The Dunleavy Cabinet is in place now. Given the political makeup of the legislature, there was never a great deal of doubt that department heads would be confirmed, though DEC Commissioner Jason Brune was lobbying legislators with some persistence in the days before the vote. Brune wears the albatross of the Pebble Mine around his neck, as a former …
Leg with Louie: House Operating Budget brought to you by Rep. David Eastman
Anyone still doubting the wisdom of Rep. Gary Knopp for not caucusing solely with the Republicans in our State House, should look no further than the antics of Rep. David Eastman, both before and during House floor debate on the operating budget. Recall, Rep. Knopp would not settle to join a majority with a single vote margin of control because it …
Leg with Louie: Predicting Success!
Here’s a prediction: before too long, someone out in our great state who is tired of this self-imposed budget calamity will file a citizen’s initiative to change the oil tax structure. The oil industry will charge this Alaskan citizen with playing unfairly – pulling the rug out from under them, not being a good partner, creating an unstable investment …
Leg with Louie: The Illusion of a process
Senate Bill 51 (SB 51) creates the illusion of a process for citizens to nominate waters in Alaska for special protection. It is a response to the mandate under the Federal Clean Water Act that all states must provide a way for citizens to nominate high-value waters (Tier III waters) for protection in each state. Because it was written with …
Leg With Louie: The Great Dunleavy Exodus of FY20
Like many, I don’t fancy sending my kids off to a classroom stuffed with 50 other kids. Not only does this sardine-can approach exponentially grow the possibility that my child will return home with the flu and gift it to everyone in the house, it also increases the likelihood that their ability to focus and learn will be impacted. …
Leg With Louie: Why the Rush, Pebble?
The federal environmental review of Pebble mine is an obvious rush job and Pebble is throwing millions and millions of lobbying dollars on the dumpster fire of politics in order to ensure the mine receives its critical federal permits before the 2020 presidential election. Alaska departments charged with reviewing the Pebble Mine Environmental Impact Statement have already been cut to …
Leg with Louie: It was a dark and stormy Juneau….
The sun came out in Juneau today, ominous and strange after days of rain. By noon the temperature was plunging toward a projected single-digit nadir and the wind was pushing snow off the peak of Mt. Juneau. Flags – Alaskan, American – went haywire in the wind. In contrast to the outdoors, the hallways of the state capitol were warm …
House Majority Fantasy Football
Dear Friends, It is the start of the 2019 Legislative session – and no House Majority has formed. The state-level legislative impasse combined with the federal impasse begs the question: where have all the great Politicians gone? The Negotiators, the Wheelers and Dealers, the Knee-Cappers! Has our collective disdain of Politics led us to the point where we have no …