Senate Republican Caucus Concerned with Massive Overspending on Capital Budget; Questions Propriety of Ignoring 90-day Session Limit

Juneau – Noting that the Senate majority leadership may have overstepped its bounds by violating the 90-day session limit when it continued to conduct business beyond midnight of April 18, Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage, today questioned whether legislation passed after the deadline might be found illegal by a court.

“It’s an odd phenomenon, that we encourage the average Alaskan to do his or her civic duty and get involved with their government, yet, when they do that, and pass an initiative that limits our sessions to 90 days, the majority has no qualms about ignoring that limit,” Bunde said. “This is simply the predictable result of poor management of the first 89 days of the session.”

“I note that several of the majority’s top priority bills, such as the bloated capital budget and the bill to de-couple gas taxes from oil taxes, passed after the deadline. The leadership of the 26th Legislature may not have broken the law, but has certainly broken new ground by ignoring the limit set by the initiative. Does this signal that the Legislature will extend itself as a matter of course in future years?”

Bunde repeated his concern about the size of the capital budget, which spends a total of more than $3 billion. “We have spent far too much now, and will rue the day when realize we have spent our future security to satisfy our current wants, well beyond our needs,” Bunde said.

Sen. Tom Wagoner said he was disappointed that the capital bill included $75 million for a new crime lab in Anchorage, a project he has been fighting all session. “Two former directors of the crime lab have made it clear that this project is way bigger and much more costly than the State of Alaska needs,” Wagoner said.

Sen. Fred Dyson said he supported the process in the capital budget when it left the Senate. “The House added 28 pages and we had four minutes to look at it,” said Dyson. “I cannot approve that amount of spending without some time for analysis.”

Legislature Unanimously Agrees to Name Elmendorf AFB Fish Hatchery in Honor of WWII POW Bill Hernandez

Juneau – The Alaska Legislature has unanimously passed, and transmitted to Governor Sean Parnell for his signature, a bill naming the state’s new sport fish hatchery on Elmendorf AFB to honor long-time fish hatchery and fish-rearing pioneer William Jack (Bill) Hernandez. Hernandez, who was held by the Japanese for three years during WWII as a civilian POW, worked in fish hatchery, rearing and habitat projects at Ft. Richardson and Elmendorf AFB for 28 years. Hernandez passed away in 2003 at age 83. Originally sponsored by Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River, SB 274 puts Hernandez’s name on a new fish hatchery that is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in May 2011.

“After his confinement during the war, Bill Hernandez came to Alaska and, over several decades, was more responsible than any other single person for the development of the hatchery programs on Elmendorf and Ft. Richardson,” Dyson said. “I am deeply gratified that all members of the Legislature have agreed to recognize Mr. Hernandez for his contributions to the fisheries of the Upper Cook Inlet.”

Hernandez was a WWII civilian POW, having been captured by the Japanese at the fall of Wake Island in December 1941, where he was building fortifications for the USMC. He was held for the next three years at various POW camps in China. In 1947, Hernandez enlisted in the US Army, and in 1956 he was posted at Ft. Richardson, where he served as a fish and wildlife conservation NCO. Over the next 28 years, he worked with various federal and state agencies to develop and build hatchery programs, stocking local streams with Rainbow Trout, and Chinook and Coho Salmon.

CSSB 274 (RES) passed the Senate unanimously on March 12, and was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives on March 31. The bill was transmitted to the Governor on April 5.

Dyson Bill to Name Elmendorf AFB Fish Hatchery in Honor of Bill Hernandez Passes Senate

Juneau – The Alaska Senate today unanimously passed CSSB 274 (RES), naming the state’s sport fish hatchery on Elmendorf AFB to honor long-time fish hatchery and fish-rearing pioneer William Jack (Bill) Hernandez. Hernandez, who worked in fish hatchery, rearing and habitat projects at Ft. Richardson and Elmendorf for 28 years, passed away in 2003 at age 83. The original SB 274 was sponsored by Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River. The Resources committee substitute makes it clear that the fish hatchery is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in May 2011.

