Valley legislators to hold town hall meeting

WASILLA — The second regular session of the 29th Alaska Legislature is scheduled to begin Jan. 19, but three Mat-Su legislators want to hear a little more from their constituents before heading to Juneau.

Sen. Bill Stoltze, Rep. Cathy Tilton and Rep. Shelley Hughes are planning a town hall meeting Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Palmer Senior Center.

Gov. Bill Walker released his proposed budget in early December, a plan to balance the state’s budget with a mixture of new and increased taxes, smaller cuts and alterations to the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend that would include a reduction in the annual check. The plan aims to close a multibillion-dollar deficit that has resulted from a drop in oil prices along with reduced oil production.

Hughes said Monday the town hall meeting is intended to be more listening session than a platform for legislators to explain their goals. She said she has heard plenty from constituents regarding Walker’s proposed budget, but also has heard from Valley residents on other issues that range from the region’s increase in heroin cases to inadequate state funding for seniors.

“We are anticipating a good crowd,” Hughes said. “I think people are concerned about the position the state is in right now.”

Stoltze said he was hopeful of a good turnout.

“It’s just a good opportunity to touch base with folks before we head down to Juneau,” Stoltze said Monday. “We have more town hall sessions planned for the (legislative) session and will keep folks posted on those.”

Walker’s proposals are expected to generate plenty of questions from legislators, Hughes said.

“Obviously the budget is a top priority,” Hughes said. “We may not pass a single bill, but we are mandated to pass a budget.”

Hughes said she is supportive of the “Goldsmith plan,” a budget proposal offered by Scott Goldsmith, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Alaska’s Institute of Social and Economic Research, which essentially calls for Permanent Fund earnings and portions of other assets such as the Constitutional Budget Reserve be used to provide sustainable income.

Goldsmith’s plan would require lowering general fund spending by $1 billion — from the expected $5.5 billion — in fiscal year 2016. The budget would remain at $4.5 billion but be adjusted annually for inflation and population growth, Goldsmith’s plan has outlined.

Hughes said along with the budget worries, residents have passed along their concerns on transportation issues, which she said is a priority for her as co-chair of the House Transportation Committee.

“In the latest round of budget cuts, 35 percent of the positions cut were operations and 17 percent were administrative — many of those 35 percent are equipment operators,” Hughes said of the Department of Transportation budgets. “I have a great relationship with commissioner (Mark) Luiken, and we are going to be looking at being innovative.”

Part of that, she said, could mean asking the Matanuska-Susitna Borough for help with some maintenance duties.

“There is a possibility of bringing in the borough for some of it,” Hughes said. “We are going to be talking about that as well this session. They (the borough) are well-suited and well-positioned for some of these things.”

Contact reporter Steven Merritt at 352-2269 or steven.merritt@frontiersman.com