State Budget Hearing
Dear Editor: If you have opinions about Governor Dunleavy’s proposed budget, come to Centennial Hall this Sunday, March 24, from 2 to 5 p.m. and speak directly to House Finance Committee member Rep. Dan Ortiz. This hearing is one of many happening concurrently around the state to gather public opinion in the wake of massive cuts to schools, ferries, health care, and other essential services the governor would like to impose on our state.
Families for Schools is especially concerned about the governor’s proposed 25 percent cut to education. In Sitka, this would result in an estimated loss of 40 to 50 teaching jobs, causing a dramatic increase in class sizes and reduction in important school activities. Many excellent teachers would be forced to leave town and take with them all the economic benefits that good-paying jobs bring to our community.
This hearing will not be limited to education cuts, however. All other aspects of the governor’s proposed budget will be up for discussion – a 75 percent cut to our ferries, reduction in Medicaid benefits, and retroactive PFD payments that would shrink or eliminate funding for essential services.
There is no obligation to testify during this hearing. You can make a difference in the future of our town and our state simply by attending. Please join us at Centennial Hall this Sunday, March 24, from 2 to 5 p.m. and bring a friend or family member with you.
Families for Schools, Sitka
In Response
Dear Editor: I usually find the Sentinel to have such quality writing that I was really struck by what was missing from Klas Stolpe’s herring piece in Monday’s paper. Most of Klas’s piece is simply cut and pasted from publicly available ADFG announcements, and it completely ignores meaningful context such as STA’s lawsuit and the growing discontent around herring management the last few years.
At the Saturday stakeholder meeting alone, the story glosses over the fact that most questions and comments were in reference to subsistence management and ADFG’s rude dismissal of an elder’s questions. Here’s a direct quote from a transcript, since yesterday’s paper didn’t include any actual details about the meeting.
Herman Davis: “There is one question I’d like to ask though: Are there any other places in Southeast that has herring spawn so that these seiners have somewhere to go get their quota instead of coming to Sitka every year to take out 10,000 tons of herring from this area?”
Area biologist: “This fishery is going to go on by regulation. That’s the way its gonna go, whether you like the fishery or not, I’m sorry.”
Member of the audience: “That’s not what he’s asking! Is there any other place where commercial people can go?”
Area biologist: “By regulation, we open this fishery.”
Mathew Jackson, Sitka
