Ballot initiative launched to subdivide Mat-Su Borough

Is the Mat-Su Borough too big to govern effectively? The best government is supposed to be “local” and “of the people” — where citizens can attend meetings, express their concerns and have a role in their community. When I ran for borough mayor in January and had to cover the many communities of the Mat-Su Borough to listen, discuss and address the concerns of residents, I came away from the experience with one main conclusion: the Mat-Su Borough is too big to govern.

In Talkeetna, the comment was often made that “we see the mayor during the campaign and then never again.” Another example is the recent Wasilla High School principal dustup — local views were not represented by the district — with decisions made far away with results the community was not happy with.

It is time to modify the turn-of-the-century borough borders. I propose a ballot initiative in the Mat-Su to divide the Mat-Su Borough into three distinct entities: A Wasilla-based, first-class borough; a Palmer-based, first-class borough and a Talkeetna-based second-class borough.

The city of Haines and the Haines Borough recently consolidated its city and borough governments and could serve as an effective model.

Government efficiencies could be achieved if the existing city governments in Palmer and Wasilla, with their police departments, planning offices and support services and leadership, just took over as first-class borough entities. Why have overlapping borough and city governments? This is inefficient and a waste of taxpayers’ resources.

A negative to this idea is Talkeetna and surrounding areas would have to build an infrastructure to support this new government. My view is this vibrant community would truly benefit from not having to travel for hours to partake in government, and the communities have outstanding leaders to shepherd them through this process and deal with local issues effectively.

A first-class borough based in Wasilla would bring Houston and Big Lake into a common government to address their current concerns and issues. Some fundamental differences exist in the communities of Palmer and Wasilla. This proposal would also end the arm wrestling about the borough seat.

If you attend any borough assembly meeting, inevitably someone from the Wasilla delegation mentions an ongoing discussion about moving the borough seat to Wasilla. Both are very far apart on business attitudes, planning, agricultural traditions, tax policy and what the direction of government should be. Additionally, Talkeetna and surrounding areas are so far from Palmer that the borough meetings may as well be on the moon.

So, there is my concept. It will take roughly 1,000 signatures to get on the ballot.

My idea on boundaries is roughly a border at Seward Meridian Parkway running north between Wasilla and Palmer, and the second roughly at Willow Creek between Wasilla and Talkeetna. I would also include the school district in the division into three entities, although an area-wide school district has been maintained in other areas of Alaska like the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. I also propose current borough bonds and debts would be divided as the borough governments agreed or worked out in Superior Court.

Brian Sullivan lives in Palmer and was a candidate for Mat-Su Borough mayor in the January election.