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2019 ARWC BOD
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President
Judy Eledge
Vice President
Portia Watson-Noble
Secretary
Carolyn Leman
Assistant Secretary
Susan Fischetti
Treasurer
Lisa Moore
Assistant Treasurer
Lindsay Williams
Past President
Stacey Stone-Semmler
By Laws, Rules, Legislative
Beth Farnstrom
Candidate Recruitment and Campaigns
Susan Fischetti/Portia Noble
Community Service
Mary Rohlfing
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Elections Have Consequences!
I am writing this on a
beautiful sunshiny day with spring around the corner, even though there is still a little chill in the air wondering if we have seen the last of the cold. That description reminds me of recent state and local races. November 6th was a sunny and warm day as we took back the governorship and kept the Senate. But the chill remained in the air when we failed to win a solid majority in the house and several key Republicans formed a coalition with mostly Democrats in charge. If we thought that looked bad it didn't compare to the complete spring storm in last week's municipal races!
Elections do have consequences
and we in Anchorage continue
watching a once great city turn into a blue leaning homeless shelter.
I returned last week from 3 days in Juneau. The atmosphere was definitely different than years past. Our Governor is holding firm on his campaign pledges while he finds only lukewarm responses from both sectors of the legislature. It is a very difficult time for the House which seems to be split in several different factions. Many of our first term legislators have seen a dysfunctional organization with bitter battles and long term working relationships severed. It is going to be a long session with Governor vetoes and possible overrides of those vetoes.
I was asked by several legislators what I thought about the PFD. I told them I thought the same as I did when I voted for Governor Dunleavy in November. He very clearly stood on returning the full dividend and balancing the budget. He is a rare politician since immediately upon being elected he kept those promises with his actions. I further stated as long as rural/bush Alaska continues to get a free ride, with $100 million a year ferry subsidies, Olympic swimming pools in Sitka, PBS and Arts Council funding and millions being spent on failing schools with no accountability for results,
I, like many others, want our full dividend. When we see a true cap on spen
ding perhaps we will discuss a cap on the PFD. Right now, it is just the principal of some getting it all and the rest of us sharing the burde
n.
If you have not been involved in the past, this is a good time to start! I try to send action alerts and appreciate all that call or send emails. Legislators tell me it does matter and they want to hear from us, not special interest groups. I have to sometimes wonder about that since when running as a candidate we often hear something different than after they arrive in Juneau. Watch Channel 15 on your TV to see your legislator at work. Sign up to follow bills of interest, then call in and testify or at the least write an email.
Conservatives have got to become as organized as the Democrats. Instead we seem to be better at calling into talk radio and ranting on Facebook than we do grassroots.
Yes, elections have consequences and unless apathy in the conservative community gets better, we are not going to like our consequences.
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Our Annual Lincoln Day was a huge success. We
raised over $21,000.00 with less people than we had last year. It was a relaxed evening with everyone enjoying hearing personal stories from our Governor, First Lady, Senator Sullivan and lovely wife Julie.
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C
OMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TH
AT ARWC SUPPORTS:
AND
2019 ANNUAL BAREFOOT MILE
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Candlelight Vigil-40 Days for Life
Sunday, April 14, 2019
6-11:00 PM
4001 Lake Otis Pkwy
Join us for the last day of the annual 40 Days for Life Candlelight Vigil to end abortion.
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Saturday May 11th 1-4 PM
Downtown at Townsquare
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GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PRESENTATION
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GOVERNOR'S BUDGET PRESENTATION
APRIL 25, 2019
6-7:30 PM
Davis Constructors:6591 A St. 99518
Free to Public
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100 YEAR CELEBRATION OF WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE
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On June 4th women's suffrage will see their 100 year anniversary, even though women in Alaska had the vote 5 years earlier. We are planning a celebration, RALLY and other fun times so stay tuned for forthcoming details.
SAVE THE DATE: JUNE 4th 2019
Interested in helping with this fun event?
Call Beth at (907)727-5450
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PRAYERS
At the recent Governor's Prayer Breakfast, Governor Dunleavy asked for all of us to pray daily for him. He asked we pray for him to have wisdom and strength to make good decisions. Please add the Governor, our President and all in elected positions to your daily prayers. We also ask that you keep the families of ARWC members Charlene Richardson (mom of Kelly Merrick) and Brenda Wuerch who both passed away recently in your prayers.
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ARWC women have fun wherever they go because together we make a difference!
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