LETTER: ‘Willow, once and for all’

To the editor:

I am writing in reference to “SPECTRUM: Channeling Jimmy Stewart on the PFD” By Rep. David Eastman (R-Wasilla)

In the late 1970s plans were developed to move the Capital of Alaska onto the road system in the Willow area. Alaskans voted three (3) times to move the Capital.

Working for the Susitna Sentinel newspaper, Su Valley newspaper, from 1977 to 1979, I covered many of the Capital Site Planning Commission meetings.

In the Spring of 1979 a gathering was held at the site near Willow. I had moved to MEA at the time. MEA provided a generator out in a thicket near Willow for a meeting and sort of celebration of the votes. The theme was “Willow, once and for all” which was prominently display on baseball caps handed out at the meeting. A photo of one of the hats is attached.

But those behind the water wall in Juneau, off the Alaska road system managed to get a public vote to kill the funding for the move. There are many world governments which remain hidden from the people. Those governments seem to me to be harmful to their people who are most often not free at all. Why Alaskans allow our state capital to remain hidden from the people has always amazed me.

— Budd Goodyear

Wasilla