District 31 is made up of a politically diverse and savvy population. We are outspoken on issues and I love that about our part of this great state. It has been difficult to wade through the negative ads — some are distortions and some are downright lies. Before you go to the ballot box on election day, I ask you to research the facts for yourself.

For example, consider the mailer we received regarding Representative Seaton’s proposal to cut $50 million in funding to our schools. Distortion alert! He was not proposing to reduce funding to schools. He suggested cutting $50 million from the governor’s budget of $116 million to boroughs for a program that helps pay for construction bonds. Paul Seaton has been the strongest of advocates for early and forward funding for education. That mailer also says Paul said no to a proposal to cut $14,000 from legislator expense payments. Not true! In fact, Paul’s committee didn’t have the authority to act on this and sent the proposal to the joint bipartisan Legislative Council, where it belonged.

Representative Seaton’s efforts to bring a fiscal plan forward during our state’s financial crisis deserve a great deal of credit. He advocates for the following: a sustainable permanent fund that will be there for our children and grandchildren, reducing the oil tax credits which contribute to our deficit, and reducing our budget to levels that existed when our state was almost half the current population.

I’ll be voting for Paul Seaton’s re-election, knowing he will continue representing all constituents, regardless of political party. I don’t expect to agree with him on every issue, but with Paul, I know his leadership, experience, integrity, and willingness to make tough decisions will bring a stable fiscal plan to the state. His efforts will give us a positive economic outlook for many years to come.

— Kelly Cooper, Homer