Tribal Citizens
Dear Editor: With a new Presidential Administration, shifting priorities are expected. President Trump is acting quickly to advance the priorities identified during his campaign. The Executive Orders being issued by the President are vaguely worded and have created much confusion within and outside the federal government. The President may continue to issue orders to test what authority he has.
The United States has a unique government-to-government obligation to Tribal Nations.
Because of this unique relationship, Tribal Nations and Native people are disproportionately affected by any federal actions and the withholding of federal funding. The United States is responsible for fulfilling its trust obligation to protect Tribal rights, lands, assets, and resources as promised in the United States Constitution and federal statutes.
Sitka Tribe of Alaska recognizes that, at first glance, it may seem as though Tribal sovereignty, the Federal-Tribal trust relationship and individual rights are being questioned. However, the new President’s Executive Orders will all have to face the due process of law. As we have seen this past week, lawsuits are being filed swiftly to question the President’s authority in these matters. Congress is also questioning what power the President actually possesses to change the use of Congressionally-appropriated funds.
The Tribal Council of Sitka Tribe of Alaska held a special meeting on January 30, 2025, in which we identified that although the news makes the situation seem dire, the Sitka Tribe of Alaska has a strong team closely monitoring and well-positioned to respond to the situation. STA’s financial position is solid and the true impacts to STA are not yet certain. STA’s Tribal Council is confident in our team, and will continue to pay close attention to federal and state changes that may impact our traditional ways of living. The Tribe will continue to work with our state and federal lawmakers in the best interest of our Tribal Citizens.
We will continue to uphold the mission of the Tribe and look out for our Tribal Citizens during these ever-changing times. The Sitka Tribe of Alaska continues to exercise the Tribe’s sovereign rights, preserve the integrity of Tribal society, and improve the lives of individual Tribal Citizens. As of today, we will continue to operate business as usual, monitor the situation, and operate under normal procedures. Programs and activities will go ahead as planned.
Sitka Tribe of Alaska
Tribal Council
House Bill 69
Dear Editor: Hello. My name is Dalton Turner, and I would like to talk to you about the critical issue of school funding. I am a student at Blatchley Middle School in Sitka, and at our school we can see the profound effects of low school funding and low BSA (Base Student Allocation). This issue has gone unsolved for too long.
I love to read. Starting years ago with loss of funding to schools my school library became woefully underfunded and underequipped. This is evidenced by the fact that the school librarian was fired last year and now no one can check out the books because no one knows how to operate the checkout system. Also, a lot of my favorite teachers were fired and the BSA still wasn’t raised. House Bill 69 will end this by restoring the BSA to what it should have been given rampant inflation and ever-growing costs to schools.
Representative Himschoot used to be my gifted and talented teacher in Sitka. I know she has been working tirelessly to support education and public school teachers like my parents. She and those who support House Bill 69 are the true heroes in the state of Alaska.
Also, the issue of charter/private schools in our state. I believe that most private schools are acceptable, but what is NOT acceptable is taking public funds away from public schools and giving them to private schools. This practice is wrong and must be stopped. Many private schools teach things that are not taught in public schools, such as religion and other opinion-based lessons. We need to prioritize public schools because the reality is that not many families can afford the expensive tuition costs at a private school. Public education MUST be supported by the government of the state!
Not only am I a student in Sitka, but both my parents are teachers, and I see and hear firsthand the struggles that are affecting public education. First on the list, and most important, is school funding. Raising the BSA is one step, the most crucial step, in the right direction. The fact that the BSA has not increased since 2017 has been devastating to districts, families, and students across our state. Please support House Bill 69.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Dalton Turner, Sitka
5 Calls App
Dear Editor: Feeling angry, bewildered, overwhelmed, anxious by what’s going on in D.C.? Want to act but don’t know what to do or where to begin? Consider downloading the 5 Calls app and begin advocating for the things you hold dear – Social Security, Medicare, the environment, the health and well-being of people of color, the LGBTQ+ community. 5 Calls is a volunteer- based effort founded by a husband and wife team that makes “it effortless for regular people to have a voice when it’s needed most.”
Why call? 5 Calls says “Calling members of Congress is the most effective way to have your voice heard. Calls are tallied by staffers and the count is given to your representatives, informing them how strongly their constituents feel about a current issue. The sooner you reach out, the more likely it is that your voice will influence their position.”
So download the 5 Calls app on your phone or tablet and begin taking back democracy. I’ve made close to 12 congressional and state calls and the staff who answered were so receptive to hearing from Alaskan constituents. By calling, I’m able to keep my own despair and overwhelm at bay while those in power wield fear, uncertainty and doubt. Calling also helps me keep the goal of a country founded on principles of justice and equality foremost in my mind.
Lisa Sadleir-Hart, Sitka