“I am pleased the members of the Senate have agreed to recognize Bill Hernandez for his contributions to the fisheries of the Upper Cook Inlet,” Dyson said. “Mr. Hernandez was more responsible than any other single person for the hatchery programs on Elmendorf and Ft. Richardson. I can’t think of a more appropriate Alaskan to name the Elmendorf hatchery after.”

Hernandez was a WWII civilian POW, having been captured by the Japanese at the fall of Wake Island in December 1941, where he was building fortifications for the USMC. He was held for the next three years at various POW camps in China. In 1947, Hernandez enlisted in the US Army, and in 1956 he was posted at Ft. Richardson, where he served as a fish and wildlife conservation NCO. Over the next 28 years, he worked with various federal and state agencies to develop and build hatchery programs, stocking local streams with Rainbow Trout, and Chinook and Coho Salmon.

CSSB 274 (RES) will now be sent to the House of Representatives for its consideration.

Chugiak Constituent and Daughter Start Homegrown Effort to Make Sure School Kids Don’t Go Hungry

Juneau – Propelled by her daughter’s personal experience in the first grade, a Chugiak resident and her daughter have pioneered an effort to make sure school kids in Alaska are able to have breakfast and lunch at school. In a period of four years, the Dare to Care school lunch program, a 501(c)3 nonprofit started by Bettsie Wild, has grown from buying school lunches for 35 kids to 1,300 in Anchorage, Eagle River, Chugiak, Wasilla and Palmer.

“When my daughter, Lena Wild, was in the first grade, she started sharing her sack lunch with another little girl who didn’t have a lunch,” said Wild. “I sent more lunch with her, but after awhile, she was bringing it back home, because the school would not allow her to share, because some kids have food allergies. As a result, we started anonymously paying for school lunches, and that has grown from 35 the first year to 1,300 now.”

Wild said her program has expanded to cover breakfast, as well as lunch, and picks up kids who fall through the cracks and are not able to qualify for the federally-funded school lunch and breakfast program. Since December 2008, she also hosts anti-bullying assemblies in schools statewide.

“I commend Bettsie and her daughter on their foresighted, good-citizen approach to solving a problem they personally found in the public schools,” said Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River. “It was heartening to hear their story, and that they took the personal initiative to do something about kids who go to school hungry.”

“It’s a story that is good for all of us on how you can take initiative based on seeing something that just isn’t right,” said Sen. Charlie Huggins, R-Wasilla. “When you think about it, Bettsie could have looked the other way, but she said this is a greater cause than just our school, and now her family is helping to feed up to 1,300 kids between Anchorage, Eagle River, Chugiak and the Valley.”

Wild said that, although her Dare to Care program is privately-funded, she supports passage of SB 213, which would provide a state match for the federal school lunch program.

Dyson Introduces Bill to Name Elmendorf AFB Fish Hatchery – In Honor of Bill Hernandez, Alaskan Fish Rearing Pioneer

JUNEAU – Senator Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River, has introduced legislation to recognize long-time fish hatchery and fish-rearing pioneer William Jack (Bill) Hernandez by naming the state’s sport fish hatchery on Elmendorf AFB in his honor. Hernandez, who worked in fish hatchery, rearing and habitat projects at Ft. Richardson and Elmendorf for 28 years, passed away in 2003 at age 83.

Hernandez was a WWII civilian POW, having been captured by the Japanese at the fall of Wake Island in December 1941, where he was building fortifications for the USMC. He was held for the next three years at various POW camps in China. In 1947, Hernandez enlisted in the US Army, and in 1956 he was posted at Ft. Richardson, where he served as a fish and wildlife conservation NCO. Over the next 28 years, he worked with various federal and state agencies to develop and build hatchery programs, stocking local streams with Rainbow Trout, and Chinook and Coho Salmon.

“Without a doubt, Bill Hernandez was more responsible than any other single person for the hatchery programs on Elmendorf and Ft. Richardson,” said Dyson. “He faced many difficult challenges in building these programs, and every sport fisher in the Anchorage Bowl benefits today from the hard work he put in decades ago. I can’t think of a more appropriate Alaskan to name the Elmendorf hatchery after.”

The bill, SB 274, was referred to the Resources Committee.