Dunleavy’s script hasn’t changed, although his overly simplistic arguments don’t hold up under critical examination. The constant repetition of nonsense does nothing to turn it into something other than nonsense.
State health commissioner Adam Crum said Monday that the state had decided a “couple of weeks ago,” to pull out of a no-bid contract with Wellpath for privatizing the Alaska Psychiatric Institute. But that’s not what he told legislators 11 days ago.
Read MoreMy guess is that state attorneys concluded that they were about to lose in court Monday because of a contract violation—the failure to do a feasibility study or allow the union a chance to respond with a counter-offer in 30 days—and the state had no option but to halt the handover of API to Wellpath.
Read MoreGov. Mike Dunleavy has a habit of oversimplifying complex matters and while I’m sure that computer coding is a good career for some people, I suspect Dunleavy is making the 12-week path to a $75,000 job sound a lot easier than it is.
Read MoreA misleading advisory vote is worse than doing nothing. It would serve to perpetuate a myth. The truth is, you can have your cake and eat it too — you just have to pay for the cake.
By Larry Persily
Read MoreThe contradictory comments by the health commissioner are significant because he is supposed to be in charge of health care policy. The Dunleavy administration has proposed reductions of more than a half-billion dollars without examining or explaining the impact on the Alaska health care system.
Read MoreGov. Mike Dunleavy told President Trump Alaska is “eager” to fund Medicaid under a block grant. His health commissioner told legislators last week that the state is not looking for a block grant. And that he had no role in the process that led to the letter.
Read MoreA year ago nearly every member of the Legislature voted to extend the program until 2024. As both Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature made clear, there is a way to keep the program going.
Read MoreAsked if he would spend less than the Legislature appropriates for health programs in Alaska, the commissioner refused to answer. This tells me he plans to spend less than the Legislature appropriates.
Read MoreWhile the Dunleavy administration tries to reassure Alaskans about weakening PFAS pollution standards, a battle between two federal agencies shows that the Trump administration is not speaking with a single voice.
Read MoreAs the state defends the drive to privatize API, it makes a far-fetched claim that a union lawsuit could force closure of the hospital.
Read MoreThe Ohio experts don’t mention that Alaska has the lowest tax burden in the country and many of its residents think that good schools and functioning public services may be a key to the state’s economic future.
Read MoreThe Dunleavy administration decision to exaggerate the statements from EPA and reverse an Alaska effort for more stringent regulation on PFAS pollution in drinking water has opened the door to years of regulatory delay.
Read MoreIn its lawsuit seeking a court order to halt the privatization plan, the union says it is false to give credit to Wellpath for the accreditation decision because the work to comply took place before Wellpath arrived at the hospital in Anchorage. The calendar confirms the union charge.
Read MoreThe pastor of the church, Aaron Richert, posted on Facebook in defense of the Dunleavy plan for a 41 percent budget cut to the University of Alaska.
Read MoreThe truth is that Dunleavy wanted to get elected and the best way to do that was for him to peddle a fiscal fantasy—no cuts in services, no taxes and larger Permanent Fund dividends. The contradictions between his campaign and his administration have gone largely uncovered by the news media in Alaska.
Read MoreIf there is a perfect example of why the Dunleavy administration PFAS policy is a disaster for public health, it is found in the waters of Kimberly Lake, where the pollution problem has been redefined out of existence.
Read MoreI wasn’t sure how to respond to Dick Randolph’s newspaper column in which the State Farm insurance agent accused my brother, me and “Barry” Sanders of crimes against humanity.
Read MoreJason Brune, the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, has removed the words "control water, land, and air pollution” from a policy statement on the DEC commissioner’s page.
Read MoreIf we’re serious about engaging Alaskans, Gov. Mike Dunleavy and other elected officials need to admit that when the state asks voters the equivalent of “Do you want a bigger check?” there is no point in printing the ballots because we already know what the results will be.
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