News from Hughes » March 22, 2018

Rabbi Mendy Greenberg of Mat-Su and his father, Rabbi Greenberg of Anchorage, visit Juneau for the passage of my resolution in the Senate encouraging Alaskans to recognize the importance of values, ethics, and character development as part of a student’s education to become an engaged, caring, and responsible citizen. See the article about SCR15 and find out why next Tuesday, March 27th is a significant day.

The first pertains to Governor Walker’s appointment of commercial fisherman, Duncan Fields, to what’s traditionally been a sportfishing seat on the Board of Fisheries. Over the years, the board has historically been made up of three seats for commercial fishing, three seats for sport and personal use, and one seat for subsistence. This make-up has provided a sense of balance, based on the needs of – and with respect for – all the people of Alaska.
 
The governor adding a fourth commercial seat to tip the balance of this seven-member Board of Fisheries is quite troubling. Because the governor’s appointee must be confirmed by the legislature, Mr. Field’s place at the table for the three-year term has not yet been fully decided.
 
To be clear, please note that I want the commercial fishing industry to thrive too – just not at the expense of the rest of Alaskans. I also wanted to be clear that my pushback against the governor’s decision is not a personal attack against Mr. Fields, who I understand to be an upstanding and good person. If he were being appointed to a commercial seat, I likely would be wholeheartedly supporting him. This pushback is due to the simple fact that it is wrong to tip the balance of the Board of Fisheries.
 
The second major recent decision that warrants apprehension is the emergency orders to restrict king salmon fishing in our rivers in Mat-Su. When I received word that Commissioner Cotten was strongly considering total closure, I and the other members of the Mat-Su delegation were in steady contact with him, requesting he pause and consider less harsh restrictions. We, along with a number of key and knowledgeable Mat-Su residents, offered other workable options more appropriate for pre-season orders – orders that took both the needs of the people and the conservation of the fish into consideration. I am grateful the commissioner listened and made some adjustments. I also think it was appropriate that the commercial set gillnet fishing in the Northern District in Upper Cook Inlet was put on hold during this same time period.
 
Having said that, and while appreciating the fact that total closure was averted, the Department of Fish & Game should not have waited until March to issue such orders. The department routinely makes decisions impacting commercial fisheries in other parts of the state in October based on data collected during the previous summer fishing season. Mat-Su deserves the same treatment so the many Alaskans, business owners, and tourists who schedule summer plans in the spring aren’t ‘left up a creek’ – without fish.
 
Please know that I will be monitoring this issue closely so if early counts indicate restrictions should be loosened, I will again be at Commissioner Cotten’s doorstep.
 
In closing, I want to reiterate that you are not alone as far as having sportfishing and personal use concerns. Based on feedback I’m receiving, this issue is huge for residents – right up there with the PFD.

Are you or do you know someone who is a Vietnam Veteran? These good men and women who returned from deployment many years ago were met without fanfare and sadly too often were instead met with rebuke and disdain.

Here’s an opportunity to reverse this wrong. Please encourage Vietnam Veterans to attend a long overdue, proper welcome home event on Vietnam Veterans Day, Thursday, March 29, 2018, at Wasilla High School. I hope you can attend to honor them too.

If JBER is closer to your home and/or daytime is better for you next Thursday, March 29, here’s another option for honoring our beloved Vietnam Veterans. Unfortunately I will be in Juneau so unable to honor in-person the Veterans attending these two events, but I will be honoring them from afar!

Senator Hughes records op-ed segments for Juneau radio stations as part of a radio show hosted by former Rep. Cathy Munoz. Senator Hughes also makes a point to call into various radio shows back in Southcentral while she’s in Juneau.

I’ve been repeatedly pointing out to you the extremely high compensation and travel costs that continue to be hidden in the budget – despite a supposed “travel ban” and a supposed effort to streamline departments. Last week I shared recent research indicating Alaska has 9.6 state employees to every 100 private sector workers in Alaska compared to the national average of 4.2 state employees.

This week, not only will I provide the link again for you to examine top salaries by department, but I’ll share work done by the Office of Rep. Reinbold which lists the top 25 highest compensations by position in certain departments. Before showcasing Rep. Reinbold’s lists, I want to give her and her aides a shout-out for their excellent idea to compile and circulate this information in this format.

