It's time to find a planning solution that works for Mat-Su

March 13, 2005

Frontiersman editorial board

State Economist Neil Fried has been a great source for information on economic trends in Mat-Su for a number of years, and he has held a fascination with the Mat-Su economy for many of those years.

Fried has given presentations to several agencies and organizations around Mat-Su and if you haven't attended one of his presentations, you need to.

Fried has a unique characteristic that you usually don't find in an economist; he has a sense of humor and has found a way to make statistics fun. Perhaps it's his enthusiasm for his chosen career that projects his passion to his audience; whatever it is that motivates him guarantees conference attendees won't be bored.

Fried's most recent release of information on the Mat-Su confirms what residents have known or suspected all along - we're still the fastest-growing area in the state. In fact, Mat-Su is now home for one-fifth of the entire state's population, and there are no indications that the influx will be stopping anytime soon.

One of the best tidbits of information Fried offered was there is not a negative outflow of dollars in the Valley; in other words, more people are buying locally, keeping the economic wheels spinning in the Valley instead of Anchorage. According to Fried, "Anchorage has lost a lot of customers."

The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman has long been an avid proponent of "Shop the Valley" and keeping our dollars at home. We're pleased that we will, very soon, be another lost Anchorage customer as our new production facility opens later this month.

As the number of new businesses continues to climb to keep pace with the new residents choosing to call the Valley home, and as the number of new homes sprouting up on once-forested spaces increases, conflicts between developers and environmentalists and pro-growth and anti-growth groups will escalate.

We are reaching a critical point in our growth cycle where reasonable planning and zoning ordinances need to be passed and enforced. It's time for polarized factions to come to the table and begin working on finding common ground that works for our community rather than a cookie-cutter solution from the Lower 48.