Monday, September 22, 2025
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Murkowski joins Democrats in failed bid to protect Planned Parenthood funding

Suzanne Downing
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Murkowski joins Democrats in failed bid to protect Planned Parenthood funding

A key provision to block Medicaid funding to abortion provider Planned Parenthood will remain in the One Big Beautiful Bill after Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled on Monday that the language indeed complies with the chamber’s strict budget reconciliation rules.

The provision, which would bar Medicaid reimbursements for one year to “prohibited entities” that perform abortions was revised late Friday by GOP leaders in an effort to meet the criteria of the Senate’s Byrd Rule, which the Parliamentarian is supposed to follow. That rule limits what can be included in reconciliation bills, which are bills that can pass with a simple majority and cannot be filibustered.

The language does not specifically name Planned Parenthood, but it is the only national organization impacted by the restriction.

Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine broke from Republicans and joined Democrats in supporting an amendment by Washington Democrat Sen. Patty Murray that would have restored the funding. The Murray amendment was defeated 49-51.

On Tuesday morning, Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America said she is the ground at the Capitol for the Senate vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill, “a historic move to end forced taxpayer funding of Big Abortion. If it passes, it’ll be the biggest pro-life victory since Dobbs!”

The Parliamentarian’s ruling clears the path for Senate Republicans to include the one-year Planned Parenthood funding ban in the final bill, which they aim to pass using the reconciliation process without needing Democratic support. As of this writing, the Senate is moving into its 28th hour of voting on amendments to the bill, as Democrats seek to abort the bill entirely. Vice President JD Vance is on hand to break a possible tie vote.

Politico reported Monday that “Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s ability to pass the “big, beautiful bill” is hinging on Sen. Lisa Murkowski.”

Murkowski has been the subject of “an intense whip effort by GOP leaders over the past couple of hours as they try to offer her reassurances on Medicaid and food assistance. Thune, Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso talked to Murkowski on the floor for roughly an hour overnight. Thune and Murkowski huddled briefly in his office, and they were mum on details when they emerged shortly before 4 a.m.,” Politico reported.

Murkowski was holding out in an attempt to get more Medicaid money for Alaska and to preserve grants for so-called green energy.

Alaska secures privacy protections for 23andMe users in bankruptcy settlement

Suzanne Downing
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Alaska secures privacy protections for 23andMe users in bankruptcy settlement

Attorney General Treg Taylor announced Monday that Alaska has reached a settlement with TTAM, the nonprofit entity poised to acquire most of 23andMe’s assets — including customer DNA data — through federal bankruptcy proceedings in Missouri.

“I’m pleased that my office’s aggressive approach to protecting Alaskans’ privacy paid off,” said Attorney General Taylor. “But I know there are a lot of people out there who don’t realize that the samples and data they gave to 23andMe could soon be controlled by a different entity. If you know somebody who took a 23andMe test, I encourage you to make sure they are aware of their right to have this sensitive information deleted.”

The agreement guarantees that Alaskans will receive privacy protections beyond those offered to residents of other states. According to the settlement, only those Alaskans who affirmatively consented to data or DNA sample sharing with third parties—or agreed to have their samples “biobanked”—will have that information accessed by TTAM.

For Alaskans who did not opt in, their personal data will not be shared with TTAM unless they later provide explicit consent.

Alaskans who previously consented to sharing their genetic data or biobanking their samples still have the right to request that 23andMe destroy the samples and delete their personal information. These requests can be made through individual 23andMe account settings.

Per the court’s order, TTAM may assume control of the data as early as 8:59 pm Alaska time on July 7. However, even after the transfer, TTAM has agreed to permanently honor deletion requests from former 23andMe users.

For Alaskans who never provided additional consents to 23andMe, data deletion may be requested immediately. Otherwise, the data will be automatically deleted after 12 months.

The settlement is reflected in the Alaska only terms described in the last pages of the court’s order, available at this link.

Additionally, Alaskans who believe they may have a claim against 23andMe, whether related to the 2023 data breach or other issues, must file a proof of claim. Forms are available online and must be submitted electronically or by mail no later than 4:59 pm CT on July 14 to be considered.

Bob Griffin: Why aren’t teachers more upset?

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Bob Griffin: Why aren’t teachers more upset?

