"SAVE THE PFD"

CAMPAIGN UPDATE

The latest government attack on our annual PFD check occurred on April 17, 2003. 

SJR 18 was introduced by the Senate Rules Committee, by request of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee, by request of the Permanent Fund Board of Trustees, in consultation with Governor Murkowski!

SJR 18 and the house version, HJR 26 are similar to Rep. Norm Rokeberg's HJR 1, in that they provide no mention of the PFD program.  HJR 1, SJR 18, and HJR 26 all eliminate the earnings reserve account where  the PFD and inflation proofing come from now.   By default the PFD program and inflation proofing statutes will  become null and void.  As those statutes go away, so goes your PFD!

 SJR 18 and HJR 26 have vague wording that implies the principle may not be touched by the legislature, but can we really afford to trust them with our money much longer?

This is a "grassroots" effort which will only be successful if a lot of people become involved.  Make sure you tell everyone you know in Alaska about the legislature's attack on our PFD, and encourage them to take action.  We have made it easy to send a message to the Governor and entire legislature by going to: www.akvoters.org/pfd.htm.  Three clicks of the mouse, and they all  know you want to keep your PFD! 

If you want to get even more involved in this important campaign, click HERE, and complete details will be sent.

HJR 3 WILL PUT PFD INTO ALASKA'S CONSTITUTION

In the past week our "Save the PFD"

By our count there are still 586,692 people who received a PFD this year that have NOT sent a message yet!  Get on line now and demand a vote to protect the annual dividends! Click here to send your message!

LEGISLATORS NOT SUPPORTING HJR 3 WANT YOUR PFD!!!

A co-sponsor list has been established to record each legislators current position on this important issue.  Check back often to see if your representative has become a co-sponsor yet. 

Have you asked your Senator to sponsor legislation to protect the PFD?  A complete list of telephone numbers and email addresses are available with a simple click of your mouse.

HJR 3 is still being held hostage in the House State Affairs Committee by Republican Representative Weyhrauch of Juneau.  His actions indicate he plans to hold it there until the end of session.  This is in opposition to the 1999 advisory vote, where 83% of Alaskan voters told the legislature not to spend the PFD for state government!  Call today (907) 465-3744 or 800 968-6774 and tell him what you think of his partisan politics standing in the way of your PFD! 

WHO WOULD BENEFIT BY TAKING YOUR PFD AWAY?

A list of contributors to the 1999 campaign, which if passed, would have already taken your dividend away.  While you review this list consider sending your contribution to this new "Save the Dividend" campaign. It will require a lot of money for us to educate all Alaskans about the attack on our PFD program. 

Also consider volunteering some time to help inform others in your area.  

Send your tax deductible donation by check or money order, made payable to the Alaska Voters Organization; P.O. Box 2016; Kenai, Alaska; 99611-2016. The Alaska Voters Organization is a 501 (c) 3 educational foundation.

By working together, we can “Save the Dividend” for future Alaskan's!!!

LEGISLATION BEING HEARD IN COMMITTEE THIS WEEK

HJR 26, Will eliminate the earnings reserve account where  the PFD and inflation proofing come from now.  By default the PFD program and inflation proofing statutes will  become null and void.  As those statutes go away, so goes your PFD!   Will be heard by House Ways & Means Committee on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 7:00 am each day.  Sponsored by the House Rules Committee by request of the Permanent Fund Board of Trustees, in consultation with Governor Murkowski!   Recommend: OPPOSE

HB 157, This special interest legislation will completely eliminate the Alaska Public Office's Commission (House version of SB 119).  Will be heard by the House State Affairs Committee on Tuesday at 8:00 am.  Introduced by the House Rules Committee: (ROKEBERG (Chair), Chenault, Coghill, Kott, Morgan, Berkowitz, and Kerttula), by request of Governor Murkowski.  

Under current statutes the APOC is a board made up of five commissioners, two from the R's, two from the D's, and one from the public.  Under the Governor's plan all financial disclosure record keeping duties will go to the Director of the Division of Elections, which is supervised by the Lt. Governor.  

Any enforcement issues will be under the Department of Law, which is supervised by the Attorney General.  A private citizen will no longer be able to bring action by filing a complaint with the APOC.  Under the proposed changes, citizens will have to file a civil action in state court.  The attorney general would have to do the same for any complaints filed by the state.

In summary, the proposed changes will place the entire election financial disclosure and lobbyist monitoring process under the Governor's control, and subject to partisan politics and special interest influence.  This is BAD public policy that will put Alaska's campaign reform laws back to pre-Watergate scandal days.  See special HOT BUTTON page for complete details!  Recommend: OPPOSE

HJR 5, This legislation will make initiatives and referendum petitions more difficult.  Will be heard by the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday at 1:00 pm.  Sponsored by Representative Williams.  Another attempt to limit the ability of voters to petition their government!  Recommend:  OPPOSE

HJR 4, Proposes amending the constitution to limit legislative sessions to 90 days.  Will be heard by the House State Affairs Committee on Thursday at 8:00 am.   Sponsored by Representatives Samuels and Rokeberg.  Recommend:  SUPPORT

GOOD LEGISLATION NOT BEING HEARD THIS WEEK!!!

