Articles written by Dan Ortiz
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 67
Legislature succeeds at protecting ferry system, scholarship funds
There were multiple positive outcomes for our ferry system this past legislative session, including a bill protecting Alaska Marine Highway System funds, the restart of the Prince Rupert route, and more ferries sailing. House Bill 322, which I had...
Representative reports accomplishments in House budget
The State House finished its work April 9 on the operating budget, which has been passed to the Senate for further work and debate. While there is still work to be done, this year’s budget has the potential for some great investments for the needs of...
Ortiz supports one-time energy relief check, higher capital budget
The House Finance Committee has released its proposed state budget, which includes funds for an energy relief check for every eligible Alaskan. The proposal comes from high and continuously rising energy costs, a concern that I have heard from you....
Public testimony on state budget set for Thursday
The Legislature’s main duty every year is passage of the state budget. Last week, the House made considerable progress by finishing up budget subcommittee work. Budget subcommittees meet frequently with each department to navigate potential budget c...
Letter to the Editor: A bigger dividend creates problems
Earlier this month, the Alaska Legislature gaveled out of its third special session. During the special session, we discussed the recommendations of the Comprehensive Fiscal Plan Working Group, weighed the merits of a COVID-19 bill, and passed an...
Letter to the Editor
This August marked the seventh anniversary of the Mount Polley mine disaster. Mount Polley, located in British Columbia, is a large open-pit mine and its tailings dam collapsed, bringing significant n...
Dan's Dispatch
Last Friday, Governor Dunleavy released his proposed budget for the 2022 Fiscal Year (FY22). The budget, which includes all departments and services but not the PFD, totals $3.81 billion in Unrestricted General Funds. It is slightly less than this...
Dan's Dispatch
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the online Southeast Conference Annual Meeting. The organization has a long history of advocating for our region’s people and economy. Did you know that i...
Dan's Dispatch
Over the past six weeks, I’ve had multiple people reach out to me with issues pertaining to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The most vocalized concern is that the Ketchikan DMV is no longer g...
Dan's Dispatch
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in ways we could not have foreseen. One particularly cumbersome issue is Alaskans’ inability to travel to and through Canada. Most notably, our unique southern southeast town of Hyder - which shares a b...
Dan's Dispatch
I’ve lived in Ketchikan for almost my entire life and have seen the waves of different industries in Southeast crest and fall. Whether it is commercial fishing, timber, or tourism, our economy r...
Dan's Dispatch
Beginning on June 1st, small businesses were able to apply for AK CARES Act relief funding, which is Federal funds intended to help support local businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then,...
Dan's Dispatch
The implementation of the CARES Act, which are the funds provided by the federal government to states to combat COVID-19, is constantly evolving. Earlier this month, after three Alaska House Labor and Commerce Committee meetings and hours of public...
Dan's Dispatch
Happy Fourth of July! This year, we are celebrating 244 years as an independent nation. In 1776, our representatives from all 13 colonies declared our independence from the British monarch. The vote for freedom actually happened on July 2nd, and in t...
Dan's Dispatch
Thank you to everyone who participated in the public testimony meeting last week hosted by the University of Alaska Board of Regents. As many of you are already aware, the University is considering merging the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS)...
Dan's Dispatch
The COVID-19 pandemic has dominated our lives, and it has been the focus of Alaska leaders in an effort to slow the spread. However, I also want to begin focusing on what we will face once the...
Dan's Dispatch
Earlier this week, the Alaska Legislature met to appropriate COVID-19 relief funds. The State of Alaska received over $1 billion from the Federal Government through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Governor Dunleavy...
Dan's Dispatch
Happy Public Service Appreciation Week! Every year, PSA Week falls on the first full week of May, and its timing is uncanny this year. The past eight weeks have been a whirlwind for our public servants, and I cannot thank them enough. Information and...
Dan's Dispatch
This past weekend, I hosted a Facebook Live event to catch up with District 36 while still social distancing. I was happy to see a lot of participation; there were great questions and comments! Thank you to everyone who listened in and offered...
Dan's Dispatch
Wow the folks are getting it done! I have been so impressed with the Coronavirus response here in Southern Southeast Alaska. At every level - from each individual to businesses to local governments - we have worked together diligently to flatten the...
Dan's Dispatch
House Bill 96, “Pioneers Home and Veterans Home Rates” passed the Legislature and is headed to the Governor’s desk for his signature. The goal of the bill is to adjust rates for our Pioneer Homes to reflect the level of service provided while prote...
Dan's Dispatch
The State of Alaska has been operating at a deficit. This is nothing new and has been the primary challenge for the Legislature over the past five years. However, this year, some new wrenches were thrown into the equation: decreasing oil prices and...
Dan's Dispatch
Last week, Alaska had its first case of the Coronavirus: a cargo pilot traveling through Anchorage. With the amount of travel that Alaskans have done over the last month, it is likely that there are more untested and unverified cases already here....
Dan's Dispatch
Earlier this week, the Alaska House of Representative passed the operating budget. It took the House 43 days of session to pass the budget, which is the fastest we have passed one since 1993. I am proud with how quickly, efficiently, and...
Dan's Dispatch
Thank you to everyone who spoke up during public testimony on the budget in House Finance last week. I need to hear from you in order to do my job, and I was incredibly impressed with the straight-for...