OPINION: We must protect Alaska’s fundamental right to privacy

OPINION: House Bill 172, which establishes crisis stabilization and residential centers, recently became law in Alaska. The legislation provides much-needed improvements for Alaska’s mental and behavioral health system and will improve public safety.

Alaska has a crisis hiring and keeping competent state attorneys. Here’s how to fix it.

The Alaska State Legislature changed to the current retirement system in 2005 in response to an alleged $5 billion gap between what the state was collecting and what it needed to pay for the state’s pension fund…

During the past two years, Alaskans have faced a perfect storm of challenges: the COVID-19 pandemic, the subsequent business shutdown, record unemployment, costly weather disasters and devastating declines in salmon runs and other fisheries stocks…

As former elected Anchorage Assembly members, we are both saddened by the current level of partisanship between the Assembly and Mayor Dave Bronson. As we watch, we are reminded of our public service on the Anchorage Assembly from 2007 to 2010…

Earlier this month, the Alaska State House organized with a tri-partisan majority coalition to continue a tradition that began in 2017. While harsh partisanship all-too-often characterizes the political landscape in Washington, D.C., and the other 49 states, the Alaska House of Representatives is the only legislative body in the country that shares leadership among the parties.

Congratulations and thank you to Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson for stepping up to lead our great city. Austin is a hardworking, dedicated public servant who is committed to making Anchorage a better community.

Improving public safety and making wise use of our public safety resources are the keys to effective criminal justice policy in our community and across Alaska. The Anchorage Police Department recently reported crime statistics that showed positive steps in improving public safety…

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s red-pen cut of all state funding to Alaska Legal Services Corp., or ALSC, which helps provide essential legal services to domestic violence victims, undermined our common commitment to improve public safety and betrayed the governor’s promise to help crime victims no matter the cost.

As we celebrate our nation’s independence, we should be concerned about the growing lack of respect for the very institutions that our ancestors fought for in the American Revolution. Three independent branches of government and respect for the rule of law are the foundations of the American way of life…

As Alaskans debate Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposed budget, which includes a $3,000 Permanent Fund dividend and “payback” dividends totaling more than $3,600, we often hear comments about the “right” to receive a dividend. History shows, however, that the payment of dividends was not part of the debate when we amended the Alaska Constitution to create the Permanent Fund.

The controversy surrounding the Dunleavy administration’s announcement to bring in a for-profit company from Nashville to run Alaska’s only psychiatric hospital is a reminder that effective governing is hard and complicated. Given the scope of the problems at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute (API), it’s important to scrutinize the details of the governor’s plan…

Taking positive steps and working to improve public safety for Alaska remains a top priority for the Legislature. House Bill 312, which we sponsored in the House and is now moving toward final passage, addresses our common public safety concerns and is good news for all Alaskans.

Taking positive steps and working to improve public safety for Alaska remains a top priority for the Legislature. House Bill 312, which we sponsored in the House and is now moving toward final passage, addresses our common public safety concerns and is good news for all Alaskans.

More than 10 years ago, Alaskans voted to limit the legislative session to 90 days with the hope that the Legislature would finish its work on time and under budget. Since oil prices dropped in 2014, however, the Legislature has been unable to finish the state's business in 90 days or even 120 days. We have endured extended session after extended session followed by special sessions. Is it time for Alaskans to amend our Constitution to establish an effective 90-day limit on legislative sessions?

The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail is the crown jewel of the Anchorage park system, an 11-mile trail from downtown to Kincaid Park. The health of the Coastal Trail is a good measure of our success in reaching our goal of being the No. 1 city in America to live, work, and play. Developing Anchorage as a world-class winter city also means we need sensible, efficient ways to manage winter snowfall. To prevent contamination of our waterways, we need to improve the Kloep Snow Dump Facility, a large snow dump on airport land used by both the municipality and the state.