HB 19, This bill calls for a separate education budget and requires the legislature approve it by April 1 each year.  Sponsored by Rep. Stevens, and Wolf.  If passed, this would ensure  full education funding is provided, and eliminate it as an end of session bargaining chip! 

Held up in the House Special Committee on Education (GATTO [Chair], SEATON [Vice-Chair], Ogg, Wilson, Wolf, Gara, and Kapsner) since introduction on January 21, 2003!  Recommend: SUPPORT 

HCR 15, allows any member of the legislature and the governor to introduce legislation as individuals or as a group of members.  Introduced by Rep. Croft, and co-sponsored by Rep. Gara.  This will eliminate the deceptive practice of introducing questionable legislation "by committee". 

Held up in the House State Affairs Committee: (WEYHRAUCH [Chair], HOLM [Vice-Chair], Dahlstrom, Lynn, Seaton, Berkowitz, and Gruenberg) since introduction on April 2, 2003!  Recommend: SUPPORT

HJR 3, Puts the question of whether the PERMANENT FUND DIVIDEND should be put on the ballot for a vote of the people.   Sponsored by Rep. Crawford and Croft.   If approved by voters the dividend would become part of the constitution, using formula currently in place. 

Held up in the House State Affairs Committee: (WEYHRAUCH [Chair], HOLM [Vice-Chair], Dahlstrom, Lynn, Seaton, Berkowitz, and Gruenberg) since introduction on February 7, 2003!  Recommend: SUPPORT 

HJR 11, This constitutional amendment will end the legislature's policy of closed door meetings, and private caucus' when discussing the public's business.  Sponsored by Representatives CRAWFORD and Croft.  This will force our government to be more  transparent, honest, and worthy of trust once again.

HJR 22, is a resolution in support of civil rights and civil liberties for all Americans, and questions certain provisions of the USA Patriot Act.  Introduced by Rep. Guttenberg, and co-sponsored by Rep. Crawford.  Urges the US Congress to correct provisions of the USA Patriot Act and other measures that unduly infringe on civil liberties and to oppose the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003. 

Held up by the House State Affairs Committee: (WEYHRAUCH [Chair], HOLM [Vice-Chair], Dahlstrom, Lynn, Seaton, Berkowitz, and Gruenberg) since introduction on April 2, 2003!  Recommend: SUPPORT

SB 80,  Finally an election law that makes sense!  Sponsored by Senator Davis.  It's about time we started making it easier rather than harder to vote.  Maybe it will help increase voter turnout? 

Held up by the Senate State Affairs Committee: (GARY STEVENS [Chair], COWDERY [Vice-Chair], Dyson, Guess, and Hoffman) since introduction on February 21, 2003!  Recommend: SUPPORT 

SCR 8, allows any member of the legislature and the governor to introduce legislation either as individuals or as a group of members for consideration.  Introduced by Representative Croft, and co-sponsored by Representative Gara.  This will eliminate the deceptive practice of introducing questionable legislation "by committee". 

Held up by the Senate State Affairs Committee: (GARY STEVENS [Chair], COWDERY [Vice-Chair], Dyson, Guess, and Hoffman) since introduction on April 2, 2003!  Recommend: SUPPORT 

SJR 6 This proposed constitutional amendment would reduce legislative sessions from 120 to 90 days.  Sponsored by Senator Guess.  This bill could save us $Billions! 

Held up by the Senate State Affairs Committee: (GARY STEVENS [Chair], COWDERY [Vice-Chair], Dyson, Guess, and Hoffman) since introduction on January 31, 2003!  Recommend: SUPPORT

SJR 15, is a resolution in support of civil rights and civil liberties for all Americans, and questions certain provisions of the USA Patriot Act.  Introduced by Senator Ellis.  Urges the US Congress to correct provisions of the USA Patriot Act and other measures that unduly infringe on civil liberties and to oppose the Domestic Security Enhancement Act of 2003. 

Held up by the Senate State Affairs Committee: (GARY STEVENS [Chair], COWDERY [Vice-Chair], Dyson, Guess, and Hoffman) since introduction on April 2, 2003!  Recommend: SUPPORT

It is the RESPONSIBILITY and DUTY of a committee chairperson to present GOOD LEGISLATION for public discussion and a vote.  If these bills are kept locked up until the end of session they die, and Alaskan voters are once again denied good public policy because of partisan politics. 

Please take a few minutes and tell these legislators what you think!  Telephone numbers and email addresses for all legislatures are available on the Links page. 

When you send letters or written testimony to the legislature remember to copy the media with your important message, because EVERYONE needs to know how you feel about the issues.  Also consider copying us with your letter for inclusion on AK Voters editorial page.

Please forward this message to everyone you know in Alaska, and ask them to do the same.  Everyone is welcome and strongly encouraged to join AK Voters.  It is absolutely FREE to join, and each member automatically receives future issues of the "Spotlight on Juneau ".  Working together we CAN and WILL make a positive difference for Alaska's future!

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