Valley lawmakers firm up leadership roles

WASILLA — If all goes according to plan, the Valley’s delegation to the state House of Representatives and Senate will end up with a handful of important committee seats when the Legislature reconvenes Jan. 20.

The committee positions won’t be finalized until the Legislature meets in Juneau. But, according to a House majority press release, Bill Stoltze, who represents Chugiak and Butte, has been chosen to co-chair the House Finance Committee with Mike Hawker, R-Anchorage.

On the Senate side, according to a Senate press release, Mat-Su Sen. Charlie Huggins will chair the Rules Committee. The Speaker of the House and Senate will be Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, and Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak.

But the Valley’s committee seats are important. Stoltze, for example, will chair the committee holding the purse strings, deciding on, according to Wasilla Republican Wes Keller, any bill with a dollar amount in it.

“I don’t view positions like this as, ‘Well, I’m powerful and I can start exercising authority,’” Stoltze said, pledging to work cooperatively rather than flexing his legislative muscles.

Stoltze’s selection as finance co-chair is a promotion from last year when he was vice-chair of the committee.

“That’s the position I sought and I owe a lot to my members of the Valley delegation who really were strong supporters of me for that position,” he said.

Over on the Senate side, Huggins’ committee will, in Stoltze’s word, play the role of gatekeeper. The Rules Committee decides which bills make it to the Senate floor.

Huggins did not return a call seeking comment as of press time.

According to a Senate press release, Huggins was one of 13 senators who came together to form the Senate majority — 10 Democrats and three Republicans. The Valley’s other senator, Linda Menard, who won the race for retiring Senate president Lyda Green’s seat, was not among them. She did not return a call seeking comment.

According to Stoltze, Huggins’ position on the Rules Committee will be helpful for the Valley delegation.

“We’re at a diminished position in the Senate from where we were,” Stoltze said, referencing Green’s departure. But, “I’m really glad to have him in a good position.”

Another important spot, that of head of the House Resource Committee, went to Valley legislator Mark Neuman, who represents Houston, Talkeetna and points in between. Resources, Neuman said, is the committee that looks at legislation regarding mining, fishing, logging, oil, gas and other industries — most of the heavyweights in Alaska’s economy.

“We are a resource state, so it [covers] just about everything that’s dealt with as far as economic development opportunities,” Neuman said.

The Valley’s other two representatives, Carl Gatto, R-Palmer, and Wes Keller, R-Wasilla, were also selected for committee seats mentioned in the House majority press release. Gatto will serve as an alternate on the House Select Committee on Legislative Ethics. Keller will chair the House Regulation Review Committee.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.