‘Protect free speech—vote NO on August 24.’

This is the message of a broad-based and politically diverse coalition of Alaskans who oppose the deceptively named "anti-corruption" initiative that attacks Alaskans’ right to free speech.  The initiative will appear on the primary ballot in August.

With a name like “anti-corruption,” who wouldn’t want to vote for it?  But don’t be fooled by semantics or the out-of-state interests who brought this initiative to Alaska.

The initiative isn’t anti-corruption, it’s anti free speech. It’s a gag law.  If enacted, NEA-Alaska members and thousands of other Alaskans would lose their ability to petition their state and local governments and donate freely to candidates of their choice.

Here’s how the initiative would impact Alaskans:

• The initiative targets public employees (teachers, education support professionals, firefighters, police officers) with the goal of stifling their political speech.

• It defines a collective bargaining agreement as a government contract—and prohibits  holders of government contracts (public employees AND their extended families) from  donating to a political campaign.

 
• It prohibits public employees from visiting Juneau to advocate for local issues using  public money. NEA-Alaska members who wanted to talk to a legislator about school  funding or returning to a secure retirement system would have to take leave and pay  their own way to Juneau.

• It also cripples public employee unions by prohibiting dues check-off payroll deductions.   NEA-Alaska’s ability to advocate for its members and schools would be severely  compromised.

• Business owners who hold contracts with their city or the state would no longer be allowed to donate to the candidates of their choice. A snowplow driver who works seasonally for the city, for example, would be criminalized if he gave money to an assembly candidate from his neighborhood.

• Oddly, the initiative would not affect large multinational corporations that operate in  Alaska. Because many of Alaska’s biggest companies, like international oil, mining and  fishing companies, do not receive money from the state, their executives would be able  to give freely to candidates or issue campaigns.

• Non-profits would lose their volunteer boards of directors.  Alaskans who donate their time and serve on the board of any non-profit that receives state funds, including charities, recreational groups, and trade associations, would not be able to participate in the political process.  This would apply to their extended family as well (siblings, in-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents).

NEA-Alaska members from around the state heard an update and discussed the ramifications of the        so-called "anti-corruption" initiative that will be on the August 24 primary ballot. AFL-CIO's Joelle Hall, right, and APEA/AFT's Peggy Wilcox presented a PowerPoint that outlined the profoundly undemocratic provisions of the initiative and the broad-based coalition that has organized to defeat it.

What can YOU do to help stop this attack on your First Amendment free speech rights? Help spread the word to your colleagues, family, and friends. And join the coaltion that has formed to defeat initiative.