Vision, Mission, and Org | AK Legislature

Representative James Kaufman

House District 28

Volume 1, Issue 1, February 2021

Welcome!

Welcome to the District 28 newsletter! This is the first of many newsletters that will be coming out every other Tuesday evening during the legislative session. As this is the first, it may be a little longer than those that follow. I would like to use this channel of communication to keep all of our constituents in District 28 (and some outside of the district) up to date on current news and events, bills to follow, important committee affairs, and other happenings in the state. If this message forwarded was to you by the original recipient, make sure to sign-up using the link at the bottom of the newsletter!

District 28 is a relatively expansive house district compared to many in the Anchorage area. Included in the district are the upper Hillside, parts of Huffman, Rabbit creek, Golden View, Bear Valley, Indian, Girdwood, and Portage at the entrance to the Whittier Tunnel.

Click here for a more detailed map of District 28!

My Vision and Mission

I don't take representing District 28 lightly, I ran for office out of a sincere desire to try and make things work better and more efficiently. To accomplish this, it is important for me to tie a strategic direction with effective execution. A high-level vision guides shorter-term missions. To be transparent I have included my guiding vision statement below:

Vision: "A state where our society thrives, our people prosper, and our constituents experience a high-level of wellbeing. We will achieve this through a limited, accountable, efficient, and transparent government which provides opportunities and respects personal freedoms."

This vision guides my actions and while I do not push this view upon other members of the legislative body, or any constituents, I'd like to share it for insight into how I think.

Mission: Champion continuous improvement and best management practices to balance Alaska's budget, protect the Permanent Fund, and lay the groundwork for prosperity for years to come.

This mission statement expresses my three main areas of focus: Balancing Alaska's budget, ensuring the Permanent Fund is managed to optimize both short-term and long-term benefits, and laying the groundwork for continuous improvement practices in government. This is where my background in Quality Management provides skills that can help me realize my objectives.

Organization of the House

Alaska is facing urgent, critical issues that Representatives from all parties feel strongly about and know require action immediately. The immediate actions which will be taken will have both short-term effects and long-term consequences.

I believe, and hope, that all representatives are here in Juneau for the same reason; to ensure the well-being of their constituents and a successful future for Alaska. However, political philosophies differ, sometimes greatly, in how to progress towards that common goal. This is realized through personal values, legislative priorities, large and small decisions, and perspectives of the role of government in society.

I am firmly resolved to be a member of the present 20-person Republican-led caucus because we share many values, have complementary skill sets, a common perspective in the role of (small) government in society, and we agree on major legislative priorities to address the immediate issues that Alaska is facing.

This team has grown stronger since the convening of the 32nd legislature and current members have been continuously reinforcing our commitments to each other and in turn the caucus. This is the group of people who, in my mind, will best be able to support my above-stated mission in the direction of my above-stated vision and will help me best serve the people of District 28.

I am delighted that the 32nd legislature could unanimously agree upon the election of Representative Josiah Patkotak as Speaker Pro Tempore, and I am proud that a member of our caucus nominated him. Representative Patkotak is a man of tremendous integrity and character; I have absolutely no doubts that he was an excellent choice for a leadership position.

While we still cannot conduct any official business until a permanent Speaker of the House has been elected, I am enthusiastic that we are making progress and positive that we are taking steps in the right direction. There are urgent issues that require organization and I believe all members of the house recognize the gravity of these issues.

Governors Proposal for Infrastructure Bond

Governor Mike Dunleavy introduced a $356 million infrastructure proposal. The first statewide bond proposal in nearly 10 years, Senate Bill 74. Upon passage by the Legislature, the general obligation bond will go to a vote of the people.

The proposal totals $356,405,952 and leverages a federal match of $1,003,471,000. I have included some highlights of SB-74 below. Give me a call or email my office with any thoughts you have on this proposal. I'd love to hear from you.

$8.5M to West Susitna Road Access project
$25M to School Major Maintenance Grant Fund
$18.9M to Fairbanks Youth Facility
$2.4M to Fairbanks Pioneer Home
$19.5M to Alaska Vocational Technical Center upgrades
$12M to Alaska Public Safety Communication Services System upgrades
$13.2M to Fairbanks to Seward Multi-Use Recreation Trail Construction
$20M to Statewide Firebreak Construction Program
$2.4M to Alaska Wildlife Troopers Marine Enforcement repair and replacement
$4.2M to Bethel Airport
$8.3M to Craig Harbor
$28.8M to Dalton Highway repairs and upgrades
$540K to Denali Highway Mile Point 24-25
$5.6M to Ketchikan South Tongass Highway
$29.9M to Sterling Highway Miles 8-25
$9.3M to Unalaska Harbor
$29.6M to University of Alaska infrastructure projects

Help Anchorage Parks and Recreation With a Short Survey

The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the way communities live, work, and play. Anchorage Parks and Recreation would like to know how residents' use of parks, trails, and facilities has changed these past 10 months.

Please consider completing this short survey to help the department gather data to help with future programming, services, and activities to support the Anchorage community.

The survey will be open through February 19, 2021, and any resident of the Municipality of Anchorage who utilizes parks and trails is welcome to participate (youth, too)! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/parks_covid