House Bill 77
Dear Editor: Congratulations to Sitka fishermen, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, conservation-minded citizens, Sen. Bert Stedman and Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, who fought for water quality by opposing House Bill 77.
Matt Donohoe, Sitka
House Bill
Dear Editor: I just wanted to take the time to say congratulations Alaskans and thank you for helping defeat House Bill 77. Defeating this bill is a victory and was the result of Alaskans across the state who wrote, testified, and demonstrated their firm commitment to protecting our rights and subsistence resources. Thank you to all who came out against this bill here in Sitka, and to Sen. Bert Stedman and Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for supporting our opposition.
Michael Baines, Tribal Chairman,
Sitka Tribe of Alaska
Elections
Dear Editor: The Supreme Court has again sold the American people to the highest bidder by ruling this week that individuals can give unlimited amounts of money to political parties and candidates each election cycle.
This gives CEOs like the Koch Brothers the power to buy our elections. In a democracy, the size of your wallet shouldn’t determine the volume of your voice. Corporations are not people and shouldn’t have constitutional rights.
The good news is that, finally, Alaskans all over the state are taking action in their communities to build the legislative support in Juneau needed to address this problem. We the People is a statewide coalition, with diverse political ideologies, all believing the rights enshrined in the Alaska Constitution were intended solely for individual human beings and not “artificial persons” or “artificial entities” such as corporations or any other groups or associations.
The mission is to restore Alaska’s people-centered democracy by assuring that only individual human beings exercise constitutional rights.
Gershon Cohen, who was very helpful to Sitkans in educating ourselves and passing a resolution by our Assembly in 2012, is coordinating this effort. He got an airing on Talk of Alaska on Tuesday and articles in the Daily Sitka Sentinel, Anchorage Daily News (article available online), Fox TV in Anchorage and I hear there was an AP article in USA Today.
There is now a website: www.wethepeoplealaska.org, where Alaskan candidates are being asked to pledge to support the true intent of the Alaska Constitution, whereby inalienable rights are to be enjoyed solely by individual human beings, and to support an amendment of the exiting Alaska constitution making that crystal clear. There is also a Facebook page for We The People, so everyone can check it out and “like” it.
Hope you’ll all continue to support this very important cause, which obviously will take time and effort to change. Every individual voice counts in this struggle for democracy.
Libby Stortz, Sitka
National Budget Deficit
Dear Editor: Ever since late August 2008 I have been pondering this letter. The subject of this letter is the federal (national) budget deficit. A couple years later, I read an article in Time Magazine that showed that military spending (adding Homeland Security) was over two-thirds of federal spending.
I propose: reduce spending on the Air Force, Army, Marines by 3 percent/year for five years; increase the U.S. Coast Guard budget by 5 percent per year for five years; increase tax (IRS) rates for income earners in the top 5 percent of the IRS tax bracket – now; legalize marijuana and tax it at the federal (national) level. Remember: the budget deficit?
Wayne C. Bowers, Sitka
Soccer Fundraiser
Dear Editor: Sitka High School boys and girls team members just finished selling their share of raffle tickets to help support the SHS soccer program. Players and parents extend our thanks and deep appreciation to Sitka Emblem Club 142 and Judi Blankenship, gaming chairman, and the committee who conducted the raffle with the soccer club. Together, over $12,000 was raised to support the high school soccer program.
Thanks also go to the Hames Corporation and Orion Sporting Goods for their generous donation towards first and third prizes. We bet Bill Grant, winning the $1,000 gift certificate at Sea Mart, Tess Heyburn who won a new iPad, and Diane Richter who has a $300 gift certificate at Orion, are particularly pleased.
Finally, thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket!
Soccer moms
Krisanne Rice and Sue Ginn, Sitka
