'Everything we do is for the people': Gov. Dunleavy’s State of the State address outlines optimistic vision of Alaska’s future

On Monday, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy gave his annual State of the State address. His message was one of optimism as he looks to building Alaska’s future.

“Our history is always being written, including right now. The question for all of us is what do we want that history to be?” the Governor said. “Will history show that we missed opportunities, or that we seized them? Will we put politics and personalities ahead of the needs of the people? Or will we transcend politics and personalities, will we do what’s right for the people we serve who have become cynical about goes on in Juneau? I believe we are at just such a time. That time is now.”

Governor Dunleavy is optimistic for the next 4 years, as well as decades to come because of the work that’s been done during his first term, despite facing natural disasters; the COVID pandemic; a $1.6 billion deficit, debts, and credit downgrades; a record-breaking crime wave; negative $3 oil; and inflation that has reached a 40-year high.

“In spite of all that, we’re still standing, and we’re moving forward.”

Governor Dunleavy’s address focused on his record and his vision to grow Alaska’s economy by capitalizing on investment opportunities and economic growth, improving the quality of life for all Alaskans, and supporting the next generation of Alaskans. He cited the biggest PFD in Alaskan history, a lowering of debts and liabilities that have helped improved the state’s credit outlook, and bringing down most agency operating spending.

He also emphasized collaboration and bipartisanship on efforts to improve education, increase public safety, and the continuing fight against opioids and domestic violence.

“Thanks to bipartisan support from 41 legislators, another accomplishment that gives me great optimism four our future was the passage of the Alaska READS Act,” he said, adding that for the first time, there is an education policy that demands accountability, sets benchmarks, and gives tools to school districts and teachers needed to set students up for success.

There were several accomplishments he pointed to that have enhanced public safety, including adding record amounts of resources to Public Safety and growing the ranks of Alaska State Troopers and Village Public Safety Officers (VPSO).

“When I took office, we had just 45 working VPSOs, compared to nearly 100 in 2014. With increased funding, and by working with our local partners to recruit and retain officers, we’re now up to 68.”

He also credited the hard work of law enforcement and the implementation of new policies for the state’s crime rate reaching a 41-year low, just 4 years after it had reached a 19-year high in 2017.

Another aspect of public safety that the Governor cited as steps in the right direction was the work being done under his “People First Initiative. Under the broad initiative was the clearing of the historic backlog of sexual assault kits and the collection of currently owed DNA resulting in indictments while in pursuit of justice for the victims.

“To be clear, we’re all aware that there is more to do to protect all Alaskans, no matter who they are or where they live,” he said.

During his first term, Governor Dunleavy and the legislation reformed the state’s outdated consent law.

“Prior to the bill’s passage, as hard as it is to believe, in the state of Alaska, under Alaska law, the onus was on the victim to physically resist the perpetrator. As we know, when such crimes are being committed, physically resisting isn’t always possible. And, as all of us know, no should mean no. Now it does. Now, we have the tools to prosecute these perpetrators. For the first time in Alaskan history, no actually means no.”

Governor Dunleavy said that while it took until the last day of the last session to get the bill passed, it also took legislators who put people over partisanship to get the job done.

Other legislation the Governor praised were commonsense measures designed to increase protections for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence, increase penalties for offenders, and to take on sex trafficking.

“One of the bills expanded the definition of sex trafficking to include those predators who are coercing the most vulnerable into the sex trades with threats such as withholding basic needs like food, clothing, or shelter.”

However, as the Governor stated, the bills filed last year were left unsigned, with some not even getting a hearing. He said he that he plans to re-file the bills because, “this issue is too important to wait another year.”

The Governor had previously announced that he will be introducing legislation to increase the penalty for anyone caught selling fentanyl that results in the death of anyone. Currently someone can only be charged with manslaughter, and that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

“The morally-bankrupt who are peddling drugs know that death is a possibility, and they don’t give a rip. So, we’re putting them on notice tonight.” His legislation proposes to increase the penalty to second-degree murder with a maximum sentence of 99 years. “These people deserve nothing less.”

It isn’t just fentanyl Governor Dunleavy addressed, but addiction of any substance, and he vowed to people struggling with addiction to work to help find treatment.

“Yes, this will cost money. But keep in mind, these people aren’t strangers. They’re our fellow Alaskans.”

He also acknowledged that there remains work to address ending the stigma around addiction and educating Alaskans about addiction, and that these initiatives require funding.

“We are better positioned to fund them today thanks to our work over the past 4 years.”

Governor Dunleavy said that he plans to propose adding resources to the “Healthy Families Initiative,” which would expand postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months, fund the recruitment and retention of health care professionals, and battle tuberculosis, which currently Alaska has the highest rate in the country.

He also plans to expand the State Defense Force, a critical asset whose members proved invaluable during the response and recovery from the storms that hit western Alaska last fall.

“A stronger State Defense Force won’t just be available for disaster response. Its members might also deploy to help run a power plant, provide tech support, or operate heavy equipment, whatever the need may be. A stronger State Defense Force will build a more secure and more independent Alaska.”

The Governor concluded his State of the State Address, remarking that he makes no secret that he is a pro-life Governor, and with his proposed initiatives, his goals show that he likes people and wants to see more Alaskans in more jobs, in schools, creating wealth, and working to solve not just Alaska’s problems, but the world’s.

“People are not a nebulous, abstract concept. People are what this is all about. Everything we do is for the people, or at least it should be. Government is about serving the people, and the people are why we’re here. We can never lose sight of that,” he said.

He also said that enacting the policies like the Healthy Families Initiative for the people of Alaska are pro-children, pro-mothers, pro-fathers, pro-families.

“Through the actions we’ll take together, when people ask which of the 50 states values children and families the most, from the moment of conception on? They’ll say Alaska. When people look for the safest place to raise a family, they’ll say Alaska. When people look for the best educational system for their family, they’ll say Alaska. When people look for affordable housing, they’ll say Alaska. When people look for economic opportunity, they’ll say Alaska. When people look for the best quality of life, they’ll say Alaska,” Governor Dunleavy said as he concluded his address, adding:

“That’s my goal, and I hope it’s your goal as well. If it isn’t, then what’s the point? Why are we here?”