By BOB GRIFFIN

Governor Dunleavy was right to propose direct bonus payments to teachers. He understands that most of the money we dedicate to K-12 gets intercepted before it makes it to classroom teachers.  

In the 2023-24 school year, Alaska spent $576 million for salaries for 7,315 teachers statewide, according to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. That was just 19.6% of the total $2.93 billion in K-12 expenditures Alaska made that year, according to the National Education Association (NEA). That means over 80% of what Alaskan’s spent on educating their kids went to buildings, bureaucracies and other elements, instead of direct compensation for teachers. 

Between 2004-2024 average Alaska teacher salaries increased just 51.3% according to the NEA, while Alaska inflation was 59.7%. At the same time, overall, per student spending in Alaska increased 99.0% from $11,432/student to $22,747/student. 

The actual spending on K-12 for kids in traditional brick-and-mortar schools in Alaska was closer to $28,000/student/year because of 23,000 correspondence school students who only accounted for about 4% overall K-12 expenditures.    

In 2023-24, the 7,315 teachers in Alaska were charged with educating 119,096 students in Average Daily Attendance (ADA) — or 16.3 students per teacher. The actual student to teacher ratio for Alaska kids in traditional brick-and-mortar schools is significantly lower — when considering the 23,000 correspondence school students.  

Correspondence programs average ratios of 110 students per teacher. That means the more traditional schools in Alaska only had 13.5 students in average daily attendance per teacher – slightly lower than the US average of 13.9 according to the NEA. 

The trend of teachers becoming a smaller share of overall expenditures not unique to Alaska. It literally takes more than twice as many adult employees to educate our kids as it did a few decades ago – and the results are arguably worse. 

No other industry sector has experienced this level of productivity implosion. In 1950 it took 52 school employees per 1,000 students to run US schools. In 2020 it took 135. It would be hard to imagine a grocery store staying in business very long if they had to pay for more than double the number of checkout clerks they had in 1970’s, for a store of the same size. 

Underutilization of facilities is also robbing resources from classrooms.  The Anchorage School District currently has the capacity for roughly 25,000 students in K-5 elementary schools. By their own projections, ASD will have only around 12,000 kids in those schools by 2029 — when considering the large number of K-5 kids in correspondence and charter school programs that are not housed in ASD facilities. 

When combining facility underutilization with the rapid escalation in the cost to build and maintain school building, we can start to build the picture of how we diverting more resources away from our educators and their classrooms. 

In 2015, ASD did a major renovation of Airport Heights Elementary School — extending some classrooms, adding a multi-purpose room, a music room and mechanical room. That project cost a little over $20 million, including planning. The previous year, Winterberry Charter School was able to construct their entire campus, from and undeveloped site, with roughly the same student enrollment as Airport Heights, for $3.5 million.  

With the backdrop of severe underutilization of elementary floorspace, ASD is now in the middle of a $50 million project to double the size of Inlet View Elementary School, while the remaining underutilized ASD campuses have more than $1 Billion in deferred maintenance. 

Alaska dedicates a lot of resources to K-12 – about 5% of our state GDP — higher than every other state except Wyoming. That’s a higher percentage of GDP than the US government contributes to defense spending. 

The quality of teachers is critical to success of students. Teachers in Alaska and across the US, should be upset that buildings and bureaucracies appear to be a higher priority than their pay.

Bob Griffin is on the board of Alaska Policy Forum and served on the Alaska Board of Education and Early Development.

Bob Griffin: Alaska’s schools are rolling in cash, so why aren’t the results better?

Justice’s health care fraud takedown nets 324 in $14.6 billion crackdown — the largest in history

Suzanne Downing
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Justice’s health care fraud takedown nets 324 in $14.6 billion crackdown — the largest in history

The US Department of Justice on Monday announced criminal charges against 324 individuals — including 96 licensed medical professionals — as part of the 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. The operation spanned 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices and targeted alleged schemes that sought to defraud federal health care programs of more than $14.6 billion.

No cases were reported in Alaska, but transnational gangs and cartels figure strongly in this law enforcement sting.

The coordinated effort is touted as the largest in the DOJ’s history for health care fraud. It involved federal and state agencies across the nation, including the FBI, DEA, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The cases included fraud related to opioid distribution, telemedicine abuse, genetic testing, durable medical equipment scams, and money laundering operations tied to transnational criminal organizations.

