Assembly's priority list good for residents

The Mat-Su Borough Assembly provided Valley residents with another example of responsive government last weekend when assembly members finalized their priority list for state and federal funding.

The priorities list is an annual endeavor, and compiling and finalizing it is a balancing act of no small magnitude. It requires a keen understanding of issues and their context in the service of the public good. But, perhaps most of all, it requires an open mind and good listening skills.

Borough assembly members are to be commended for the thoroughness of their process and the obvious thought that went into first the draft list then the final version. With much to consider in a community as vibrant and dynamic as ours, the assembly put together a list we think addresses the biggest concerns of the greatest number of Valley

residents.

While we remain firmly in favor of responsible, thoughtful development of Hatcher Pass, we agree with the assembly's majority assessment that road improvements should be the borough's highest priority. A local ski resort brings fabulous potential for the kind of economic development that will benefit all residents in the future. But roads affect everyone on a daily basis.

Improving existing ones and adding new ones will bring immediate improvement to quality of life in the Mat-Su. Doing so will likely have the additional effect of smoothing the way for developers and, later, visitors to Hatcher Pass.

The assembly's emphasis on gearing priorities toward providing property-tax relief is also commendable. But residents need to realize that they have a role in bringing a good and lasting fix to recent woes plaguing those who own homes in the borough.

In particular, a commitment by the state to reinstating the municipal revenue-sharing program will never come about without voter pressure on those they elect to represent them in Juneau. It has, perhaps, never been as important to look beyond party labels to what individual candidates really represent before casting a vote on Election Day.

Finally, we are thrilled to see the methamphetamine problem being taken so seriously, with the assembly's interest in placing prevention, treatment and enforcement upgrades on its priorities list. The meth epidemic is dangerously close to being out of control, and more attention is desperately needed.

Individual assembly members deserve great credit for their commitment to the issue and their dedication to bringing workable solutions to a dangerous problem. That the assembly, as a whole, saw fit to make meth programs a priority shows an awareness that the effects of meth addiction do not end with addicts.

It is a problem that increasingly is taking over public services. From law enforcement to family services and emergency health care, the meth epidemic is taking a toll on public resources and making services less available to others who may need help in an emergency.

As with revenue sharing, though, the assistance of a Legislature unfriendly in recent years to such programs will be required if lasting solutions are to be found. Voters, again, need to pay attention.

Good work, borough assembly. The community has been well served.