Roadblocks and Hammers Roadblocks and Hammers May 28, 2021 Dear Friends and Neighbors, I hope you get some time with family this Memorial Day weekend. Rain never stops Southeast Alaskans! Please take a moment Monday to remember those who gave all in service to our nation. I'm headed to the Alaska Memorial Park at 11am to hear R.Admiral Nathan Moore, the new commander of Coast Guard District 17, honor the fallen. Norm Wooten is an incredible advocate for Alaska schools & kids. Reps. Story, Stutes, & Drummond, Sens. Stevens, Holland, & I presented a Legislative citation to honor him on his retirement after decades of work in roles from the Kodiak School Board to Executive Director of the Association of Alaska School Boards. A Statewide Hammer This incredibly difficult year forced far too many Alaskans out of work. Throughout the pandemic, unemployment insurance has been an absolutely vital support for countless families. Alaska has one of the lowest weekly UI benefits in the country. So extra money from the federal government made the checks just big enough for a lot of Alaskans to get by. Those extra federal dollars had no effect on Alaska's deficit, but they did a lot for ordinary Alaskans trying to pay the bills. So imagine Alaskans' shock when Governor Dunleavy decided to turn down the cash, apparently prompted by some stories of businesses that couldn't fill openings. You can only get UI if you’re looking for work. Turn down a job offer and you get kicked off. UI isn't a way to avoid work—it’s a vital bridge for folks who just can’t get a job right now. And needless to say: if someone cheats, they should get the boot. Even with sectors of the economy finally starting to recover, vast swaths of Alaska still have no jobs. That's especially true in tourism-dependent parts of our state like Healy or Skagway. Governor Dunleavy didn't even try to take targeted approaches to help those Alaskans. Instead, he took a statewide hammer to their rent and grocery money. The Senate put some back-to-work bonuses in the budget to add incentives where jobs do exist. That, and enforcing the rules, should be enough to take care of situations where work is available. But we can't force the governor to help Alaska families who are truly out of work through no fault of their own. That's between him, Alaska voters, and his conscience. How many champion skydiver/neurologist/equestrians with a background in laser lipoprotein research do you know? Reps. Story, Josephson, & I presented a Legislative citation honoring Susan Hunter-Joerns for her many accomplishments. Roadblocks Bad news from our next-door neighbors: the Canadians extended their border closure again. This time 'till June 21st. That has a serious ongoing impact on Alaskans—particularly Southeast communities where Canada is an essential link to the rest of the state. Alaska’s vaccination rates are pretty decent. So are Yukon’s. But the rest of Canada is lagging badly. I mean, just two weeks ago, British Columbia put new restrictions on travel within the province. And Canada's federal government is determined to keep a one-size-fits-all-crossings approach to their borders. Every appeal Alaskans have made to our neighbors so far has been unsuccessful. Vaccination is the key to opening up the economy and travel. It can’t happen soon enough. Where’s the budget? We’re still in special session. We shouldn’t be. There’s no reason the state should risk sending pink slips to state employees in a couple of weeks. There are one or two things we're squabbling over in the budget, but we've pretty much figured out how we'll spend the first year of federal relief money. At this point, the only big issue left is this fall's PFD. Folks are so entrenched on that issue, no votes are likely to change with time. We can fund a roughly $1,000 PFD without overdrawing the Permanent Fund or decimating state services. I think the votes are there. It's time to send a budget to the governor. All my best, Did someone forward you this newsletter? Did you fall into it through the series of tubes? Want more? SUBSCRIBE Events & Happenings Around District Q The Classics in Juneau Juneau Jazz and Classics is back! In-person and virtual concerts abound. It's going on now, and ends May 30th. Join the fun and listen to some world-renowned artists here in Southeast! Juneau marketing on the docks It’s summertime—which means fun in the liquid sun. Join the Fresh Air Markets at Marine Park starting June 5th. Bonus: if you’re a vendor there are still spots open! Juneau Maritime Festival Juneau’s 11th Maritime Festival is happening June 19th—it’s a great way to catch up with neighbors, enjoy live music, delicious seafood, and much more. Free and open to all ages! Juneau True Crime This will be the first of the series of Capital Killers Historic Walking Tour with Ed Schoenfeld and Betsy Longenbaugh—two longtime Southeast Alaska crime reporters. Walk the streets of Juneau and dive into the deep and suspicious history. Haines Motorcycle Rodeo The Ugly’s of Haines and the Panhandlers MC invite everyone to see some hot wheels and enjoy some BBQ cooking this weekend: May 29th – 31st! Haines Lutak Town Hall Come out Wednesday, June 3rd at 6:30 pm to get an overview of the new Lutak Dock concept and discussion on Phase one of this major infrastructure idea! International Bike Relay The Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay is going virtual this year—ride between one and eight of the 30-kilometer legs. Do it individually or by team. Complete the challenge between June 12th-20th! Skagway coloring the world with reading! Summer doesn’t always mean being outside. The Summer Reading Program is good both indoors and out! Log your reading and submit the results for a chance to win monthly prizes through mid-August! Think Skagway Skagway invites you to visit Memorial Day Weekend (May 28th -31st) to hike the trails, camp in Dyea, catch a yoga class, or forest bathe. Replenish for the year ahead. Skagway Comic Book Day! Stop by the Elks Lodge June 5 from 11 – 2 for Free Comic Book Day – with free pizza and door prizes for kids 16 & under. The event is open to all children ages 5 to 105—swing by and take home some free comics! Klukwan Taking Pride Chilkat Indian Village is hosting a clean-up MONTH that started on Earth Day and continues until May 31st. Pick up litter big and small—It’s not too late to make Klukwan extra clean from this long winter! Is there an event in our district I should know about? Please call or email! Snail Mail? Alaska State Capitol Room 419 Juneau, AK 99801 Call: 800 550 4947 907 465 4947 Email Me! ‌ ‌ ‌ Contact My Staff, the people who power my work: Edric Carrillo 907 465 6419 [email protected] Cathy Schlingheyde 907 465 6827 [email protected] Senator Jesse Kiehl | Alaska State Capitol, Rm. 419, 4th Avenue & Main Street, Juneau, AK 99801 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]