THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD?
Rep. Harriet Drummond was so glad to be rid of the Alaska Republican Party headquarters in her neighborhood that she posted — not once but twice — a photo of the Republicans’ now-vacant former digs, a historic building that survived the earthquake of 1964 and was once a family home on Fireweed Lane.
But really, who celebrates commercial properties in District 18 going vacant?
The Alaska Republican Party had occupied the site for nearly 20 years and had done more than its share of cleaning up old hypodermic needles in the gutters outside and litter along the streets.
But Drummond did not get rid of the Grand Opportunity Party — it has moved to 2504 Fairbanks Street, inside the Don Young Headquarters…still in District 18 and able to keep an eye on the Democrats at their headquarters one block over.
Who can forget other Drummond missteps, such as the time she held a sign pointing to “Corrupt Bastards Club Third Floor,” when describing her fellow lawmakers who were present for the signing of SB 21, oil tax reform.
Drummond is being challenged by business owner Mike Gordon, who owned Chilkoot Charlie’s in Spenard for many years. He served on the Anchorage City Council and Borough Assembly in the 1970s.
Drummond didn’t post a similar celebratory note over the Blockbuster a few blocks over on Northern Lights.
WORKING OVERTIME?
A certain Juneau school board candidate who works for the Alaska Department of Revenue has been putting pressure on his coworkers during the work day to sign his petition for candidacy? That’s what they are telling Must Read Alaska. Not a good move. Advice: Candidates, don’t be doing that on State of Alaska government time.
AGDC TAKES ITS PR WORK TO HOUSTON
The Alaska Gasline Development Corporation is said to have canceled its marketing contract with a local Anchorage firm and moved the work to a Houston company. Which one? Marketing was dealt with in executive session in the July meeting of the AGDC board. We’re digging.
HEARD ON THE STREET
Word is the Governor’s Office has approached Alaska Permanent Fund board members in advance of a meeting on Sept. 2, and asked that former Attorney General Craig Richards be allowed time on the schedule. We’ve been told the board gave pushback, so maybe next meeting. Richards served on the board while he was the governor’s attorney general, but had to step down when he suddenly quit in June. Richards is now on contract with the governor to advance his gasline. Why on earth would the gasline adviser need to speak with the Permanent Fund Board of Directors?
It’s the first time in the fund’s history that any governor has so blatantly played politics with the fund.
Marty Rutherford, who took Richards’ place on the Permanent Fund board, appears to be standing firm with the private sector members of the board. However, Larry Cash’s seat comes up for renewal in one year. Will he survive or will the governor finally take control of the board of the Alaska Permanent Fund.
The amount of this year’s Permanent Fund dividend will be announced in just a few days. It will be less than half of what Alaskans would have gotten before Governor Walker taxed them about $1,300 each to make ends meet in the State’s budget.