Priorities laid out for legislative wish list

The holidays are busy for most, what with shopping, cooking and arranging travel plans for family and friends. If you’re a state lawmaker, this bustling season is compounded by the looming legislative session.

State senators and representatives are making their lists, checking them twice and weeding out the naughtiest requests for state funding. Those lists primarily belong to some special interest groups, big business, nonprofit organizations and municipalities. And like excited children waking up Christmas morning, all want the Legislature to fill their stockings with goodies.

To that end, Wasilla City Council met recently to finalize its list of legislative priorities to pass to our Mat-Su delegation. It’s a short list, one that’s remarkably unselfish and would benefit all the Mat-Su, not just those who live within Wasilla city limits.

Topping that list is urging lawmakers to come through with state match funds for a raft of heavy bonds Valley voters approved this past general election. We gave our OK for nearly $250 million between road and school district projects, a hefty chunk of change for any community, let alone one as geographically spread out as the Valley with a population of less than 100,000.

Given the history of bonding and tax levies, earning that voter approval is significant. It’s no secret we’re very protective of our pocketbooks, but are willing to invest in important projects. Making sure those desperately needed school and road projects more forward is vital for the Mat-Su, and must be the No. 1 priority for our delegation.

We’re also confident, given the press coverage and public awareness of the dire situation with the crumbling dam on Lake Lucille, that lawmakers will come through with funding for a new dam. And we also strongly urge them to realize the value of Wasilla’s proposed $14 million public library.

As well as these legislative wish lists from municipalities, we have a couple of items to add ourselves. Assuming our representatives won’t “forget” to push for the opening of our new prison at Point MacKenzie, there are two areas critical to the future of the Valley that may not be sexy from a public relations standpoint, but are essential to the continued positive growth of our area.

First is a state-initiated study to explore a central wastewater treatment facility for the Valley’s core area of Wasilla and Palmer. While both now maintain their own treatment facilities, they’re overtaxed and aging. Each entity has considered a larger, more efficient facility, but each ultimately has gone back to fending for its self. Legislators need to take the initiative to get this ball rolling.

With that same reasoning, the Valley desperately needs a comprehensive study and master plan for aviation. Wasilla and Palmer both operate top-notch airports, but the potential for aviation to help drive the economic future for both cities and the Mat-Su region as a whole is too great to limit strictly to municipal boundaries.

There you have it, a meaty, yet tantalizing list to put any lawmaker worth his or her weight in candy canes in the holiday spirit.