Assembly says ‘no’ to zoning question

PALMER — At attempt to ask voters to weigh in on zoning failed to pass muster at the Mat-Su Borough Assembly Tuesday.

The most often expressed reason for opposing putting the move to place the question on the ballot was that the discussion about zoning is a big topic that would be tough to distill into a single ballot question.

“It’s difficult to put a zoning question that captures all of the factors and difficulties that go into those questions in truncated language, 20 words or less,” said Krista Maciolek, a borough resident who spoke against the advisory vote.

Assemblyman Darcie Salmon, who supported it, disagreed, saying that a lot of new people have moved here — from 40,000 in 1990 to 90,000 in 2010.

“It will give a thumb on the pulse sensibility for how these 50,000 new Valley residents wherever they may have come from, feel about zoning in their particular areas,” Salmon said.

Assemblyman Jim Sykes pointed out that the borough already conducts surveys of its residents that ask much more detailed questions than just the simple question of whether they support zoning.

“I think we have a great deal of information to consider,” Sykes said.

Assemblyman Matthew Beck agreed.

“I think when you put something on the ballot and people see that on the ballot, even though it may be an advisory vote, they would expect some action on our part,” Beck said. “We can find the same information out from the surveys as assembly member Sykes pointed out.”

Salmon disagreed, pointing out that those surveys aren’t very representative.

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to find out how many people are going to take those surveys and how many people are going to go to the polls,” he said.

Only 10 percent of the surveys mailed out are returned completed and only a small percentage of borough residents are sent the surveys.

Assemblyman Ron Arvin agreed.

“It captures the disposition of the voting public which sadly is typically about 10 percent,” Arvin said. “That’s vastly more data than what may be less than one tenth of one percent that might fill out a question on a survey.”

Salmon pointed out that polling data can get pretty granular as well.

“If you look at the precinct by precinct vote I would consider that to be very comprehensive,” he said. “That’s kind of a blueprint for future assemblies.”

Arvin, Salmon and Steve Colligan voted in favor of the ballot question. The rest — Jim Colver, Verne Halter, Beck and Sykes — voted in opposition.

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270 or andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.