Borough's legislative wish list held over for public hearing

MAT-SU -- Mat-Su Borough Assembly members agreed last Tuesday to give the public a chance to comment on what the body requests as funding priorities from the state and federal delegation.

At the assembly's regular meeting, assembly members proposed slight changes to the legislative priorities, adding more money in two areas on the federal legislative priority list and adding an eighth priority to the state list. After the changes were made, assembly member Kelly Lankford Ladere requested to postpone the matter to Jan. 7, in order to give borough residents a chance to comment on the priorities.

"I can remember a great deal of public interest and involvement," Ladere said. "It bothers me, Mr. Mayor, that both for the federal legislative priorities and the state legislative priorities that we aren't allowed to have any public input on this."

Borough Manager John Duffy interjected that the federal priority list may be needed before that time.

"I've been contacted by the federal lobbyist and transportation lobbyist," Duffy said, "and they want [the list] by the end of the month."

Assembly member Sara Jansen conceded that the public input was a good idea, but thought it may be more effective for the borough if lobbyists and U.S. Rep. Don Young, who also requested the priority list as soon as possible, were given ample opportunity to review it.

"Maybe now is not the time to do that," Jansen said. "As much as I'd like to see public input, it has been advertised, it's been on the Web site."

Ladere said she believed there was a little leeway time.

"I don't think Congress actually convenes until after the first of January," Ladere said, and suggested that, rather than sending the list to an empty office to sit, allow the public to comment on it before it's sent.

The motion carried with assembly members Jansen, Jim Colver and Jody Simpson opposed. When the state priority list came up for a vote, Ladere's amendment passed unanimously.