In response to Rep. Gattis, R-Wasilla

To the editor:

Rep. Lyn Gattis responds to criticism for her proposed budget by suggesting that WWAMI (a collaborative education program among universities in western states) isn’t necessary to recruit MDs and that they have an incentive to move and practice here because “they can make darn good money” due to high healthcare costs.

Where in the world is she coming up with these numbers? My agency has been unsuccessfully trying to recruit an MD for almost two years and the VA can’t even hire one so they are contracting with us. Why would she imply that high healthcare costs are a good thing? Has she considered that the costs are so high due to lack of supply and increased demand?

Her analogies about a newspaper and plane make no sense and have no empirical implications whatsoever. They basically suggested that we have too many programs without enough funds. This is pretty well known so it seems more like an attempt to deflect from the point.

I’m totally supportive of looking at things to cut. However, these decisions should be educated and mindful of long-term implications and savings. Mat-Su already has a shortage of educated leaders (perhaps this is how naive individuals end up as legislators) and healthcare providers. Thus, it makes no sense to cut funding for education and health. Oh, and did I mention the same leadership feels that it is acceptable to increase the amount of oil and gas production tax credits by 12 percent this next year?

How can we possibly allow people who are uninformed to make such major decisions? The MD that I work with is here because of WWAMI! She had never even been to Alaska before college. WAMMI not only seeks to retain Alaskans who pursue medical degrees but it also provides opportunities for students from other areas to relocate here.

(I never did get a direct reply from Gattis, either, although the auto-reply suggested that she would respond as soon as she could.)

How is this for an analogy: education is like a parachute — at least we have a safety net if we must jump from the plane. But if we don’t think ahead and invest in the protection (parachute), then we are left to fall to our death.

Desiree Compton

Wasilla