In one of the most significant cases, a network of foreign-owned companies submitted $10.6 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare using the stolen identities of more than one million Americans. The DOJ said 12 of the 19 defendants were arrested, including several captured in Estonia and at US border crossings, as part of “Operation Gold Rush.”

Among the 324 defendants charged were doctors, nurses, and pharmacists who allegedly engaged in fraudulent billing practices, illegal kickbacks, unnecessary medical procedures, and the distribution of opioids. More than 15 million pills of controlled substances were allegedly diverted in the schemes, which impacted vulnerable populations across the country, including Native American communities and the homeless.

Authorities also seized more than $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets linked to the fraud schemes. Civil actions were brought against 20 additional defendants involving $14.2 million in alleged fraud, and civil settlements with 106 defendants totaled $34.3 million.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), in a related enforcement measure, reported that it had prevented over $4 billion in fraudulent payments and suspended or revoked billing privileges for 205 providers leading up to the Takedown.

The DOJ is also launching a new Health Care Fraud Data Fusion Center to integrate data analysts from multiple agencies using cloud computing and AI to identify and respond to fraud in real time — part of an initiative tied to a presidential executive order to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs.

“The Criminal Division is intensely committed to rooting out health care fraud schemes and prosecuting the criminals who perpetrate them because these schemes: (1) often result in physical patient harm through medically unnecessary treatments or failure to provide the correct treatments; (2) contribute to our nationwide opioid epidemic and exacerbate controlled substance addiction; and (3) do all of that while stealing money hardworking Americans contribute to pay for the care of their elders and other vulnerable citizens,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Division’s Health Care Fraud Unit and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices stand united with our law enforcement partners in this fight, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the integrity of our health care programs for the American people.”

“The scale of today’s Takedown is unprecedented, and so is the harm we’re confronting. Individuals who attempt to steal from the federal health care system and put vulnerable patients at risk will be held accountable,” said Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins of HHS-OIG. “Our agents at HHS-OIG work relentlessly to detect, investigate, and dismantle these fraud schemes. We are proud to stand with our law enforcement partners in protecting taxpayer dollars and safeguarding patient care.”

“Health care fraud drains critical resources from programs intended to help people who truly need medical care,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to pursuing those who exploit the system for personal gain. With more than $13 billion in fraud uncovered, this is the largest takedown for this initiative to date. Together, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold those accountable who steal from the American people and undermine our health care systems.”

The DOJ emphasized that this year’s operation reflects a continuing, aggressive approach to uncovering and prosecuting health care fraud. Since 2007, the Department’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force has charged over 5,400 defendants for schemes totaling more than $27 billion in fraudulent billing.

“This record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”

“As part of making healthcare accessible and affordable to all Americans, HHS will aggressively work with our law enforcement partners to eliminate the pervasive health care fraud that bedeviled this agency under the former administration and drove up costs,” said Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Gas tax in Washington state goes up — again

Suzanne Downing
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22
Gas tax in Washington state goes up — again

Alaskans visiting Washington state will find gas prices shockingly high, as that state is nearing $1 a gallon gas tax.

Starting July 1, Washington’s gas tax climbs once again — for the 21st time. The new hike brings Washington’s base gas tax to 55.4 cents per gallon, plus the estimated 40 cents per gallon from the state’s Climate Commitment Act, a carbon pricing program passed in 2021. That totals an eye-watering 95.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and over $1.01 per gallon for diesel.

Before that hike goes into effect, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Washington state is approximately $4.45, significantly higher than the national average of $3.21 per gallon, and higher than what Anchorage drivers typically pay, which is $3.56 a gallon.

This latest increase in Washington state stems from a 2025 legislative package that included a 6-cent hike in the state’s gas tax. Though the tax itself is nothing new — it’s been around since 1921, when a gallon of gas was taxed at just one penny — the economic context has changed drastically. So has the way Washington residents get around, with a rising number of drivers switching to electric vehicles, which don’t pay gas taxes at all, shifting the tax burden to the poor. The new legislation will now adjust it upward for inflation every year.

Washington leans on its gas tax to fund infrastructure, roads, ferries, and transit projects. In recent years, however, the landscape has shifted. As EV adoption grows and fuel efficiency improves, traditional gas tax revenues are becoming less reliable. There are more than 180,000 electric cars on the roads now in Washington state — still a small fraction of the vehicles, but growing.

