By BRENDA JOSEPHSON

During the last legislative session, the conservative Alaska House Majority delivered numerous victories for Alaskans.

The 33rd Alaska Legislature enacted a balanced budget, the largest increase in school funding in history, as well as significant energy policies for the Railbelt. The dedicated efforts of individual members, who collaborated with their colleagues and prioritized the needs of Alaskans over politics, made these successes possible.

A few contests in the Nov. 5 election could significantly influence Alaska’s next legislative session. Julie Coulombe, Anchorage Hillside District 11, is a lawmaker who helped improve life for Alaskans during the last legislative session, her first term in office. Her proactive approach led her to focus on solutions with input from constituents, as she understands that they hold the key to providing personal knowledge and advice on issues that directly affect their daily lives.

She won her seat in 2022, along with 18 other freshman representatives in Alaska’s House of Representatives. The first session of the 33rd Alaska Legislature in 2023 was one of the largest influxes of new legislators in the state’s history.

Coulombe’s legislative goal was to address the issues that individuals and the state need, including infrastructure projects, education, road maintenance, child care, housing, energy, justice for victims of crime, and other statewide concerns that the state and its citizens need in order to thrive today and into the future. With the belief that “a regular person can make a big difference and get a lot done,” she was ready to work across party lines and dedicate the time required to comprehend the underlying causes of challenges. She concentrated her efforts on developing legislation to address the needs of her
constituents and the state as a whole. She collaborated extensively with Senator Kaufman to obtain funds for a number of essential Hillside infrastructure projects, including safe pedestrian crossings to schools, routes for emergency evacuation, and stormwater drainage.

Rep. Coulombe sponsored legislation on a wide range of topics. She introduced bills on property assessment, child care tax credits, restorative justice, license requirements for commercial drivers, prohibiting taxes on the transfer of real estate, and crime victim restitution. She successfully navigated the majority of her measures through the legislative process, ensuring their inclusion in other passed legislation.

For instance, Rep. Coulombe sponsored HB 347 as a companion bill to Senator Jesse Kiehl’s SB 242 to establish guardrails in the property assessment process. After its introduction, she skillfully navigated the bill through the legislative process by diligently communicating and engaging with her fellow legislators, providing them with copies of the bill, and meeting one-on-one with their offices.

Her efforts were essential for conveying the bill’s specifics and receiving feedback. She presented the bill as a working document and respectfully listened to any concerns. She was willing to make changes and accept amendments to make it a better piece of legislation. This approach eventually earned co-sponsorships on the legislation from twelve representatives and five senators.

HB 347 received strong bipartisan support and passed on the House floor with only one vote opposed. However, the bill never made it to the full Senate floor for final passage. The Senate Finance Committee held the bill up after they added an unvetted amendment to increase the state’s mandatory senior and disabled veteran exemption. Undeterred, as time grew short in the session, Rep. Coulombe worked with the House Rules Committee and Sen. Jesse Bjorkman to incorporate HB 347 into SB 179.

Rep. Coulombe also sponsored HB 134 to prohibit taxes on the transfer of real estate. The final version of SB 179 included both HB 347 and HB 134, as well as two other measures: SB 161, which exempts farm land and structures from property taxes, and portions of SB 77, which allow property tax exemptions to promote economic development. SB 179, as amended, created comprehensive legislation concerning property taxes and the assessment process. Governor Dunleavy signed SB 179 into law on Aug. 13.

A big achievement for Alaska: Property tax and assessment reform bill passes The same process led to the passage of another bill she sponsored. HB 89, which provides child care assistance, was eventually passed into law as part of SB 189. Rep. Coulombe stated that this legislation was a “huge win for working parents and workforce development.” From her perspective, the bill helps provide the opportunity for young families and single parents to go back to work so they can stay in
Alaska, which in turn will assist with workforce development.

Building consensus on the child care legislation necessitated communicating and compromising to gain support from other legislators and the governor. Rep. Coulombe expressed that moving this legislation forward was challenging and that it took two years to pass into law. She stated, “The state can’t fix this issue alone, but we can work to eliminate red tape, provide tax credits, and business partnerships to help with child care costs… Regulation, taxes, and incentives are in the state’s lane.”

Another achievement, HB 124, amended the license requirement for commercial drivers, a bill that benefited workforce development. This legislation proposed the removal of a requirement for individuals new to Alaska to hold a driver’s license for a year before applying for a commercial driver’s license. The Alaska Trucking Association supported this legislation, stating in a letter of support that “Trucking has labor shortages at all levels of its industry, and HB 124 takes a step in the right direction.”

Sen. James Kaufman and Rep. Coulombe worked together to ensure passage of this legislation into law as part of SB 95. The final draft of SB 95 also included legislation introduced in SB 26, which was sponsored by Kaufman to create registration plates commemorating peace officers killed in the line of duty.

In order to steer Alaska toward prosperity, Rep. Coulombe supports policies that benefit growing businesses and the Alaska workforce. Her goal is to assist Alaskans in overcoming the obstacles they encounter while living and working in our communities.

A multi-pronged approach is required to achieve her vision, which includes support for workforce development with a public education system that expands school choice, parental voice, and incentives to attract excellent teachers. Meeting Alaska’s needs for vocational training, child care, housing, public infrastructure, and well-maintained roads is also necessary, along with support for energy and responsible resource development.

Visit Julie Coulombe’s website, Julie for Alaska, for more information about her legislative achievements and vision for Alaska, as well as to donate to her campaign.

Brenda Josephson is a Haines resident. She co-authored the white paper Restoring Public Trust: Legislative recommendations for Alaska’s Property Tax Assessment Process.