Borough pondering priorities list

Hatcher Pass development aid rated higher than roads, school funding

November 20,2005

DARRELL L. BREESE/Frontiersman reporter

PALMER - The holiday season is here and children throughout the Matanuska-Susitna Borough are busy sifting through catalogs and searching online as they make up their wish list to send off to Santa.

Not wanting to be left out, Borough Manager John Duffy presented the assembly with a potential list of legislative priorities for the coming year. Actually, he developed two lists, one for the state and another for federal funds. The lists have not yet been finalized, but were presented for review in preparation for a vote Dec. 6.

Topping the list of state priorities includes full funding to construct a new Susitna Valley High School to replace the current building, which has a mold problem and a failing roof. There are 16 items on the state list, ranging from school and education funding to erosion problems along the banks of the Matanuska River.

The proposed Hatcher Pass ski area development occupies the top two spots on the federal wish list. Funding to construct a day lodge and build a trail system for the ski area ranked higher than improvements for substandard roads, fully funding the No Child Left Behind Act and combatting Matanuska River erosion.

Both priority lists are draft versions and are subject to change at the Dec. 6 regular assembly meeting.

After an initial review of the list, members of the assembly have differing views as to their order.

&#8220I believe the list reflects what the assembly as a body wants to see done in the next year,” Vehrs said. &#8220I am sure that each assembly member would want to shuffle the priorities to move things in their district to the top, but as a whole, both lists reflect the perceived needs in the borough.”

Vehrs and assembly member Jim Colver expressed a desire to have the reinstatement of revenue sharing moved up the list.

&#8220We need to have revenue sharing and the unfunded mandate giving tax exemptions to seniors and veterans reinstated,” Vehrs said. &#8220They are a top priority on my list. If the state brings back both those programs, then the residents of the borough will realize some property tax relief.”

&#8220We need to change this list,” Colver said of the state priority list. &#8220We need to put property tax relief at the top via state revenue sharing. If the governor and Legislature is going to reimplement revenue sharing, we need to show that we are committed to having the funds go directly to providing relief for the taxpayers. That should be our top priority.”

Vehrs echoed Colver's position, but wasn't certain that property tax relief needs to be included in the legislative priorities, since it is something that will be handled on a local level. She said the topic will be brought up in the lobbying efforts made by the assembly and the borough.

The priority lists will be presented in the form of a resolution and thus will not be subject to a public hearing. Individuals wishing to address the assembly regarding either list will need to speak during either the audience comments period or contact the clerk's office and inquire about speaking during the &#8220persons to be heard” portion of the agenda prior to the meeting.

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or darrell.breese@

frontiersman.com.