To compensate, lawmakers added revenue from the state’s Climate Commitment Act, which operates under a cap-and-invest model — essentially a carbon pricing system that auctioned off emission allowances. The proceeds act as an indirect tax on fuel consumption, and in 2025, it’s estimated to add roughly 40 cents per gallon to fuel costs. Washington’s total tax burden at the pump is among the highest in the country, exceeding $1.10 per gallon for gasoline.

To compare, the gas tax in Alaska is 8.95 cents per gallon for gasoline and diesel, which is the lowest in the United States. This rate includes state excise taxes and related fees paid at the pump.

In addition to the state tax in Washington, motorists in all states pay s a federal excise tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel.

Based on fuel consumption data from the US Energy Information Administration, in 2022 Washington state used approximately 2.5 billion gallons of gasoline and 0.6 billion gallons of diesel.

This brings is more than $2.991 billion annually to the state.

As the state tax approaches the $1-per-gallon mark, it places an a larger burden on rural communities, lower-income drivers, and those who can’t afford to transition to electric vehicles.

And tomorrow, that gets just a little heavier for those in Washington state who do not drive electric cars.

Dunleavy blasts Assn. of Alaska School Boards in scathing letter: ‘Be honest with the people of Alaska’

Suzanne Downing
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Dunleavy blasts Assn. of Alaska School Boards in scathing letter: ‘Be honest with the people of Alaska’

Gov. Mike Dunleavy delivered a blunt message to Alaska Association of School Boards President Lon Garrison, in a sharply worded letter accusing him of distorting the reasons behind Dunleavy’s veto of $200 from the $700 increase to the Base Student Allocation.

The letter, addressed directly to Garrison, pushes back on what the governor described as “false and offensive” accusations that his veto reflected a lack of support for Alaska’s students, parents, or educators.

Dunleavy vetoes a portion of education increased funding, but leaves most intact

“I served as a school board member and president… I care deeply about educational opportunity, but I also understand the fiscal realities our State faces,” Dunleavy wrote. “Your criticism conveniently ignores the basic fact that Alaska cannot spend what it does not have.”

Dunleavy emphasized that his decision was driven by broader fiscal responsibilities, including declining oil revenue and increasing pressure across state services, not a disregard for education. He pointed to the Legislature’s move to fund the BSA increase by slashing Permanent Fund Dividends and draining millions from the Higher Education Fund, and questioned whether AASB supported that trade-off.

“Governing is about balance and responsibility, not empty advocacy,” he wrote. “I must protect the fiscal solvency of the State—you do not have that obligation.”

The letter escalated from a defense of the veto to a broader attack on the AASB’s positions and leadership. Dunleavy accused the organization of resisting education reform while continually demanding more funding.

“You have made it clear: more funding and local control matter most,” he wrote. “Your organization offers only the tired refrain of ‘more funding,’ with no accountability, no innovation, and no results.”

The governor criticized the association’s opposition to policies such as the Alaska Reads Act, charter school expansion, and homeschool options. He also called out Alaska’s dismal national ranking in academic achievement.

“Alaska ranks near the bottom, 51st in the nation, in academic achievement according to NAEP scores. Does that bother you? Do you care? Where is your outrage about that?” Dunleavy asked.

Dunleavy reminded AASB that his administration has overseen substantial new investments into education, including $1.5 billion above the statutory formula since 2019, from both federal and state sources. He questioned whether the AASB had ever even acknowledged that funding increase.

“You should be honest with the people of Alaska: your priority is not better schools or higher student achievement. It is to maintain the status quo at all costs, regardless of the cost to our children’s future,” Dunleavy wrote.

The governor ended the letter with a pledge to continue advocating for system-wide reforms and to hold groups like the AASB accountable for misrepresenting his administration’s actions.

“I will also do a much better job at informing the public of how you and your organization misrepresent your purpose and my actions,” he concluded.

Read the entire letter here:

06.27.25 Lon Garrison LtrDownload

On this day in 1958, the Senate sealed the fate of Alaska

Suzanne Downing
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On this day in 1958, the Senate sealed the fate of Alaska

On June 30, 1958, the United States Senate cast a vote that would reshape the map of America.

