Chugiak-Eagle River Assemblywoman Jamie Allard was greeted at the Assembly Chambers on Tuesday with a vase of yellow roses, some red, white, and blue bunting, and people holding laminated signs with photo of her on them. It would be her last full Assembly meeting since she was elected to the body in in 2020.
Her supporters were there by the dozens to wish her well, and she took a moment of personal privilege to say goodbye to the Assembly as she launches into being a State representative for her conservative district in the Alaska Legislature. She noted that while she has disagreed with the Assembly liberal majority on many occasions, her work on the Assembly has helped her gain a better understanding of opposing points of view. And she expressed her love and appreciation to the community that has shown her such strong support during the numerous attacks on her by the Left over the past three years.
Allard read her resignation letter aloud:
“Thank you for being here this evening.
“As I begin serving my community in the Alaska Legislature in my upcoming role as a state representative for Eagle River, I must tender my resignation to this body, effective Jan. 17, 2023.
“It has been a great honor and privilege to serve the people of our community and to be the voice of Chugiak-Eagle River on the Assembly. I have learned much about the public process, and have grown as a lawmaker. Being a minority voice on the Assembly has been challenging, yet has expanded my ability to understand opposing points of view. This has been a wonderful honor and experience.
“I especially want to thank the community of Eagle River, Anchorage for their participation at Assembly meetings during the past many years. The public comment has been productive, informative, and earnest.
“Anchorage can be proud that the public cares so much about the future of this community that so many have given hundreds of hours of their time either attending meetings in person or watching them online. I understand it can be discouraging, especially when people’s opinions are unfairly cut short, called out as irrelevant, or when the clock runs out before they have had allotted time.
“I was proud to have stood for the values of individual liberty and responsibility, and to support the U.S. Constitution, even through the criticism I received at times for defending people’s constitutional rights, regardless of their political views.
“I have not always agreed with the direction the Assembly has taken, but I will continue to pray the Assembly becomes a more balanced body. I hope the Assembly will hear and listen to the residents of our great communities. The Assembly needs to get back to being a body in which we are respected and not disappointed in by so many.
“Most of all, I want to thank the people of Chugiak-Eagle River for their confidence in me, their support for me during tough debates or when I’ve been attacked, and how deeply they care about this community, all the way from Girdwood to the Knik River Bridge. I am devoted to listening to their concerns and making the best decisions that represent the people of my district.
“As I leave to take the oath of office in Juneau, I hope to continue to work with the Assembly to further what is good, what is responsible, and what is productive for our community and our great state. To my Assembly colleagues who will continue on, I wish for the wisdom, compassion, and common sense, in all the right portions to do this very difficult job.
“And to my beloved community, I want to say this: Government is where the disputes in our republic get sorted out so we can all live in peace and freedom, under the rule of law. We must remain engaged and informed. We must insist on transparency and limits on government.
“For in the words of Thomas Jefferson in his letter to Richard Price on Jan. 8, 1789: “‘Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights.'”
