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KEEPING IN TOUCH
Phone: (907) 465-3892
Toll-Free: (866) 465-3892
Address:
State Capitol, Room
418,
Juneau, AK 99801
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Visit akleg.gov to track bills, watch committees and more!
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
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Thank you to all who stopped by the Jewel Lake Kaladi for coffee and conversation last Saturday! It was great to be back in the neighborhood and talk face-to-face about the issues most important to you.
I look forward to the next time I can meet with you in Anchorage, but until then, please don't hesitate to contact me.
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It's always a pleasure to meet with our district's best and brightest students and teachers! Keep an eye out for these young innovators!
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I had some engaging and insightful conversation with Alana Humphrey of the Boys and Girls club a few weeks ago. Thank you for stopping by!
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This was a big week for Alaska. I proudly cast my vote for the leanest state budget in years. This budget focuses on protecting education and public safety - the two issues my neighbors in District 22 have consistently told me are the most important.
Last week the State House considered the FY18 budget on the floor for five days in a row with over 32 hours of debate. Throughout the budget process, hundreds of cuts were proposed - some reasonable, and some whose impacts could be devastating, or simply unknown. It was an intense process, but it was important to look at each proposal in detail, talk with the affected departments, assess budget histories, and determine if the result would ultimately benefit or harm Alaskans. The state budget is something I take very seriously. While I was happy to support a number of the minority amendments brought forward, many weren’t the reasonable cuts they were painted to be.
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Both the House and Senate are working very hard right now to determine what the best course for Alaska is. Obviously, there are many ideas we're examining. It’s important to keep in mind that while we are still in the process of determining the budget, nothing is set in stone and everything needs to be on the table. The fact remains that we absolutely must achieve something sustainable by the end of this session.
In the end, this year's House budget is a decrease of almost $83 million from last year's for statewide agency and operations. I believe this budget keeps Alaska's future bright by working to shorten the recession we are currently in, and ensuring our long-term economic well-being.
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As part of the cuts offered during the budget debate, I proposed a 75% cut to legislative per diem. This will save the state close to one million dollars.
Effectively, this amounts to a $14,000 cut to my take-home pay. As the father of a single income family with three young kids, this was not an easy choice to make. But I believe it’s the right choice. We're asking Alaskans to make a lot of sacrifices in these tough budget times, and Legislators should not be exempt from that. The cut successfully passed the House 34-5.
Click here to watch my statement on the House floor:
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If you have any questions about the process, specific cuts, things you've heard in news, or votes I've made, I would be happy to chat with you. Don't hesitate to contact me at (907) 465-3892 or [email protected].
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At the start of February, I launched a constituent survey to get a better sense of where our district stood on the issues. Thank you to all who participated! I received hundreds of responses, all of which will be very helpful as I work to represent you down in Juneau.
Here is a sampling of the results. For the full list of results, click HERE.
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Public Safety & APD Crime Plan
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Whether via email, a phone call or on Nextdoor, I've heard from many of you about the increased criminal activity in our area neighborhoods. The right to feel safe in our homes and on our streets is something I take very seriously.
I have been closely tracking the actions taken to address public safety in Anchorage, and it is a constant topic of discussion as we've been examining the state budget.
Here are few important things to know about public safety:
1) The Anchorage Police force now exceeds 400 sworn officers, bringing us closer to the best practice standards for a city our size. Increased numbers will allow APD to be proactive, rather than just reactive to crime. It's taking some time to see the effects, but this is a huge step in the right direction.
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Earlier this month, the Anchorage Police Department released a 2017 Targeted Crime Plan, a significant move in rebuilding the police department and combating criminal activity in our neighborhoods.
The three main focuses of the plan are to expand foot patrols to more areas of town (proven to be highly effective), refocusing teams to strictly target street-level drug crimes (believed to be the root of property crimes), and putting more officers where we need them most.
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Photo Credit: Alaska Dispatch News
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3)
I've worked very closely with the Department of Law this session. Due to budget cuts in recent years, the Department was forced to delete 22 prosecutors and 19 support staff positions. The effect of these cuts has resulted in 7,000 fewer crimes prosecuted - meaning more criminals on are t
he streets.
I believe that public safety is not an area we can afford to under-fund. That's why I've led the effort to restore three prosecutor positions to the Department - so they will have the resources they need to ensure that if crime is committed, people will be held accountable for their actions.
I'll continue working on ways to improve public safety in our neighborhoods from a state and local level. As a father of three, please know that I take your concerns to heart.
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It’s that time of year again! Remember to apply for your PFD before the March 31st deadline. If you haven’t done so, be sure to visit the Permanent Fund Dividend Division site and fill out your application today.
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Representative Jason Grenn
House District 22
Sand Lake, Jewel Lake, West Dimond & Kincaid
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Office of Representative Jason Grenn
State Capitol, Room 418
Juneau, AK 99801
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