KEEPING IN TOUCH
Phone:
(907) 269-0234
Toll-Free:
(866) 465-3892
Address:
State Capitol, Room 418, Juneau, AK 99801
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HOUSE FLOOR HAPPENINGS
Click below to watch my recent comments public education:
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Day 90 of the legislative session came and went this past Sunday. And while I wish I was reporting to you that the Legislature had adjourned, I'm truly optimistic the session will be wrapping up soon.
Finding consensus on a complex solution is never going to be easy, but we have come a long way from past years in terms of enacting a realistic, comprehensive fiscal plan.
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The good news is that the Senate recently passed an operating budget not too different from the House version, and both chambers have come to the table on ways to effectively fund state services, including our schools. As conversations around the budget continue in these final days, my two priorities remain: public safety and education. I believe we can't afford to cut these two constitutionally-mandated services any further, and am encouraged that many others in the capitol building, on all sides of the aisle, appear to acknowledge this reality too.
I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to wrap up this legislative session in a timely manner, and finalizing a budget Alaskans can count on.
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Did You Know?
A thing or two about session deadlines:
The conversation around the legislative session can be confusing -- is it 90 or 121 days? In 2006, a people's initiative was passed to limit the legislative session to 90 days. The Constitution of Alaska provides for a 121 day deadline, which can be extended by 10 days when necessary. So while it's the goal of the legislature (and my personal goal) to honor the request of the people and finish in 90 days, there are times where budget work extends past the 90-day mark and into the constitutional
time-frame.
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A Vote to Invest in Our Future
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I voted YES for
HB 339
, a bill to increase the base student allocation (BSA). Why? Investing in education is a direct investment in building a stronger community. And increasing class sizes will harm student outcomes.
I'll be honest - with the budget situation we're in, I started out very skeptical of raising the BSA this year. I am not interested in adding to the budget without a critical, well-researched reason (such as increasing public safety efforts). However, the fact is that flat-funding education is equal to cutting education.
Adjusting for inflation, education funding has fallen by $90 million since 2014, resulting in the loss of well over 500 teachers and support staff, increased class sizes, and reduced programming. So while flat-funding sounds reasonable, the impacts of doing so must be considered.
Our very own Dimond High School is now facing the loss of 1/8 of its teaching staff, cutting AP classes, and dramatically increase class sizes. At the end of the day,
we need to know the consequences before simply checking the "easy" box to flat-fund the BSA yet again this year.
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The question is: are we committed to investing in our state's future?
When students have a high-quality education and a genuine connection to their school and community, we see buy-in from students to stay in Alaska and participate as innovators in our state’s future.
We must ensure that our students are on the cutting edge of education, and give them the tools they need to push the envelope and make our state better.
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Innovations in Public Safety
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This week, Senator John Coghill and I passed our public safety bill out of the House Finance Committee. Senate Bill 215 would ensure 911 dispatchers have the information they need to respond to the exact location of an emergency when a call comes in for help.
Speaking with our men and women on the front lines of public safety, the words I always hear are, "seconds count." When someone's life is on the line, we need to have every advantage to ensure our first responders can reach an emergency as fast as possible.
We are now looking forward to getting this bill on the House Floor for a vote and to the Governor as soon as possible.
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35th Annual KidsDay Tomorrow!
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Kids and families alike -- come out and join the fun this weekend! Celebrating its 35th year, KidsDay is a free, family-friendly event for kids of all ages to come out for a day of laughter and fun!
You'll find everything from face-painting to prize wheels, a street fair and bouncy house, free books and live stage performances. There's something for everyone at KidsDay!
For more information, check out the flyer below, click
HERE
to visit the KidsDay website, or call (907) 272-4100.
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Our neighborhood knows resilience. When we see a problem, we have people that step up in our classrooms, our communities, and our homes. This is what I love about our side of town, and I'm honored to have heard from, and connected with, so many of you.
It's a pleasure to serve and represent the wonderful people of Sand Lake, Jewel Lake, Campbell Lake, Dimond & Kincaid!
Conversations big and small, I always have time for my neighbors. If you have questions, concerns, or ideas, please give me a call at (907) 269-0234, send me an email at
Rep.Jason.Grenn@akleg.gov
, message me on
Facebook
, or contact me on
Twitter
.
If you're ever just looking a quick update on what's happening down in Juneau, checking out my
Twitter
,
Facebook
, and
Instagram
pages is also a great way to stay connected.
Warmly,
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Representative Jason Grenn
House District 22
Sand Lake, Jewel Lake, West Dimond & Kincaid
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Let's Keep in Touch!
(907) 269-0234
Rep.Jason.Grenn@akleg.gov
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Office of Representative Jason Grenn
State Capitol, Room 418
Juneau, AK 99801
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