Protecting Your Rights: Serving Sand Lake, Spenard and Turnagain

January 29, 2021

In this issue:

• State of the State

• COVID-19 Vaccinations Surpass Cases in Alaska

• AMATS Non-Motorized Plan

• Alaska Budget Choices

• Community Events

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Last night, Governor Dunleavy gave his third State of the State address. The Governor focused on three main topics: the Permanent Fund Dividend, constitutional amendments to limit state spending and require public approval for tax increases, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

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State of the State

Governor Dunleavy delivered his 2021 State of the State address virtually this year. The governor again proposed overdrawing the Permanent Fund Earnings Reserve to pay a $5,000 dividend and again suggested legalized gaming as a way to bring revenue to the state. He also proposed increased funding for home schools.

The governor's budget and 10-year plan do not represent a responsible fiscal plan for Alaska. I took a few minutes to reflect on the governor's address and the economic and budget challenges we face during the upcoming legislative session.

Click here to listen to my response to the SOS address

COVID-19 Vaccinations Administered in Alaska Surpass Alaska Resident Cases

Recently, the Department of Health and Social services made two announcements:

Alaska now has more people who have been vaccinated with their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine than residents who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Alaska is currently ranked first among states for the percentage of people per capita who have been given at least one shot according to the Bloomberg vaccine tracker, which pulls from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s database and state dashboards.

Numerous updates have been made to the State Vaccine Website - covidvax.alaska.gov. Navigability functions have improved, font and color scheme changes have been added based on feedback from senior advocates and users, and clearer instructions on finding an appointment and how to enroll for an appointment have been provided.

DHSS announced that more vaccine appointment slots were added Thursday, January 27. To see if you are eligible for the vaccine and to sign up for an appointment, visit covidvax.alaska.gov or call 1-907-646-3322.

In addition to these changes, Alaskans have another resource to contact for assistance in scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. There are now four full-time Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) staff ready to assist seniors. ADRC can be reached at: 1-855-565-2017 and choose option #1. The phone lines are manned from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Alaskans who are eligible to receive the vaccine are still encouraged to contact their local public health office or primary care provider, as well, for information.

Please don't hesitate to contact my office with questions or concerns:

(907) 465-4919

Rep.Matt.Claman@akleg.gov

AMATS Non-Motorized Plan (NMP) Out for Public Review

AMATS is the acronym for Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Solutions. Every metropolitan area with a population of more than 50,000 residents must have a designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for transportation in order to qualify for federal highway or transit assistance. AMATS is the MPO for the Anchorage Bowl and Chugiak-Eagle River areas when federal transportation funds are used. The NMP provides the vision for a non-motorized network within the AMATS Metropolitan Planning Area that when implemented, will help residents travel more safely and efficiently throughout the AMATS Planning area without the need of a motor vehicle in all seasons. The NMP merges bicycle, pedestrian, and shared use pathways planning efforts simultaneously.

This plan represents over three years of work within the AMATS planning area to study Non-motorized facilities. A series of public involvement opportunities helped shape the development of the AMATS NMP. Residents, visitors, and other stakeholders were invited to provide feedback through a variety of formats, including workshops, presentations, mobile meetings, stakeholder interviews, field data collection, and an online community survey. An agency advisory group (AAG) and community advisory group (CAG) provided additional oversight throughout the process by reviewing key deliverables, informing plan goals and objectives, and guiding the regulatory and implementation component of the plan.

View the NMP Draft Plan

Visit the AMATS website

Alaska Budget Choices

The website www.akbudget.com offers Alaskans the opportunity to make revenue and spending choices to address the projected $1.3 billion shortfall in this year's budget. If you have a moment, please consider taking 5 minutes to work through the 28-question exercise and share your thoughts!