Protecting Your Rights: Serving Sand Lake, Spenard and Turnagain |
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In this issue:
• Early and Forward Funding K-12 Education
• Protecting Friends and Neighbors
• MOA Mayoral Runoff Election
• Community Events
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As the legislature moves past the 90th day of the legislative session, we continue to focus on the state’s budget. This week, the House continued its commitment to responsible support for our public schools by approving public school funding for the next two years to support our teachers and provide certainty for our districts.
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Early and Forward Funding K-12 Education
On Thursday, the House passed House Bill 169, a bill that forward funds K-12 education for the 2021-22 and the 2022-23 school years. HB 169 passed 26-to-14 with unanimous support from the Alaska House Majority Coalition along with several members of the minority caucus. It was good to see so many of the House members work together for public education. Timely funding of education is a top priority, and Thursday's vote shows there is broad agreement that we need to fulfill our constitutional obligations by investing in strong public schools.
As the legislature continues to work on the budget, Alaska's students, teachers, and parents deserve certainty that our schools will have the resources they need, year in and year out. HB 169 does not increase K-12 funding. It simply commits to following the statutory base student allocation formula in FY2022 and FY2023. The proposal now heads to the Senate for consideration. If approved by the Senate and the Governor, the bill will eliminate the possibility of teachers receiving pink slips this year or next.
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Protecting Friends and Neighbors By Getting Vaccinated
Just a few weeks ago, Alaska led the country in the percentage of people with at least one shot, but Alaska’s COVID-19 vaccination rate is slowing and our cases are rising. The best step that Alaskans can take is to get vaccinated. The more vaccines we administer, the less chance for the virus to spread to our most at risk friends and neighbors.
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The House Labor and Commerce Committee heard from business leaders across the state who emphasized the importance of vaccines in re-opening Alaska's economy and keeping it open. Their testimony detailed the struggles that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on their businesses and how vaccinations represent the best path forward to get Alaska back to normal.
Thank you to the business leaders who are speaking up about how our businesses are relying on Alaskans to get vaccinated so our economy can return to normal as quickly as possible. The business leaders emphasized that vaccination is a pro-business policy. When we get vaccinated, we reopen the economy and save small businesses.
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MOA Mayoral Runoff Election
The MOA Elections Team announced that it mailed out approximately 223,000 ballot packages to qualified registered voters for the May 11, 2021 Mayoral Runoff Election. Voters can expect to receive their ballot package in the mail by Wednesday, April 28, 2021.
Voters are encouraged to vote their ballots and return them as soon as possible.
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The Municipal Clerk’s Office reminds voters that Voting at Home/Voting by Mail is as easy as 1-2-3!
1. Vote your ballot, filling in the ovals completely, place the ballot in the secrecy sleeve, then place both into the ballot return envelope.
2. Sign the declaration on the back of the ballot return envelope.
3. Save postage by returning your ballot to one of the 18 Secure Drop Boxes or to one of the three Anchorage Vote Centers, or mail your ballot with first-class postage through the United States Postal Service.
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Community Events
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:
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Anchorage City-Wide Career & Job Fair
The Anchorage City-Wide Career and Job Fair is a joint endeavor by a coalition of organizations dedicated to connecting job-seekers and employers in a manner that promotes respect, dignity, and continued employment for all Alaskans.
The Job Fair will be held virtually and broken up into four sessions over two days:
Wednesday, April 28 from 10:00 AM – Noon and 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Thursday, April 29 from 10:00 AM – Noon and 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
To register and become familiar with the virtual platform:
Businesses looking to hire can lock in a virtual booth here:
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UAA Clay Body Club Spring Pottery Sale
UAA Clay Body Club will be hosting their Spring Pottery sale outdoors at the Anchorage Z.J. Loussac Library patio. The event will follow Municipal COVID-19 safety procedures to keep everyone safe.
This means: masks are mandatory, shoppers must maintain safe social distancing, shoppers will be asked to fill out a sign-in sheet for contact tracing purposes, and a limited number of shoppers will be allowed in the sale space at once. Click here for the full list of safety procedures.
When: Friday, April 30 from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
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As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
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CONTACT INFORMATION
(907) 465-4919
State Capitol Bldg. Rm 118
Juneau, Alaska 99801
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CONTACT THE GOVERNOR
(907) 465-3500
550 West 7th Ave. Suite 1700
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
STATE OF ALASKA
State Info: (907) 269-5111
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CONTACT THE ADN
Write a Letter to the Editor
Submit your letter to the Anchorage Daily News via email or web form.
attn: Letters to the Editor
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