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TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2002

Alaska Native corporations are bankrolling a campaign called "Let Us Decide" to force the subsistence issue.

Gov. Tony Knowles (D) has proposed a constitutional amendment to recognize a Native and rural priority to subsistence. But since Republican lawmakers are holding up debate, the corporations are funding a $140,000 effort to promote a voter initiative urging the Legislature to act.

In related news. the Alaska House has restored $1.1 million in subsistence funds in response to complaints by Alaska Natives. An amendment was added to the budget to transfer funding to a subsistence program at the Department of Fish and Game.

Republican leaders said they didn't want to exacerbate urban-rural tensions. The Senate still has to vote to approve the $2.2 billion budget.

Get the Story:
Proposition could give public more choice on subsistence (KTUU-TV 3/18)
House-passed budget would cut $100 million (The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner 3/19)
House does subsistence about-face (AP 3/19)
$2.2 billion budget clears House (AP 3/19)

Relevant Links:
Subsistence Amendment, Alaska Governor Tony Knowles - http://www.gov.state.ak.us/subsistence_amendment
Native subsistence rights, Native American Rights Fund - http://www.narf.org/pubs/justice/1999SPRING/spring1999.htm
Alaska Federation of Natives - http://www.akfednatives.org
Katie John et al. v. State of Alaska - http://www.mountainstateslegal.org/legal_cases.cfm?legalcaseid=64

Related Stories:
Subsistence cuts opposed (3/15)
Opinion: Subsistence and equal rights (2/28)
Subsistence proposal pushed (2/15)
AFN supporting subsistence plan (2/13)
Alaska GOP challenging subsistence (2/11)
Norton policy called setback (2/1)
GOP request has Alaska Natives fuming (1/28)
Subsistence an issue for Legislature (1/17)
Alaska subsistence amendment finalized (12/18)
Subsistence rulings causing strife (12/17)
Tribe wants subsistence declaration (12/13)
Subsistence approved on Alaska river (12/12)
Separate appeal of Katie John denied (11/27)
Knowles sets Native priorities (11/14)
Native subsistence proposal advanced (11/7)
Alaska losing subsistence game (11/5)
Subsistence amendment seeing delay (10/30)
Questions raised on subsistence (10/29)
AFN honors Elder of the Year (10/29)
AFN kicks off, Katie John revered (10/26)
Health issues talk of AFN (10/26)
Alaska Natives testify on racism (10/26)
Native dance event at AFN (10/24)
Alaska Native conference kicks off (10/23)
Alaska Native convention to meet (10/22)
Subsistence hearing scheduled (10/19)
Alaska lawmakers miss Katie John appea (10/15)
Subsistence amendment drafted (10/12)
Lawmakers want to appeal Katie John (10/5)
Alaska subsistence panel meets (9/25)
Poll: Alaskans want subsistence vote (9/17)
Group wants Katie John appealed (9/14)
Alaska subsistence panel to meet (9/11)
Knowles criticized for Katie John decision (8/29)
Alaska won't appeal Native rights case (8/28)
Subsistence summit changes little (8/27)
March held for Native subsistence (8/22)
Subsistence summit calls for changes (8/17)
Subsistence summit begins in Alaska (8/16)

More on Katie John:
Katie John case having effects (5/11)
Alaska Native subsistence case upheld (5/8)
Norton cutting old associations (1/25)
Norton's legal work criticized (1/12)
Alaska Native elder dies (12/4)