You deserve an experienced Representative in the State House fighting for you, your family, and our rural way of life. It’s been my privilege to represent you in the legislature. I’m seeking reelection because I want our district to have the strongest voice possible in Juneau. As a senior member in the House, I’ve teamed with Senator Hoffman and Bush Caucus members to ensure the needs of rural Alaska are always a top priority. Last session, we increased funding for public education, Head Start, the VPSO program, rural school internet speeds, school major maintenance, weatherization, and protected the PCE program.
It's not easy living in remote Alaska. Everything costs more, significantly more than the rest of the state. Our critical subsistence rights are under attack, drug use continues to rise and we’re in the midst of an overdose epidemic, and our schools are routinely neglected. I’ll prioritize these concerns as your representative.
I'm also worried about our steady workforce decline, particularly the ability to recruit and retain teachers in rural Alaska. I support returning to a defined benefits retirement plan to help keep state employees in the Bush. As a member of the Seafood Task Force, I will strive to assure our fisheries will be prosperous long into the future.
I will work in a bipartisan manner to fund important rural programs like K-12 schools, VSPOs, troopers, ferries, essential capital projects, among many other needs. We also cannot lose sight of the tremendous importance of the PFD and our state’s fiscal future.
Thank you again for your support and encouragement. I look forward to being your voice in the legislature for the next two years.