Roof money drama: Legislative ‘theater' at its finest

March 31, 2006

Juneau Report/Myrl Thompson

&#8220Hatred is the coward's revenge for being intimidated.”

- George Bernard Shaw

Bills/Issues

Polishing the Brick (with Su-Valley roof money)

I have to pass this incident on to you. Although not a bill, but more of a bill maneuver, it can provide one with insight into Juneau politics in action.

Last week, you will remember that Speaker of the House John Harris appointed Rep. Mark Neuman to the Alaska Statehood Commission. This week, in House Finance, another event to prop up Rep. Neuman took place. It went down like this:

The Finance Committee pulled the $3.85 million allocation for the Su-Valley roof repair from the supplemental budget. However, the first amendment in the stack of amendments was one by Rep. Bill Stoltze to put the money back into the same bill that it had just been taken from.

Called up to testify in support of the Stoltze amendment was none other than Rep. Neuman, who had to be corrected a time or two by the chairman, Rep. Kevin Meyer. Reading from his script, Neuman said the roof had to be shoveled at a cost of $33,000 each time. Meyer corrected him that the cost was more like $3,000-$3,600.

After Neuman's testimony ended, the Republican members hit Neuman with a series of questions that made the amendment seem in doubt of passing. But then a number of members congratulated him on his fine testimony and said that he had convinced them as to the need.

They said the 70-30 split, which was there all along, was a deciding factor. Then the amendment for the Su Valley money passed and was added back, unanimously.

Later, I saw Meyer in the hall. I told him that I had dated an actress and had seen plenty of bad acting and choreography, but that amendment action was perhaps the worst of both that I had ever seen. He couldn't keep a straight face and started to walk off toward the House floor. He then turned around and said, &#8220No Academy Award, huh?” To which I replied, &#8220no.”

Meyer later would explain to me that Mat-Su Sens. Charlie Huggins and Lyda Green were getting all the credit and that Neuman should get some, too. So there you have it.

For now, I don't care who gets the credit, just get the badly needed money to the school. The struggle for the funding can become campaign folklore later on.

House Bill 300, Kohring's AOGCC bill (a.k.a. No more Sarah Palin bill)

As predicted, the bill came back up for a vote and passed this time. The Democrats did try to add an amendment that would have said no more Randy Ruedrichs either. But that amendment failed on a near party-line vote. The bill then passed the House on a 25-15 vote. The message now is that Sarah Palin-types on the AOGCC are history, and that Randy Ruedrich and partisans are to be allowed.

It was Rep. Vic Kohring at his very best, in defense of the oil and gas industry.

(Editor's note: Mat-Su Rep. Bill Stoltze voted with the minority in favoring the amendment and opposing the final bill. Mat-Su Reps. Carl Gatto and Mark Neuman joined with the minority in opposing the final bill.)

House Bill 307, The Knik River Public Use Area bill

This bill by Rep. Stoltze was up for a hearing Monday in House Resources. It only has two committees of referral, which means that it will be on the fast track for passage. The next committee is House Finance, and Stoltze is vice chair there.

If anyone wants to put their two cents in on this controversial bill, send messages to House Resources. The co-chairs are Ralph Samuels and Jay Ramras.

Cicely Fritz of the Knik River Watershed Group is working for a better version of this bill. She can be contacted at info@ knikriver.org. Folks who want more information on this bill should contact her.

Coming events

April 1: The Legislative Skits, a highlight of the session. Staffers put on a show of lampooning and satire. And why not? Their bosses get to do it for 120 days!

Also on April Fools Day, another annual celebration - it is Sen. Ralph Seekins' birthday.

Valley resident Myrl Thompson is a citizen lobbyist and former independent candidate for the state House. His Valley Voices guest opinion column appears here every four weeks. Excerpts from his weekly Juneau Reports appear as space and relevance allow.