Assembly to consider changing Borough districts

At it’s meeting on Tuesday, the Mat-Su Borough Assembly will consider an ordinance that would call for a public vote to change assembly district maps.  Part of that change would involve splitting off most of the land north and east of Talkeetna, which currently lies in District 7, and placing it in District 1.

Most of the population of District 1 lies in the far Southeast of the Borough, including the communities of Butte, Lazy Mountain, and Sutton.  It does, however, contain land along the eastern border of the Borough, stretching north from Lake Louise.  The new map would put what is currently considered Sheep Mountain into District 1, as well as part of Chase.

Vern Halter, Assembly Member for District 7, says that he opposes the ordinance.  Halter says that while only a handful of voters are affected, it would mean that his district would no longer include the area near the proposed Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project, which he opposes.

The ordinance is scheduled for public hearing at the April 15th Assembly meeting.  If the ordinance passes as-is, the issue will be on the Borough Election ballot this October.