Representative of Alaska House District 34

Juneau’s Mendenhall Valley, Airport, Auke Bay,
and Out the Road

State of Alaska

Capitol Bldg. Room 432
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 465--3744
(800) 465-2273
 
Rep.Justin.Parish@akleg.gov
 
www.RepJustinParish.com
 
facebook.com/juneaurepparish

Meeting US Senator Lisa Murkowski after her annual address to the Alaska Legislature.

Look closely – that’s me, speaking to a hallway full of Floyd Dryden students!

Representative Justin Parish’s

Capitol Update

February 24, 2017

Hello friends and neighbors in Juneau and across Alaska! Before I start with my usual newsletter business, I want to give a quick shout out to everyone who took the time to testify on HB115. We saw a great turnout with many different perspectives from all over the state. It’s great to see so many people getting involved in the political process. Thank you all!

A fun meeting with Girl Scout troop 4007!

State Jobs – Why is Juneau getting the short end of the stick?

Juneau has lost more than 400 state jobs in the last 10 years while the rest of the state has gained more than 600! The graph below shows the changes broken out between Juneau and the rest of the state. I worry that many more jobs will disappear from Juneau while the Administration considers outsourcing high-paying Planning, IT, and Administrative jobs to out-of-state contractors through reorganizations. Sacrificing Juneau’s jobs instead of a creating a sustainable fiscal plan is flat out unacceptable.

School District Meetings

Last week, my staff and I met with 13 school districts from all around the state! It was great to receive input from so many different parts of Alaska. I met with folks from Wrangell, Kodiak, Sitka, Kenai, University of Alaska Alumni, and others, with students, teachers, and administration all representing their schools. There was a common sentiment among all these folks - that schools in Alaska are scraping to get by with their current funding, and any more cuts to education will only further push our children into worse learning conditions. As a former special needs para-educator, I cannot agree more – in fact, this is what drove me to run for office. I will continue to do all I can to avoid substantial cuts to schools in Alaska. Our children deserve quality public education, and if we stop making cuts and lay the groundwork for long term plans, Alaska’s future will look much brighter.

Upcoming Events in Juneau

Juneau’s events are always a good time and often for a good cause. If you’re looking for something to do over the next couple of weeks, check some of these out!

- Girl Scout fundraising auction, Saturday, February 25 at the JACC. From 6-10pm, bid on airline tickets, condominium stays for vacations, artwork, helicopter tours and more, with proceeds benefitting Girl Scouts in Southeast Alaska.

- Backcountry film festival 2017. Rockwell Ballroom, March 2nd at 7pm. Goldtown Nickelodeon, March 10th at 9pm. Come watch videos of amazing skiing and snowboarding adventures! Proceeds benefit Southeast Alaska Avalanche Center & Juneau Mountain Rescue.

- Gospel Celebrations & Workshops. Thunder Mountain High School, March 5th, 2pm & 5:30pm. Infectious, diverse, and participatory gospel music. Tickets available at the JACC, Hearthside Books, and Rainy Retreat.

- Juneau’s Got Talent 2017. The JACC, March 11th at 7pm. Show off your talents and compete for prizes! Tickets available at Juneaudance.org, JACC, Hearthside Books, and at the door. Proceeds support Juneau Dance Theater programs and outreach in the community.

- Superhero Sham Jam. The Canvas, March 11th at 8pm. Dress up as your favorite superhero and dance the night away at this 21+ event. Tickets available at the Canvas, State Capitol Room 7, or at the door. All proceeds benefit the Canvas, a part of the non-profit REACH.

Have a great week, and please do not hesitate to contact my office at 465-3744 if you have any questions or would like to schedule a meeting with me. I would love to hear your ideas on how I can make Juneau a better place to live.

- Representative Justin Parish