I recommend you sit down while browsing these tables!

Before the department lists, here’s the list of the top compensations by position (overall in our state government):

Now by department. First, the Department of Administration (please note that the Office of the Governor does not reside within this department):

Here’s the Department of Fish and Game:

Now for the Department of Environmental Conservation:

And now for the Department of Health and Social Services:

If and when similar lists for additional departments become available, we will include them in future newsletter(s).

As promised, here’s a link to the compensation and travel report for the top paid state employees in all the departments (the executive branch) in Alaska:
http://doa.alaska.gov/dof/reports/resource/ctep/2017_fullreport.pdf .

Here’s the link for the compensation and travel report for legislators (legislative branch):
http://akleg.gov/docs/pdf/2017Report.pdf.

Lastly, here’s the link to Moody’s article which is specific to Alaska’s workforce numbers and compensation rates that I mentioned at the beginning of this article:
http://alaskapolicyforum.org/2018/02/right-sizing-alaskas-state-government-workforce/.

Facing Foster Care advocates share their experiences as children living in multiple homes in their efforts to help improve policy to help children in the system now. The two young people were separate from their siblings as they were placed in various homes as children. Alaska needs good, caring people to step up, willing to take children of multiple ages so siblings can remain together. From left to right is Janine Reep of Anchorage, Board member for FFCA; Tristan Thompson, currently in Palmer, is the Southcentral representative; and Nevaeh Ingham, FFCA Anchorage representative.

Want to review the bill? Here’s the link:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/PDF/30/Bills/SB0119A.PDF

Next Tuesday

Senate Concurrent Resolution 15 proclaims March 27, 2017 as “Alaska Education and Sharing Day” to provide focus on the importance and recognition of values, ethics, and character development to help students become engaged, caring, and responsible citizens.

This resolution is aligned with national proclamations that have occurred since 1978 when Congress set aside the anniversary of the birth of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson to be “Education and Sharing Day.” The Rebbe dedicated his life to the promotion of education as a cornerstone of humanity, and held that in addition to academics, the discussion of morals should not be neglected. His legacy was encouraging Americans to teach and share with the next generation the values that make good citizens, a strong nation, and a better world.

Public testimony on SCR15 during the committee process
by Rosemary Lebowitz, a former math teacher.

For 40 years, every United States president, regardless of political stripes or religious affiliation, has honored this vision by proclaiming “Education and Sharing Day” nationally. Because education for Alaskan students occurs here at home, it is prudent for us also to honor this vision in Alaska.

With the tremendous and tough challenges we face in our communities in Alaska, whether they be suicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, substance abuse or others, we must not veer away from conversations with our youth about right versus wrong, about compassion, about courage, about causes greater than ourselves. These discussions will awaken an ethical awareness and are necessary for a complete education.

Senator Hughes presents SCR15 during the committee process.

As Alaskans, let us all consider March 27 as a day to reflect and share with young people those elements outside of academics that are essential to becoming fine citizens.

In closing, I’d like to thank Rabbi Mendy Greenberg of Mat-Su who requested the proclamation and has been working across the USA with partners in other states to promote similar proclamations, as well as with the Minister of Education in Israel. (See his photo at top of newsletter.)

The vast majority of those weighing in let the House Finance Committee know they didn’t find this acceptable.

Alaskans also have figured out that the state government already gets a huge slice of the resource development revenue pie: 87.5% in fact.*

The people are allotted a small slice at 12.5% for their subsurface property right dividend (their PFD). HJR23 would allow the state to cut a big chunk of the people’s slice to use it for government.

In fact, within eight years, under HJR23, the state government would be taking almost 65% of the people’s slice (based on what future PFDs would be according to the current formula in statute). HJR23 indicated that of the 4.75% percent of market value draw from the Permanent Fund, at least 67% was for government and 33% of the draw could be used for PFDs.

Here’s another way of looking at what HJR23 proposed. Today Alaskans are allotted one-half of one-quarter and the government gets the rest. HJR23 sponsors say the government doesn’t get enough and needs more than half of what Alaskans are getting in addition. What might this look like in a few years if HJR23 were to pass and voters approved? The government being allotted 95% and the people 5%.

