I’m running to get Alaska’s economy growing

Many friends and neighbors have asked me to run for State House. A lot of thought went into this decision, but the deciding factor is that over the past two years we have seen never ending special sessions, many excuses, and not enough action in Juneau. As the economy tanked, the legislature has been mired in gridlock, partisan bickering, with one ethical crisis after another.

Alaska is amid our worst recession since the mid-eighties with the highest unemployment in the nation. We need to put Alaskans back to work! That's what I will do as your representative.

Our salmon fisheries have suffered because the resource has not been scientifically managed. ADF&G lacks basic data like how many salmon reach their spawning streams and how many smolts migrate out to the ocean. We need to count spawning salmon at multiple upstream locations to assure adequate escapement. In addition, ADF&G also needs to capture and count a sampling of out-migrating smolt to estimate freshwater productivity.

Management emphasis has been on allocating the salmon harvest, not conserving the resource. We need sensible management of our fisheries to ensure salmon runs are forever.

Our communities are under siege from crime. The legislature has failed to make our communities safer as SB 91 continues to favor criminals over victims. I saw this coming and in 2016, as your representative, I very vehemently opposed SB 91. I was one of the few House members to oppose it and I was criticized for not voting with the legislative leadership at times. Now you know why.

My opponent made excuses in an op-ed in this paper and then went to Juneau and voted against SB 54, which made important changes to keep some sex offenders incarcerated. But he DID pocket the largest amount of per diem in history at $300 per day, spending nearly 200 days in Juneau with little to show for it.

We have some of the most dangerous roads and intersections in Alaska. The safety of Valley families concerns me and I will act to get needed projects moving. It's time to create jobs, not sit back and play political games in Juneau. Our PFD has been reduced again and again, the economy is down, and crime is up. It’s time for a change. That's why I am running for State House, and I would be honored to have your support.

I am running for you. Let's get to work. Please give me a call anytime at 907-746-5300 or email me at jimcolver.statehouse@gmail.com.

Former Rep. Jim Colver is a lifelong Alaskan and 30 year Valley resident. He served in the Alaska State House Republican Majority 2015-16 and represented Hatcher Pass on the Mat-Su Assembly. Jim also was President of the Mat-Su School Board.