Anchorage Testimony Julie Kitka

[This is full of typos, but I'm going to post now and clean up later.]

President of AFN.  With her is Natalie Landreth
We are not submitting for the record a map, but addressing some principles and comments in generality.

More later

Matt Ganley - VP Land and ??? Bering Straits Native Corporation.
1991 Gov. Hickel's proposal would have seriously diluted Native ability to be represented.  That plan was defeated.  At that time I worked for Ahtna and worked on this.  We're here now to determine the best way to represent people.  I second everything Julie Kitka said.

In addition to cultural lines, also look at specific histories and how local groups look at their future.  Each group is distinct, with varying history with their neighbors and disagreements about what the future holds - resource development.

I liked all the maps presented today because without exception, they brought Shishmaref home.

Mike White;  You saw the Democratic plan - the Rights Coalition - the Chain going all the way up.

Ganley:  First time I saw it today and would have to take it back and talk to my people.  Contained in that large area are many diverse ideas of their history and futures.


Going to Juneau now:

Murray Walsh:  [teleconference] Don't represent anyone, but around SE a lot and offer my support for the, plan that keeps district 4 in Juneau and adds a portion of Sitka to district 3 and sends the rest of 3 to Ketchikan,.  Keeps smaller communities together and larger communities together.  I'm sure the Sitka people will look at with with anxiety.  Hope you'll hold a hearing in Sitka.  Protects rural community lookout.  It does that without goring too many other oxen.  Not a job for the faint of heart.

Torgerson: We have posted on our website - 33 communities we are going to visit. AKredistricting.org.  Thanks

Bradley Fletch?? Flitch?  Fluetsch-  Was my map made available?

Torgerson:  No

Bradley F.  I submitted one this morning by email.

Torgerson:  Staff said you'd asked for 30 minutes, but only after public testimony if we have down tie.  Looks like I have ten people statewide.

Bradley:  Trying to do here - Sealaska, Douglas Indian Association and ???? - goal is to empower the urban Alaskan Native who has been disenfranchised by the District 2.  I've put District 1 - Ketchikan - with the Alaska native communities  - there is more than Tlingit - there's Haida too.  And this way we emphasize the Haida for first time.

District 4 harder to draw because of how you draw district 3.  It really disenfranchised the Native population of Lemon Creek and ????  who were put with the valley.  This really emphasizes the Native needs.  Dis. 1 is 3??% Native District 3 is 28?% native.  Native influence is ore than the bodies in Juneau.  It's jobs, employment, professional associations, We've elected native people to mayor and school board and boards and commissions.  In District 3 there's Kake, Douglas Indian Association, IRA for Yakutat, and the ???? - federally organized tribal orgs located in 3.  ,,,, long list of organizations.  You have to look beyond the 35%.  Incorrect to look at Native % in isolation, but in context of whole district.  3 is unique in SE AK - pairing Kake and Angoon and downtown Juneau, compares nicely with larger native communities.  Dis. 2 Haines, Skagway, ???? - immense community similarities.  Thank Jim Baldwin of City and Borough of Juneau who gave me access to draw my map.  Encourage you to see how I've drawn district 3 in Juneau.  Thanks for your tie.

Torgerson:  Thank you for your work, Dillingham, Delta Junction,

Alice Ruby:  Mayor of Dillingham.  brief.  Interested in hearing presentations and will appreciate having time to look at them.  Int he meantime we're in 37 and F.  Those rep Bristol bay region, Aleutian Chain.   Coastal Communities and seafood processing and harvisting economy.  Makes infrastructure needs pretty similar for our communities.  Service areas for Bristol Bay ??ations.  SW Alaska Municipal Conference.  Maintained same area even though district changed.  We support adding necessary groups if needed but keep 37 and F intact.  Look forward to meeting you in Dillingham when scheduled.

Torgerson:  Still scheduling.  Will do the committee meetings between April 21 and May 5.  18, 19, 20 will be Anchorage, Fairbanks and Junea.  Hope to have stuff on our website by Monday.

Dan O'Hara:  Mayor of Bristol Bay Borough, sockeye capital of the world.  We had Carl ?? visit your meeting yesterday in Bethel.  11
1.  More tied to 37 and F than others
2.  Transportation same airlines
3.  Port in Naknek supports around here
4.  Most fish processed in Bristol Bay boundaries and Dillingham interconnected
5.  Northland barge supports BB port and borough, dutch harbor, all in 37 and F another inter-tie
6.  BB an Dillingham supported by BB health corporation and a hospital
7.  BB housing authority supports this group. 
8.  Cultural ties of region strong and should be retained in one district.  BB Assembly took action last Thursday.  Special meeting.
9.  Native Culture of Denaina Indians and Aleut and Alutiiq people are strong and tied with BB's good reason to
10.  People depend highly on subsistent lifecycle - all]\
11.  Would like meeting in King Salmon  - we have a training center there and can host a lunch and treat you really nice if you come here.

Torgerson:  King Salmon is on our list. Thank you very much for your testimony and your assembly did a good job representing you yesterday.

Delta Junction;

Mike Tvenge:  Administrator for City of Delta Junction.  Haven't made a proposa.  Saw Valdez for first time and brings us back together and DJ city council likes it.  Compact and similar communites.  Like that we are socio-economic communities and accessible by the road system  More comment in April.

Torgerson:  Will have the plans on the web when we get bak.

