Election
Dear Editor: Sitka employers – Would you hire an employee based only on their resume?
Sitka voters – Would you elect an individual based only on their resume?
Not me.
Krisanne Rice, Sitka
Voting for JKT
Dear Editor: I’ve been a seasonal Sitkan since 1984, when my parents sold their Wasilla veterinary practice to cross the Gulf on a boat built in the backyard, landing in Sitka to embrace a new life as salmon trollers. It was an audacious dream, one requiring risk, daring, and tenacity. Qualities characteristic of many Alaskans, and none more so than Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins.
Jonathan’s 2012 run for office proved he knows goals aren’t achieved on enthusiasm alone. Rather, Jonathan earned his seat through herculean work, perseverance, and dedication to all Alaskans, regardless of party affiliation. In serving on the Fisheries, Transportation, and Government Oversight committees, Jonathan spent his first term demonstrating his conviction that bipartisan support is key to successful legislation. While some politicians gain notoriety for ill-mannered, unyielding conduct, Jonathan practices unflagging courtesy. He is receptive, open to others while holding true to his values. His positivity and “can-do” attitude make him a powerful advocate.
As a lifelong commercial fisherman, I’m grateful for Jonathan’s staunch advocacy for fisheries. As a writer who knows the value of words, I’m moved by his dedication to the Alaska Native Languages bill. And as a seasonal Sitkan, I’m impressed with Jonathan’s willingness to lend his time to anyone who loves Alaska – even those of us who can’t reward him with our vote.
Thank you for your dedicated service, Jonathan, and thank you, Sitkans, for using your vote to secure another JKT term.
Tele Aadsen,
Sitka and Bellingham, Wash.
JKT Appreciation
Dear Editor: When disaster strikes, it reminds us to take inventory of our resources. Not so long ago, Juneau’s legislative flurries seemed vaguely distant – a backdrop for the Alaskan stage; that curtain of sound hung behind the activities of daily life.
Sixteen months ago, everything in my life changed. Badly injured while working as a mariner with the Alaska Marine Highway, I was confronted by the ghost of a past administration: legislation from 2003 which strips state-employed Alaskan sailors of vital, federally mandated rights and protections. Alaskan politics, it seemed, was suddenly a very personal matter.
When I was strong enough to ask for help, the first office I called was that of Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. Why? Because he had offered. Because in a small town, I knew people who knew Jonathan, and he’d heard about the accident, and promised to assist in any way he could. Because I knew he had a reputation for really caring about the people who depend on him for representation, and for meaning what he said.
In an ideal world, elected officials would all have our best interests at heart. But this is the world we live in, and here is the truth: our own JKT knows how to represent. On the phone at all hours, he is constantly building networks and relationships, working to fix what is broken. The causes he supports demonstrate a valiant commitment to stand up for all of his constituents – hard-working families, under-represented minorities, citizens harmed by short-sighted legislative errors of the past. Hopefully, most Alaskans will never personally experience the ugly side of politics, but we all need someone in Juneau who is looking out for us. We have one of the good ones, and we need to keep him in the Capitol, fighting on our behalf.
Mariah Warren, Sitka
