OPINION: Alaskans spoke — we’re listening and acting

In the Alaska House, a bipartisan group of legislators ran on a united platform of supporting the police, supporting our schools, balanced budgets and investing in our natural resource potential and increased energy development. From the North Slope to Kodiak to South Anchorage, voters supported independents, Republicans and Democrats who ran on these principles critical to rebuilding Alaska’s workforce and stemming the outflow of residents from the state.

This election cycle is over, to most voters’ relief, and now it’s time to get to work. The election was a clear referendum on these important questions: Do voters want us to stabilize funding for public education and improve our worst-in-the-nation retirement system for teachers and public safety officers? Or would they prefer that Alaska’s Legislature devolve into the partisan bickering and gridlock that characterizes Washington, D.C.?

Alaska’s voters have spoken, and we’re listening. We hear your support for police and schools loud and clear. We will follow through on your direction to put Alaska first and work across party lines on policies that bring us together in the interest of public safety, a strong education system, putting Alaskans to work, natural resource development and opportunities for our kids. Alaska voters rejected the divisive partisanship and embraced Alaska-first patriotism that demands results from our state government.

Voters elected legislators in the House and Senate who have produced majorities that share priorities of education, public safety, retirement security reform, and supporting a strong natural resource industry necessary to bring energy solutions to Alaska now. We’re getting to work right now with the research and drafting of legislation to carry out these priorities. We have a responsibility to deliver, and good state policy means we can keep the cost of living as low as possible, address workforce to reverse outmigration, protect the Permanent Fund so dividends are sustainable, and protect the social safety net for those in need.

Alaska faces serious threats to its public safety and civic infrastructure, such as 71 vacant positions in the Anchorage Police Department, a similar number of vacancies in the Alaska State Troopers, a need to strengthen our Village Public Safety Officer program, homelessness, massive teacher shortages across the state, and depleted Department of Transportation road maintenance capacity. Yet we also have tremendous opportunities, from oil development at Pikka and Willow to natural gas plays in lower Cook Inlet, solar development on the Kenai, and a growing tourism sector creating jobs from Ketchikan to Nome.

Our job is to provide education funding stability so teachers and parents can deliver an outstanding public education to our children. We have a profound moral obligation to work with police, firefighters, teachers, and other front-line public servants to fix Alaska’s worst-in-the-nation retirement. And we are committed to working with community and business partners to jump-start Alaska’s economy and reverse more than a decade of outmigration.

Alaska voters delivered a clear message this election; it has been received, and we are acting on it.

Alaska House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham; Majority Leader Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage; Rules chair Louise Stutes, R-Anchorage; House Finance co-chairs Neal Foster, D-Nome; Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage; Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage; and Whip Zack Fields, D-Anchorage, represent the leadership team of the Alaska House Majority.

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