Legislature move bill touted

April 14, 2006

By DARRELL L. BREESE

Frontiersman

JUNEAU - President Abraham Lincoln said this nation is founded on a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Anchorage Rep. Norman Rokeberg envisions a government near the people, which can become a reality if he can guide his legislation through the political quagmire of Juneau.

His bill, which passed the House State Affairs Committee on March 28, creates fair and equitable competition for the construction of a new legislative hall for Alaska. The bill also has gained the support of Valley Rep. Mark Neuman.

&#8220This is an important piece of legislation,” Neuman said. &#8220Not just for what it might mean for the Mat-Su Borough, but also for the people of Alaska.”

&#8220It's about access,” Neuman continued. &#8220It costs a tremendous amount for people to fly to Juneau that they often don't make the trip. It would be better for all the citizens of Southcentral Alaska; that's two-thirds of the state who would be able to have access to government.”

The legislation permits the Alaska Legislative Council to develop specifications and solicit proposals for a new legislative hall.

If it passes, boroughs and unified municipalities with at least 30,000 residents - which would include Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna, Fairbanks, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Juneau, and Kenai Peninsula Borough - could submit proposals for constructing a suitable building.

Mat-Su officials believe that, if the bill passed, the Valley would be best suited to be the future home of the Legislature.

&#8220The borough would put up the land,” borough manager John Duffy said. &#8220If this legislation is passed, and the selection of sites is opened to a competitive process, I am confident with how the borough would stack up against any of the other communities.”

Duffy is so optimistic the Valley would be the ideal choice that an independent consultant already has identified three possible locations within the borough for a legislative hall.

One is the old Deception Creek capital site in Willow, another is out at Point MacKenzie, and the third is in the core area near the recently constructed Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.

The bill's proposed site selection process would consider the availability of basic utility services, airport access, road systems, health, education and social service facilities, and housing opportunities.

&#8220With that in mind, a site near the new hospital is ideal,” Duffy said. &#8220All the required infrastructure is in place and ready for use.”

Rep. Carl Gatto, R-Palmer, also believes the location near the hospital would be ideal.

&#8220I've been a fan for more than three years now of moving either the capital or legislature to the intersection of the Parks and Glenn Highway,” Gatto said. &#8220It provides so many more points of access than Juneau for the people.”

Neuman agrees that the Mat-Su is the prime location for a legislative hall, but he favors the Point MacKenzie location.

&#8220I proposed a trade of 1,000 acres in the Point MacKenzie area for the development of a new legislative hall,” Neuman said. &#8220A combination of a legislative hall and the construction of the Knik Arm Bridge would add an economic boost to the borough. The commercial development that would accompany the project would provide much-needed property tax relief.”

Rep. Gatto met with John Rubini of JL Properties during the last legislative session to discuss financing possibilities for construction of a hall in the borough. They discussed the possibility of trading the Atwood Building, which houses state offices in Anchorage, to cover the estimated $100 million development cost of a new legislative hall in the Valley.

The bill currently is in the House Finance Committee, and would need approval of both the House and Senate before the Legislature adjourns, or it would have to be reintroduced next session.

If that were to occur, it is likely that Rokeberg would bring the bill back. He has been working to move either the capital or Legislature for years, having announced similar legislation dating back to 1999.

The current Alaska Capitol building was built in 1931, and has several major problems, despite efforts to update the building. Some of the problems the 75-year-old building faces include corridors that do not meet fire and safety building codes, limited access for the disabled, an antiquated heating and ventilation system, inadequate wiring for electrical and telecommunication services, and insufficient office, chamber and committee space.

&#8220The Capitol building has outlived its usefulness as a legislative hall,” Rokeberg said. &#8220It is time to have a modern and functional building.”

&#8220A legislative hall in the Mat-Su Valley would not only give thousands of kids a chance to see government at work, but it would also change the perception people have of their legislators,” Neuman added. &#8220I'd like to think that greater access would lead to greater voter participation in elections and eliminate some of the distrust people have of us here in Juneau.”

&#8220The people of Juneau are concerned about the impact of moving the Legislature, as they should be,” Gatto said. &#8220But we're (the Legislature) not there for eight months of the year, and the capital exists without us.

&#8220It would survive should we pass this legislation and move to the Valley.”

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