Thread by @mattbuxton

If you tune into today's House Health and Social Services Committee, you'll find Americans for Prosperity Alaska testifying in support of more government in the form the Department of Health and Social Services split.

#akleg

Rep. Spohnholz calls 'em out. Notes the reorganization really only calling for additional execs without any actual plan for improvement. Asks if they really support additional bureaucracy without a plan for improvement.

AFP's McKee says, well, there's more to look at.

#akleg

Rep. Fields notes that AFP has historically opposed public employment. Says their support for additional public employees - even if there's not really a plan for them - sounds like a sea change in AFP's policy.

McKee says that AFP has always respected public employees.

#akleg

Also, should be clear that Americans for Prosperity Alaska has taken no official position on the split, but McKee says they see the value in splitting it and echoes a bunch of talking points that Crum, Dunleavy and company have been saying.

#akleg

But that's about the only fun thing from this hearing.

Up now is Trevor Storrs of the Alaska Children's Trust who's talking about chronic stress in people working in the field of child welfare during the pandemic, lost trust in community partners and lack of outreach.

Tanana Chiefs Conference Chief PJ Simon testifies. Calling the split of intertwined services like OCS, DPA and Behavioral Health "baffling." Says that success for families in crisis requires the utilization of many services that would be separated under the proposed split.
#akleg

He questions why a whole slate of new bureaucracy is needed for what appears like a few more hands and a study of existing statistics.

He also points out that it's hard to ignore that pretty much everything going into the Department of Family and Community is stuff the Dunleavy admin has tried to privatize or deeply cut.

#akleg

Rep. Prax, R-North Pole, asks Simon how Tanana Chiefs Conference works...