After six days of debate, and by a tally of 64 in favor, 20 against, and 12 not voting, the Senate passed the Alaska Statehood Act (H.R. 7999), setting the 49th state on a path to officially join the Union, and sending the act to President Dwight D. Eisenhower for his signature.

This milestone moment was the culmination of years of effort by Alaskans to gain full representation in Congress and self-governance equal to that of the states.

The vote marked a turning point for Alaska and the nation as a whole, ushering in a new era of geographic, political, and economic expansion.

Alaska, purchased from Russia in 1867, had long been viewed by many in the Lower 48 as remote, rugged, and sparsely populated, better suited for military installations and natural resource extraction than full-fledged statehood.

Many Alaskans saw it differently. For years, territorial leaders and activists lobbied Washington, DC for equal footing. They pointed to Alaska’s contributions during World War II, its strategic military importance during the Cold War, and the growing economic potential in oil, fishing, and mining. Among the prominent proponents were Sen. Bob Bartlett, Gov.-Sen. Ernest Gruening, and Ted Stevens. Less supportive was territorial Gov. Benjamin Franklin Heintzleman (governor, 1953–1957), who had proposed a partition plan to divide Alaska, creating a state from Southeast, Southcentral, and Interior Alaska, but leaving Western and Arctic Alaska as a territory.

President Eisenhower was a proponent. But in the Senate, some members were not in favor. The 20 “nay” votes came primarily from Southern Democrats who were leery of Alaska’s strong labor union power and progressive streak, and three conservative Republicans who didn’t think Alaska could stand on its own two feet.

The following senators are identified as having voted “Nay” on the Alaska Statehood Act:

  • James Eastland (D-MS)
  • J. William Fulbright (D-AR)
  • Sam Ervin (D-NC)
  • Olin Johnston (D-SC)
  • John Stennis (D-MS)
  • Herman Talmadge (D-GA)
  • George Smathers (D-FL)
  • John Sparkman (D-AL)
  • Richard Russell (D-GA)
  • Allen Ellender (D-LA)
  • Russell Long (D-LA)
  • Spessard Holland (D-FL)
  • John McClellan (D-AR)
  • Willis Robertson (D-VA)
  • Harry Byrd (D-VA)
  • A. S. Mike Monroney (D-OK)
  • Strom Thurmond (D-SC) – Notably vocal, citing concerns about Alaska’s noncontiguous status diluting the Union’s strength.
  • Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) – Opposed Alaska statehood due to economic concerns and skepticism about Alaska’s readiness.
  • John Bricker (R-OH) – Shared concerns about the precedent of admitting noncontiguous territories.
  • William Jenner (R-IN) – Opposed on similar grounds, questioned Alaska’s economic viability.

The 20 senators reflect the opposition that was driven by regional political dynamics (Southern Democrats feared a shift in Senate balance) and conservative concerns about Alaska’s economic immaturity.

Following the Senate vote, the Alaska Statehood Act was signed into law by President Eisenhower on July 7, 1958. Alaskans later ratified the statehood proposal through a public vote, and on Jan. 3, 1959, Alaska officially became the 49th state of the United States.

Today, the June 30 Senate vote is remembered as a landmark moment in Alaska history, a legislative triumph that overcame resistance rooted in partisanship, regionalism, and outdated perceptions.

From offshore to online: Furie’s new Cook Inlet gas wells set for July launch

Suzanne Downing
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From offshore to online: Furie’s new Cook Inlet gas wells set for July launch

Furie Operating Alaska announced it wrapped up a successful offshore drilling season with the departure of the Spartan 151 jack-up rig, marking a key target met in its ongoing efforts to shore up Southcentral Alaska’s dwindling natural gas reserves.

The company announced that it met all operational goals during the season, which included drilling two new wells and performing a work-over on another in the Kitchen Lights Unit. The wells are expected to come online in July, delivering much-needed gas to Southcentral Alaska’s energy grid.

“It has been an incredible season working alongside you,” said Furie CEO John Hendrix in a message to the Hilcorp Spartan 151 team. “Your commitment and collaboration have been instrumental in making this season a success.”

Furie, the only fully Alaska-owned oil and gas operator, has invested more than $900 million into Cook Inlet development, including the construction of the newest offshore gas production platform. The company’s share of Cook Inlet’s total gas production rose from 5% in December 2024 to 7.5% by February 2025.

