Serving Muldoon and
Northeast Anchorage

Representative
PETE PETERSEN
Visit my Website
Write me an email

Contact my office:
State Capitol Bldg.
4th Floor, Room 422
Juneau, AK 99801
(907) 465-4939

Contact the Governor
Governor Parnell's Anchorage office may be reached at 269-7450, or e-mail him at sean.parnell@alaska.gov
You can also visit the state website at www.state.ak.us

Congressman Don Young,
Anchorage Office:
907-271-5978
EMAIL: Rep. Don Young

Senator Lisa Murkowski,
Anchorage Office:
907-271-3735,
EMAIL: Sen. Lisa Murkowski

March 6, 2010

Supporting Military Families and Veterans;
Updating Campaign Finance Laws

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

   Thank you to everyone who came to the constituent pizza party last Saturday.  I really enjoyed hearing everyone’s questions and ideas.  I will be holding another pizza party with Senator Bill Wielechowski and Representative Max Gruenberg on Saturday March 13 from 2:30 to 4 pm at Creekside Park Elementary, and we will have experts on crime and road issues come to help answer your questions as well.

     I have had a pretty busy week at the Capitol.  On Monday the Senate passed the Purple Heart Day bill which I a sponsored with a bipartisan group of colleagues.  This bill now goes to the governor for his signature.  This bill would designate every August 7 to honor the recipients of the Purple Heart.  On August 7, 1782 General George Washington established the Badge of Military Merit which would be renamed the Purple Heart in 1932.  Purple Heart Day will be a great symbol of our support for our service members and veterans. 

     Also last week the House Education Committee held a hearing on my bill to allow military spouses to take up to ten days worth of leave without pay when their spouses are on leave from a combat zone.  Our service members and their families make great sacrifices to serve our country, and military spouses should not have to risk their jobs to spend time to reunite with their spouse.  The Education Committee will be hearing this bill again Wednesday March 10 from 8 to 10 am.

Representative Petersen speaking with neighbors at the constituent pizza party on February 26

     On Tuesday in the House State Affairs Committee we had the first hearing on legislation to regulate corporate campaign spending.  Unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that states cannot prevent corporations from spending money to influence an election.  I strongly disagree with this decision, but it is important that Alaska adopt laws to require corporations to follow the same disclosure rules candidates have to follow.   Without such a law corporations or labor unions could run ads and you would not know who was paying for it.

     One of my biggest concerns with this bill is how to keep foreign corporations from influencing Alaskan elections.  Alaska’s oil, gas, fisheries, and mining resources make Alaskan resources important to many other countries.  Individuals from foreign countries are forbidden from spending money on Alaskan elections, so I see no reason why foreign corporations should be treated any differently.  I will also insist on provisions that require the true owner of any corporation be identified in their ads, so that they cannot create a subsidiary to hide their true identity.

     As always please feel free to call or email me with any ideas, thoughts or concerns.

     Sincerely,

P.S.  The deadline to apply for the Permanent Fund Dividend is March 31.  You can go here and apply online now.

Representative Pete Petersen
District 19 - Muldoon & Northeast Anchorage
State Capitol, Room 422
Phone: 907-465-4939
Fax: 907-465-2418
Representative_Pete_Petersen@legis.state.ak.us