Protecting Your Rights: Serving Sand Lake, Spenard and Turnagain |
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In this issue:
• Prosecutor Shortage
• Special Election Information
• Community Information
• Community Events
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Alaska's prosecutors need our help. Retention issues due to inadequate compensation are leading prosecutors to leave the state. Information about this shortage of prosecutors and more below.
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The House State Affairs Committee recently heard House Bill 226 – legislation that addresses problems faced by the Alaska prosecutor's office.
Earlier in the legislative session, during the Department of Law Finance Subcommittee hearings, we heard concerning reports about vacancies in the department and extremely high turnover rates. These vacancies are an issue we have been consistently hearing about over the past few years, but this year, we're learning that the issue is getting worse. This problem comes at a time when a backlog of cases exists. Jury trials have been delayed during the pandemic with an increase in unresolved cases.
More than ten Alaska prosecutors testified to the House State Affairs Committee, on their own time, about the current challenge. Here are some highlights from their testimony:
- There are four prosecutors available to prosecute the over 100 open homicide cases in Anchorage.
- Prosecutors consistently work 60-80 hour work weeks.
- The starting salary for a prosecutor in Seattle is $20,000 more than the starting salary for a prosecutor in Alaska (and the Seattle office offers better benefits and a pension).
- The Kodiak District Attorney has seen over one dozen colleagues leave since 2006.
- There are 9 unfilled positions in the Anchorage District Attorney's office out of 38 total positions.
- One sex crimes prosecutor, who regularly helps victims under the age of 10, cares deeply about these cases, but isn't sure she can handle the rising cost of living and high case load much longer.
Our main takeaway from these hearings is that no matter how many police and investigators we empower to police and investigate crimes, if we do not have a full team of prosecutors, these crimes cannot be prosecuted. I am proud to be a co-sponsor of legislation that takes a step toward addressing this crisis.
The House Finance Committee will hear HB 226 on Friday, April 29 at 9:00 AM. You can listen to the hearing here. Written public testimony can be emailed to House.FinanceLegislation@akleg.gov.
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In this week's video update, I took a few minutes to reflect on the problems faced by the state prosecutor's office. |
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→ $13 million toward Anchorage's homelessness plan
This week a group of private organizations announced that they will be donating $7 million to address homelessness in Anchorage. The organizations include Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Calista Corp., Chugach Alaska Corp., Doyon Ltd., Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska, Providence Alaska, the Rasmuson Foundation, and Weidner Apartment Homes. This will be in addition to the $6 million allocated by the Anchorage Assembly to these projects.
The funds from the private donors will go toward four different projects:
- 61-room facility to provide complex care to individuals with ongoing or unmet medical needs. Opens in June with Catholic Social Services as the operator.
- Navigation center and shelter for single adults. Located at Tudor and Elmore roads, this center will house up to 200 single adults with a surge capacity of an additional 130 beds.
- Workforce and permanent supportive housing. Located at Fifth Avenue and Cordova Street, this facility will provide stable housing in 130 rooms.
- Residential treatment center for substance misuse disorders. This facility, to be run by the Salvation Army, is under renovation at 660 E. 48th Ave. and will house 68 individuals.
Read the press release here.
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→ Special Election for U.S. Congress
A special primary election will be held on Saturday, June 11, 2022. Ballots for this election are being mailed automatically to all registered voters starting on April 27. On this ballot, voters will choose one candidate and the top four will proceed to the August 16 special election.
A special election will be held on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. This election will occur on the same ballot as the regular primary election. This election will be the first to use the ranked-choice voting system.
Fifty-one individuals filed to enter the historic race, and three have dropped out. We broke down the election in a recent e-newsletter.
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→ Report on Domestic Violence in Alaska
I serve as the chair of the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission and we just published a report on domestic violence in Alaska. The report takes an in-depth look at the prevalence, state response, and best policy practices in the United States pertaining to domestic violence.
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→ Booster Eligibility Update
Vaccines and boosters continue to be the best way to stay safe from severe COVID illness. Everyone 50+ and certain immunocompromised individuals are eligible for a second COVID vaccine booster 4 months after receiving their initial booster.
Make an appointment here.
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→ Transportation Improvement Program Comment Period
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is the region's short range project plan for transportation improvements. It outlines the investment program of capital improvements to the metropolitan transportation system. A 30-Day Public Comment Period on the draft 2023-2026 TIP is on-going. The comment period closes May 5, 2022.
Submit your comments here.
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Community Events
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:
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Alaska's New Election System
Are you wondering how Alaska’s new election system will change the way you vote and how votes will be counted? At both the Special Primary Election on June 11 (to fill the US House of Representatives seat vacated by Don Young’s passing) and the August 16 Regular Primary Election, there will be one ballot listing all candidates. The top 4 candidates in each Primary will advance to the General Elections where ranked choice voting kicks in. There's a lot going on!
Please join Alaska Common Ground for a free event on zoom to discuss our new open primary system and ranked choice voting. We will hear from election experts:
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Gail Fenumiai, Director of Alaska’s Division of Elections
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Jason Grenn, Executive Director of Alaskans for Better Elections.
When: TONIGHT, April 27 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM
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Anchorage Chamber Citywide Cleanup
Join in as Matson and the Anchorage Chamber kick off the Anchorage Chamber Citywide Cleanup! Help cleanup up Westchester Lagoon and the surrounding trails on this day and then take your cleanup skills to other parts of the city throughout the month of May. You can register your team with the Anchorage Chamber at citywidecleanup.org.
KASH and KGOT will be on site, the Anchorage Chamber will have bags and gloves for trash collection and $5,000+ in prizes will be awarded to those who enter Matson's Cleanup Giveaway at www.MatsonCleanupGiveaway.com/Anchorage between May 1 and May 28!
When: Sunday, May 1 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 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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