to maintain their facilities. The result could mean your landscaping might need to be moved or trimmed.

Chugach Electric is certified by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree Line USA utility. Chugach works with an arborist who is available to help customers determine what type of plants and trees should be planted near utility rights of way.

Call Chugach at (907) 762-7679 for more information or click here.

Community Events

First Friday

When: Friday, July 4th 6pm-9pm

Where: Anchorage Museum and other locations

Bring the whole family to enjoy free museum admission. Stop by Muse x Crush Bistro for snacks, or view rapid space shorts in the planetarium.

Thomas Planetarium - Rapid Space Shorts 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8 & 8:30 p.m.

These quick planetarium experiences range from constellation tours of the night sky and cruising around the solar system to learning about light and the aurora borealis. Free; ticket required and available at the front desk after 6 p.m.

For the full list of First Friday events, click here.

Girdwood Forest Fair

When: July 4th and 5th 11am-8pm, July 6th 11am-6pm

Where: Girdwood Fairgrounds, Mile 2.2 Alyeska Highway

The Girdwood Forest Fair is a family fair that has become an annual event in the resort town of Girdwood, Alaska located 36 miles south of Anchorage. The Forest Fair features Alaskan artists, hand-crafted items, exotic foods and entertainers from all over Alaska. The parade will start at 10am on July 5th. For more information, click here.