This past weekend, I had the opportunity to host three Community Meetings in Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan to hear input on the governor's proposed budget for the next fiscal year. First and foremost, I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to attend, especially those who had the courage to speak.

In Ketchikan, almost 130 people attended, and 51 people spoke during the 2.5 hours allowed for public comment. In Sitka, over 200 people attended and 61 people spoke. I'd like to share some comments and observations from the Sitka and Ketchikan meetings.

I began the meetings with an overview...