Fifty percent of Americans are women. Yet only a fifth of Congress members are women, but that’s about to change. Why? 2018 is the year of women in politics.
Nov. 6, House District 33 voters have the chance to elect a true leader. Candidate Sara Hannan brings three decades as a teacher, fisherman and legislative staffer to the table.
I met Hannan in education classes at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks in the 1980s. She stood out with a natural openness to others. Later, she taught both of my daughters, taking an entire class to Washington, D.C. to study how government works. Recently, she impressed Juneau audiences as a Mudrooms and Women’s March emcee, strongly urging more female involvement in politics.
Hannan follows her conscience on controversial issues, backing Ballot Measure 1, Stand for Salmon. She supports authorizing the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to enforce current habitat protections for our most important renewable resource. She favors improving our Marine Highways system to building roads through wilderness.
She also enjoys learning, recently introducing herself in Tlingit at a forum. An education advocate, she supports day care within public facilities and will push for state-funded early childhood opportunities. She is a pro-choice candidate, endorsed by Planned Parenthood.
Hannan will help Alaska recover financially by supporting an income tax and halting oil tax credits once their incentivizing purpose is spent. She favors defined benefits for public employees to help retain police officers and teachers.
On Nov. 6, I urge residents of House District 33 to vote for Hannan, a strong advocate for our people and our natural environment.
Luann McVey,
Douglas
• My Turns and Letters to the Editor represent the view of the author, not the view of the Juneau Empire.