*Note: the 87.5% for government is made up of the 75% of revenue from resource development collected each year which is deposited into the general fund coffers, plus half of the income earned from the remaining 25% of annual revenue which is deposited into the Permanent Fund each year. The 12.5% for the people is the other half of the income earned from the 25% annual resource development revenue deposited into the Permanent Fund each year.

One more thing: if you haven’t applied yet for your PFD, remember, March 31st is the deadline!

A little time with the family of the Senate’s Assistant Sergeant of Arms, Gordon Krueger (far end on couch). Terrance and Susan Krueger have both lived in Alaska since the 1960’s and made Mat-Su their home 35 years ago to raise their three sons. Olivia Sasser (right) is from Palmer and is a page in the House Chambers and a friend of Gordon (on far end of couch).

Photo credit: Anchorage Daily News

Not only are we jeopardizing safety, but the cost of these losses to the state is enormous.The state’s investment in training one officer, to include the training academy and on-the-job training over the officer’s first two years, is estimated at $190,000.

I am supporting a wage increase for troopers. Public safety is a core function of government, and we must do what we can to reverse the current trend.

I believe a smart place to get the $12 million needed (for this first year anyway) is to use the leftover funds from the Alaska Stand Alone Pipeline that the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) would like to snatch up for the Alaska LNG Project. Putting that $12 million toward troopers makes a lot more sense to me than handing it over to AGDC.

I wanted to let you know also that the Senate unanimously passed SB148 which will assist rural communities to hire and train police officers. The bill grants the authority to the Alaska Police Standards Council (APSC) to take fingerprints and submit them for a criminal history background check for independent students who want to enroll in police training as well as law enforcement officers from communities that lack access to the Criminal Justice Information System.

Before wrapping up this discussion, one easy, low-cost strategy districts could readily implement would be help/tip lines. Calls to this phone line would alert law enforcement of potential danger, but the calls could also be directed to school officials too to alert them to which students are raising concerns, even in the early stages – such as a tip that a certain student is a new target of bullying. In this example, just think if the principal and teachers could intervene and help that student, how different the outcomes might be compared to what could happen otherwise.

Thank you to those who have weighed in with specific suggestions. We are conducting research, including speaking with those who’ve received specialized training for school shootings as well as with the offices of our federal delegation. I look forward to hearing more of your ideas and hope you let me know what you think about the tip line and my proposal to allow highly trained school personnel to patrol our schools.

Palmer Coffee Chat
Saturday, March 24, 2018
9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Vagabond Blues
642 S Alaska St
Palmer, Alaska 99645

Chugiak Coffee Chat
Saturday, March 24, 2018
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Chugiak Cafe
18575 Old Glenn Hwy
Chugiak, Alaska 99567

Photo credit to America Saves

The spring 2018 revenue forecast was released last Friday by Commissioner Sheldon Fisher with the Department of Revenue (DOR).

Prices for Alaska North Slope are projected to average $61 per barrel for FY18 (the current fiscal year we’re in) and nudge up two dollars to an average of $63 per barrel in FY19 (the fiscal year that begins July 1st)

DOR is forecasting that Unrestricted General Fund (UGF) revenue for FY18 and FY19.will be $2.3 billion each year.

This is $256 higher for FY18 than the forecast released this past fall. It’s also $212 million higher than what had been forecast last fall for FY19 .

The range of UGF for each of the following six years, FY20 to FY26, is an estimated $124 million to $213 million.

The projected North Slope oil production for the current fiscal year we’re in (FY18) is 521,800 barrels per day and is expected to climb to 526,600 barrels per day the next fiscal year.

This is all very positive news. It doesn’t close the fiscal gap but it narrows it.

Commissioner Sheldon Fisher before the Senate Finance Committee. Photo credit to ADN.

You can review the ten year outlook at www.tax.alaska.gov and Commissioner Fisher’s presentation here.

Also be sure to look out for the new Capitol Quick Clips. These don’t have a schedule, rather they are made as a hot topic comes around!

Watch our most recent Capitol Quick Clip, No. 6 #ShelleysStraightScoop You and fish. You and me. This will make sense if you watch it!

#Telling_it_like_it_is Missed Live FB broadcast? Watch it here and don’t forget to catch the next one! #NoFilter
Every Tuesday at 7pm