Borough officials lay out priorities to legislators

Last Friday, borough officials met with seven members of the Mat-Su delegation prior to the beginning of the legislative session next Tuesday.

Among the top priorities for the Mat-Su are an increase in Alaska State Trooper staffing in the Valley and the completion of three road projects.

Borough Manager John Moosey told legislators that completion of work on Knik-Goose Bay Road, the Glenn Highway in Palmer, and Seward Meridian should be funded. Moosey says borough residents have been treated as “second-class citizens,” as funding which was supposed to go to projects in the Valley has ended up going elsewhere.

The borough is also asking that Alaska State Troopers have their staffing level increased. The Assembly and staff is asking for a total of eighty-five troopers in the Mat-Su in the next three years. Mayor Vern Halter says troopers could potentially share space with fire departments in some areas to reduce cost. He pointed specifically to Knik-Fairview, which lacks a trooper post. Halter says that area would be the fourth largest city in the state if it were incorporated.

The borough also asked that Port Mackenzie receive fair consideration for the Alaska LNG project. The borough has maintained that the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation has not given the port, which has a history of financial struggles, proper consideration.

Other priorities include funding for road bond projects approved by voters last October. Those bonds require matching funds to be acquired before they come into effect. The borough also wants the legislature to transfer leftover funds from the Talkeetna library project to Willow’s library and community center upgrades.