It’s 6:30 am. I’m writing you now because this job sometimes keeps me from sleeping. You try working with 60 politicians every day. 60 politicians who want to improve the state in their own ways, but not all 60 of whom show amazing amounts of warmness and love to each other, at least in ways that I can notice. I know. You’re shocked.

I will keep pushing for a fair and needed budget plan, so Alaska doesn’t keep – for a fourth year in a row -deficit spending its way through what little remains of our disappearing savings accounts. I’ve written about that before.

This year in the April Anchorage City election (but NOT the August and November State & Federal elections), you must send in your ballot so that it is postmarked by April 3. You should be receiving your ballots this week. There are a few physical locations where you can vote, and a few drop boxes where you can drop off your ballots by April 3.

Republicans, Democrats and Independents, many of great intelligence, and sadly fewer with great desires to reach compromise, need to get their act together. Fast. Today’s Alaska is more important than November’s election.

Senator Tom Begich and I are continuing the tradition started by our great former Senator, Johnny Ellis – a pizza and district constituent meeting this Saturday. We hope you can make it at Noon, at the Fairview Rec. Center (1121 E 10th Ave). We’ll listen to your thoughts, and talk about what we and other legislators are working on. If that’s not interesting enough, we’ll bring what we think is some of the best pizza in the city. Eighteen pizza pies to make sure we have enough.

I won’t complain that I feel like a horde of Olympic speed skaters just skated over my back. Well, I actually just did complain about that, didn’t I? Like many of you I’ve had here again and gone again back problems, and they are here again. Que Sera. Here are some of the important things we are working on.