Mat-Su sets its priorities for 2026 legislative session, although money will be tight

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough assembly ticked though an agenda of mainly routine business items at its meeting last Tuesday, Oct. 21. Among other items the assembly adopted its annual list of legislative priorities, spelling out what borough leaders see as needs for state funding to Mat-Su regional programs and projects.

The state budget will be tight for the upcoming legislative session, so the borough’s annual “wish list” is mainly to be used as talking points when borough officials talk with lawmakers. Everything depends on money being available, too, and state funds may be even more constrained with falling oil prices and costs imposed recent storms damaging western Alaska communities.

There was substantial discussion over how the priorities were set, which ended up with assembly members picking their own top requests from the state to be included at the top of the list. During the audience participation part of the meeting David Wilson, a former state senator, urged the assembly to give borough officials flexibility in advocating for needs because of how circumstances can shift during the legislation session. It would be unwise to have a local priority list that is too rigid, Wilson warned.

The final list for state funding was adopted in Borough Resolution RS 25-072. A key priority for Mat-Su is for the Legislature to fully fund the state share of school bond debt reimbursement. The borough is carrying a heavy load of debt from construction of schools, and while the state has promised to pick up a significant share of the annual school bond payments this isn’t legally guaranteed.

This year the state only partly funded its share bond debt, leaving the borough and its taxpayers obligated to pick up what the state was expected to pay along with Mat-Su’s own share of the bond payments. Meanwhile, a meeting of the assembly with Mat-Su legislators on the regional priorities was also set for Dec. 18. A companion list of federal priorities for Mat-Su was adopted in RS-073 without comment.

In other mostly administrative actions an ordinance approving $40,353 from Mat-Su’s water and sewer fund reserve as appropriated to pay debt related to Talkeetna’s community water upgrades. A grant of $9,700 for the borough’s dog kennel from the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty of Animals was approved. Also, an ordinance accepting a grant of $37,200 for the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation was approved as well as a separate ordinance accepting and appropriating additional disaster relief funds from the 2018 earthquake.

Assembly members asked why claims from the 2018 earthquake are still coming in and if there are additional claims pending. Borough staff replied that there are still claims pending.

“These things can stretch out for years,” borough manager Mike Brown told the assembly.

Approval of a grant of $35,000 from the state Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs for a first phase of a tsunami warning siren drew some questions, although it was approved. The assembly asked how much of he borough is subject to tsunami damage. The borough’s emergency response staff said there were three areas that are vulnerable according to a new University of Alaska study. Assembly members asked for copies of the study.

In another action the assembly referred an ordinance regarding Lake Management Plan implementation, with definitions on use of motorized and personal use watercraft, to the borough’s planning commission for 90 days.

In final comments, Assembly Member Tim Hale urged continued support for expanded ambulance service from a station along the Glenn Highway, in the eastern part of Mat-Su, to serve the Butte, Palmer-Fishhook and Sutton areas.

Assembly member Stephanie Nowers offered her strong support for this, saying it was long needed. Bill Gamble, another assembly member, added his support.