Protecting Your Rights: Serving Sand Lake, Spenard and Turnagain

January 28, 2022

State of the State

Governor Dunleavy returned to an in-person State of the State address this year, after the pandemic forced a switch to virtual. The governor has proposed a budget that is based on a rise in the price of oil, changes in the stock market, and over $350 million in one-time funds from the federal government.

The governor's budget and plan do not represent a responsible fiscal plan for Alaska. We have been running a deficit every year since 2012, and it's not responsible to keep closing the deficit by spending from our savings and hoping for more one-time federal funds. What I hear from District 21 is that we need a responsible action plan for Alaska that includes a balanced budget; essential services like public safety, public health, and public education; and our public servants working together to grow Alaska's economy.

I took a few minutes to reflect on the governor's address and the economic challenges we face during the upcoming legislative session.

Click here to watch to my thoughts about addressing our challenges

Legislative Investigation into APFC Executive Director Firing

The Legislative Budget and Audit Committee recently held two meetings focused on the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation's (APFC) board of trustees firing of its former executive director, Angela Rodell. At yesterday's meeting, the committee voted unanimously to approve a $100,000 investigation into the matter and granted the power to issue subpoenas to the committee chair, Senator Natasha Von Imhof. In today's ADN article about the matter, Sen. Von Imhof said that the intent of the investigation is to determine if there was any political influence by the Permanent Fund board of trustees or the executive branch.

Angela Rodell acted as executive director of the fund for over five years. In her tenure, Rodell nearly doubled the net gain of the fund by delivering $23.8 billion in a five year gain.

Rodell maintains that her firing on December 9, 2021 was "political retribution" by Governor Dunleavy's appointees for her advocacy against additional draws over the Percent of Market Value revenue cap law. These actions are in direct conflict with the governor's promise of large dividends.

Craig Richards, chairman of the APFC Board of Trustees, provided testimony to the Legislative Budget and Audit committee on January 17. At that meeting, he denied any claims that the firing was based on political motivations.

The APFC Board of Trustees is guided by AS 37.13.020. Under its current directive, the Board is appointed by the governor, with specific requirements that two of the members are heads of principal departments of state government, one of which being the commissioner of revenue. The APFC has an explanation of the board’s duties that can be found here.

Over recent years, the state of Alaska has shifted from an oil state to an investment state, with 70 percent of annual state revenue coming from Permanent Fund earnings. Today, the Alaska Permanent Fund currently funds the majority of the annual state budget. Since 2016, the legislature has held the line on the Percent of Market Value Revenue Cap, which allows for sustainable protection of the Permanent Fund. The governor continues to advocate for an overdraw of the earnings account of the Permanent Fund, breaking the POMV law, in order to pay for a large dividend. There is concern that the governor, in the interest of his political agenda, advocated for the firing of Ms. Rodell. We remain concerned that there was inappropriate actions surrounding the firing and ultimately misguided efforts to overdraw the account.

Free, at-home COVID tests are still available!

Go to https://www.covidtests.gov/ to order free at-home COVID tests. The only information required to order the tests is a person's name and an address. Every home in the United States is eligible to order 4 tests. Orders ship through USPS within 7-12 days.

Here are some helpful tips for ordering the tests:

If you want updates on your order, include your email address when you order
If you are having trouble ordering tests to an apartment, try listing the apartment number in the "Street Address" line instead of the "Apt" line
You can look up exactly how USPS lists your address and use that format if you continue to have problems: https://tools.usps.com/zip-code-lookup.htm
If you are experiencing difficulties with ordering, call the USPS help desk at 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777)

And here are some helpful tips for using the tests:

Try to store the tests within the test temperature specifics on the box
Bring the test to room temperature prior to use
Be alert of an invalid test -- for many tests this is seeing that the "control" line looks appropriate
Avoid using tests that have experienced multiple freeze-thaw cycles -- the information given by the manufacturer so far indicates that one freeze-thaw cycle will not invalidate the efficacy of the test
If you are ill and test negative, consider going to a local testing center to get tested

2022 Legislative Update and Fiscal Presentation

It was great to meet, albeit virtually, with constituents prior to the start of the 2022 Legislative Session. At the meeting, I presented an update.

Click here to listen to my 2022 Legislative Update

As we move forward with this session, please continue to call, write and email our office. We love to hear from you.

Community Events

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:

Spenard Community Council

When: Wednesday, February 2 at 7:00 PM

Where: Virtual Zoom Meeting. Click here for details.

Turnagain Community Council

When: Thursday, February 3 at 7:00 PM

Where: Virtual Zoom Meeting. Click here for details.

Sand Lake Community Council

When: Monday, February 14 at 6:30 PM

Where: Virtual Zoom Meeting. Click here for details.

ANC Job Fair

Looking for your next career? Check out the ANC Job Fair at the Ted Stevens International Airport. Explore your potential, with jobs in law enforcement, the travel industry, and more. Parking is free and masks are required.

When: Saturday, January 29 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Where: Ted Stevens International Airport, 4600 Postmark Dr.

For more information and to RSVP, visit the event Facebook page.