t

Opinion: We do not need to convene a constitutional convention

Ways to amend the constitution already exist.

  • By Laraine Derr
  • Tuesday, September 6, 2022 11:25pm
  • Opinion

Have you read the constitution of our great state of Alaska? I have been reading articles published in various places, opinions of well-respected citizens and letters to the editors regarding the need for a convention to review that document. There have been arguments both positive and negative to support the 10-year review process built in to the constitution. To assist me in making a determination, I decided to read it.

I have always had a copy of the U.S. Constitution on my living room cabinet, a document of about 4,500 words, and have read it several times. I realized I have never read the entire Alaska Constitution and therefore couldn’t argue with some of the points people were making — so I decided to do so.

I went to ltgov.alaska.gov where the entire document as it was written can be found. It is a very easy site to maneuver. Tap on any of the 15 articles, and then any of the paragraphs, and very succinct descriptions will appear. While more than twice as wordy as the U.S. Constitution, our constitution sets out our direction in a completely understandable fashion.

There have been changes over the years. Some have been made by ballot initiative and some have been made by legislative referral. It has been amended 28 times, from the first amendment in 1966 regarding the residence requirement to vote for president to the last one in 2004 regarding the distribution requirement for initiatives. Reading the Alaska State Constitution reinforced my belief that the authors of our constitution did a great job.

So, my conclusion in deciding how to vote on this question of “Shall there be a Constitutional Convention” will be no. Read our constitution, read the amendments and hopefully you will decide that ways to amend the constitution already exist and we do not need to convene another gathering.

Laraine Derr is a former commissioner of the Alaska Department of Revenue, 15-year trustee of Alaska Mental Health Health Trust, received an honorary doctorate from University of Alaska Southeast and is the former owner and operator of Chez Alaska Cooking School.

More in Opinion

The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. building is photographed in Juneau. (Clarise Larson/Juneau Empire file)
Opinion: State cannot afford better schools and also big PFDs

Most legislators believe more state money for local school districts should be on the list of essential services.

A sign welcomes employees and visitors at the Kenai Peninsula Borough administration building on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Victoria Petersen/Peninsula Clarion file)
Opinion: Fair property taxes, oh my

Our local tax system is not perfect, but it does represent an attempt to fairly balance community interests.

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, a Nikiski Republican, speaks in favor of overriding a veto of Senate Bill 140 during floor debate of a joint session of the Alaska State Legislature on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Capitol Corner: Education looms large in fast-paced start to session

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman reports back from Juneau.

Meg Zaletel (Courtesy)
Opinion: Housing shouldn’t be a political issue — it’s a human right

Policies and budget decisions that impact housing impact people’s well-being.

Therese Lewandowski. (Photo provided)
Point of View: Let’s raise equal rights for women

There is much more to our gender inequality story.

The Alaska State Capitol is seen in this undated file photo. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Larry Persily. (Juneau Empire file photo)
Opinion: U.S. should treat tariffs with a cold shoulder

The problem is that the U.S. imposes tariffs on what we buy.

A campfire can be seen at the Quartz Creek Campground in Cooper Landing, Alaska, in May 2020. (Clarion staff)
Opinion: What carbon capture and storage might mean for Alaska

Could Alaska be the next leader in carbon capture and storage?

Promotional image via intletkeeper.org.
Point of View: Learn efficiency at upcoming Homer Energy Fair

Energy conservation and efficiency have multiple benefits.

Congress holds a joint session to certify the election results of 2024 on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 6, 2025. President-elect Donald J. Trump has waffled on his preferences for how his party tackles his agenda, adding to the uncertainty for Republicans. (Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times)
Opinion: The moral imperative of our time

Trump has made it very clear that he wants to control what the news media publishes.