Senate Republican Caucus: Skilled, Responsible, Conservative
25th Alaska State Legislature Begins

JUNEAU – The five members of the Senate Republican Minority said today that they plan to draw on their expertise to promote back-to-basics government characterized by fiscal restraint, principled conduct, cooperation and progress on issues vital to Alaska.

Those issues include working cooperatively with the Palin Administration to facilitate successful development of a natural gas pipeline project for Alaska; setting clear ethical standards to restore the people’s trust in their elected officials; and promoting a budget based on spending less, taxing less, and saving more.

“Skilled, responsible and conservative, we believe those are some of the attributes we bring to the discussion,” said Senate Minority Leader Gene Therriault. “They are principles we believe we have stuck to over the years, and I think the number of years that the people here have served buttress the idea that we certainly have skills to bring to the discussion, and a great depth of legislative experience.”

“I just want to say how proud I am to serve with these four other gentleman. I think we have like goals and similar philosophies,” said Sen. Tom Wagoner, R-Kenai, “I think we will work hard on the issues that we have the skills to work on. I will work as hard being a member of the Resources Committee as I would have had I been the chairman.”

“If people are willing to accept our ideas, our skills, and our experience, we can do things to help the process along and address Alaska’s needs,” said Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage. “In a strange way, being in the minority, we have more time to specialize.”

“We’re going to make what we hope is recognized as a helpful contribution to the whole process by identifying those things where we can perhaps do some good,” said Sen. Gary Wilken, R-Fairbanks.

“My first priority is to help this governor, for whom I have the best of expectations, and make the best things happen here that we can,” said Sen. Fred Dyson, R-Eagle River. “I believe the organization we have is sub-optimal and it could be better. It should not escape any of us that we have here three or four people who spent the most time and were most involved in the gas pipeline issue last year. And we’re on the bench. There’s a great deal of expertise sitting here with my colleagues that we want to make available.”