The spring drilling campaign, launched in April, was funded in part by a loan from the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, as part of a $50 million revolving credit line approved in May. The program boosted the major component of Furie’s strategy to confront the projected regional gas shortage expected to begin around 2027.

Southcentral Alaska, home to over half the state’s population, faces a critical energy contract shortfall in the coming years as production from the Cook Inlet basin declines. The region currently relies on the Cook Inlet for about 80% of its natural gas, which powers 90% of its electricity and heats the vast majority of homes. Without new sources, state officials warn the region could see a 20–30% supply gap by 2030.

While the state is exploring LNG imports as a contingency, imports are expected to be significantly more expensive than local production, which could drive up energy prices across Anchorage and Southcentral.

Furie’s drilling initiative represents one of the few major new development efforts in the Cook Inlet basin. The company has worked closely with other Alaska-based firms including Fairweather LLC and Maritime Helicopters to execute the program. In February, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources granted royalty rate reductions to Furie to help support a five-year gas supply contract with Enstar, though company leaders have emphasized that long-term production gains will depend more on access to capital than on regulatory concessions.

High costs, aging infrastructure, and a challenging regulatory environment have slowed new exploration in Cook Inlet, where longtime producers like Hilcorp and Furie currently carry the burden of ensuring regional energy stability.

Among the companies that worked this year to bring the project to a success were: M&H, Cruz Construction, Inc., Udelhoven, Fairweather, LLC, Weaver Bros., Inc., Parker Wellbore, American Piledriving Equipment Inc., Five Star Oilfield Services, LLC, Cook Inlet Spill Prevention and Response, AIDEA, and Hilcorp.

Furie gets jack-up rig into position at Kitchen Lights Unit for ambitious natural gas drilling program

Willie Keppel: A generational chance to clean House (and Senate) in Juneau

SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR
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Willie Keppel: A generational chance to clean House (and Senate) in Juneau

By WILLIE KEPPEL

We have a once-in-a-generational opportunity to clean up the Alaska Legislature: The retirement of Lyman Hoffman, after 40 years — with the bonus of Senate President Gary Stevens throwing in the towel with 24 years.

The icing on top may yet appear with an announcement from Golovin-based Sen. Donny Olson, with 24 years, announcing retirement due to medical complications from a recent serious ailment.

These are just some of the poster politicians for why we need an opportunity to vote on a constitutional change that defines and mandates mandatory term limits.

It just gets better. The rumored possibility is if Donny resigns, Nome Democrat Neil Foster will apply for Donnie’s seat, or run in the next election.

With the retirement of Sen. Stevens, Kodiak Rep. Louise Stutes, with 10 years in the House, two of which she served as a speaker, has announced a run to succeed her buddy, Stevens in the Senate.

The icing on the cake gets thicker with Hoffman encouraging current House Speaker Bryce Edgmon to run for his seat. Edgmon will have 20 years in office at the end of the next session. The beauty is both Stutes and Edgmon will have to move out of the comfort zones they have created in their districts by throwing our PFD funds to their favorite special interests for as much as decades. This applies to Foster also.

The reason I am happy is we have an opportunity to wipe the slate clean of the power brokers in Juneau. No matter how you may want to slice the budgetary cake, these folks have already decided on the portion sizes for government and private economy, with wiggle room left on the size of the PFD to be stolen, before they even gavel into a new session. These are the folks that have controlled the Finance committees, the House and Senate gavel that steers new bills to committees, and have appointed the committees. Which has led us to what??

If you are already thinking, BILLION AND A HALF DOLLAR DEFICITS, you will not be alone in your thoughts. If you suddenly have a flashback to tens of thousands of your family’s PFD dollars being ripped out of your pockets, it’s not a bad dream — it’s theft by their design.

I see the opportunity for change. I see the opportunity for fresh faces to change juno. I see fresh faces that trust Alaskans to go to the polls and vote for term limits, constitutional PFDs and laws that define where a legislator is required to live and for how long.

I see a brighter Alaska, one where we live within our financial means. I say to those listed above, thank you for your service and do not let the door hit you in the rear on the way out.

Willy Keppel is a longtime trapper and fur trader in Western Alaska.

Willy Keppel: Defined benefits is a model that punishes families, fails students, protects bureaucrats
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