I think I am a good citizen, but sometimes I make mistakes and I’m willing to admit them. I should have done a better job communicating with the commissioners, agency heads, the bean counters and probably the legislative aides; perhaps I could have read the Alaska Constitution again, but definitely I should have checked the rules, regulations, statutes, guidelines, etc., but I was busy doing other things and I let my oversight fall through the cracks. On Monday, I read in the paper that the state was only going to receive $19 million of its requested federal highway funds, $52 million having been rejected due to problems with the state of Alaska’s submission. Sorry about that.
Oh, wait a sec — it’s not exactly my fault is it? Not my job. Gov. Mike Dunleavy is at fault, the buck stops with him. This is not the first time that not following rules has hampered the performance of his duties. In the past, he has called himself an educator, but I think he is too distracted by shiny objects to be effective for that and his interest seems to lie elsewhere. He certainly likes to join others in unproductive lawsuits or self-aggrandizing publicity.
Donald Trump said, “Alaska needs Mike Dunleavy as governor more than ever.” I think he just misspoke — he meant to say Alaska needs more from a governor.
— Ron Hedge
Anchorage
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