Ruth Abbott:  Came to Ak 1959, in DJ for 8? years.  Richardson Highway splits us now, but it should include both sides of the highway.  We are neither socially or economically connected with Chickaloon 250 miles away, but we have a lot in common with our neighbors across the highway.  More incommon with Valdez than with Matsu.  Wasn't planning on testifying.

Torgerson:  Back in Anchorage

David Case.  - Video coming

Fairbanks:

Lance Roberts - emailed picture of map I want to refer to while you look that up I'll address other poitns.  Born and raised in FBks - 1965 - redistricting in 2002 really bad and even after changed, it didn't work well.  Hope you can fix that.
Specifically:
based on AFER map:
1.  Taking out Goldstream precincts, might not have to take them all out, by what is southeast - not sure where you'll draw old 6.
2.  Main point if you have my map.  New numbers based on AFER map was 11 and 7, not 6 and 10.  All Badger Road in Distric 7.  I realize you can't keep them all together, but not 3 different districts.  We can keep it as two.
Sound stopped from audio.  Technician doesn't know either.

Just Fairbanks, we'll go to Ketchikan:
Dick Kuess?   Thanks for listening again.  Was here Sat. in Ketchikan, but today I've picked up on a couple of proposals that make sense.  Alaska for Equitable Redistricting - just not sure how they handle Sitka and the one just now from Juneau.

Torgerson:  Next to Juneau

Jaeleen Araujo - VP and gen counsel for Sealaska Corp.  and our 20k shareholders.  Considered about loss of two native incumbents one in sen one in house who would have to run against urban incumbents.  Prefer option that keeps one or both seats.  Urban v Rural native representation can be very different.

Like Bush Caucus that retained Thomas' district.  Also Alaskans for For Fair and Euqitable Redistricting proposal.    Not sure about Brad Fletch's proposal.  Protection of Natie and Rural represenation.  Protection of the four and two districts.  Thank you

Torgerson:  We have not received the Bush Caucus plan have we?
Miller:  Updated today that they have Facebook page with a lot of plans.  They aren't endorsing one particular one.

Laurie Davey in Juneau:  32, contiguous, compact, etc.  ER to Hope.  We need a compact and contiguous - West. boundary seward highway and rural areas elsewhere.  Not Juneau.

Back to Fairbanks
Lance Robertson:  Where did it drop out  Badger Road - works with map I emailed AFER map I really like the AFER map, but one consideration.  Badger road into 2 districts.  I highlighted in pink - everything south of Chena River and Slough, being in the new 6 and new 10 following the river following the slough to Plack road, but not necessary, there are a few good spots where you could draw the line where the neighborhoods connet with Plack, but not each other  A few options.
The stuff off of Persinger Drive, if all that - cloud road and keiling - were also in 6 and I wasn't sure about population, but if you could look at that with your software.
Looking to consolidate Badger into 2 district instead of 3.  Subdivision in Dis. 7 moving into Badger road.  Subdivision outside military base its own section.  Good where they draw that line.

Torgerson, thanks, appreciate, to Matsu for two, back here for one, then Haines.

Lynn Gattis - live and vote in district 14, and I've looked at mapping for Alaskans for Equitable Redistricting.  Map for new district 14, someone was truly paying attention not only to landmarks, following road, keeping that community together.  14, 15, 12 keep our community together.  No problems.  Like the AforER map.

Marvin Yoder - looking at the same maps as Lynn.  For the most very good.  I also rep city of Wasilla.  In SE corner of the map, they follow a creek and take a sliver from Goose Bay and move it into 14.  We're looking at some roads and annexed, it would make sense if some of the area south of 14 put into ?? and something else into 15.  Thank you.

Deptuy Administrator of Wasilla.

Robin Phillips - Adoption for Alaskans for Equitable Redistricting plan.  I think it meets all the criteria.  considers urban communities and I want to address smaller urban communities.  In last few processes we saw some strange districts.  Consider urban communities.  Particularly here in Anchorage - Govt. Hill.  It was split in half.  Two incumbents were thrown into one district from one party.  As a constituent and aide to one of the legislature.  Split not down for good of community or to meet specific requirements.  A4ER plan puts Govt. Hill together.  Dis. 25 long and narrow - A4ER makes the new district makes more sense.  Takes into consideration these compact urban communities.

Cordova:
Mark Lynch:  City Manager of Cordova.  Brief.  Thanks.  Satisfied with district we're in 5 and feel we have good representation.  Like it kept as much the same as possible.  Fit with the SE fishing communities.

Haines:
Robert Venables:  Thank you chair, not speaking on behalf of my employer or others, lived and worked here a long time.  Looked at many maps and understand difficulties in front of you to put five house districts into four and keep people happy.  Need to lessen impact and doesn't harm to small communities.  The map that AK for Equ Redistricting put before you.  We understand the population lost here, there will be only four house seats.  There's a wat that Dis 5 can keep its identity and soul.  All fishing and subsistence life style compared to the more urban communities. 
Both Haines and Skagway support keeping the small communities not with Juneau that has 30,000, even Sitka with 7000?  Sitka is the only community could be aligned with urban areas.  If they are split in half they could gain more representation.

Ron Yaeger: (here in Anchorage)  District 30.  Alaskans for Equitable Redistricting feels good.  I'm an engineer, and know the importance of regulations and this plan meets them.  I recommend the plan complies with the law and not the boondoggle that happened ten years ago.  My district would no longer cross Campbell Creek and my district was badly split up  Common sense says I'm closer to neighbor across the street than across the river. 

Torgerson:  That's all we have here or off-site.  Take a break when someone wants to testify.