A record $3 billion capital budget for Alaska was put together by legislators without the drama of past years, and the final step, approval by Gov. Sean Parnell, appears likely to have little drama either.
“You will not see the scale of vetoes you saw in prior years,” said Gov. Sean Parnell, who in past years has slashed legislative spending.
For Juneau the budget includes $55.7 million in projects specific to the city’s two House Districts, Rep. Beth Kerttula’s House District 3 and Rep. Cathy Munoz’ House District 4. The two representatives and Sen. Dennis Egan, D-Juneau, worked together on a combined capital budget request.
During the legislative process they were able to add $23 million to Parnell’s request.
The Juneau total also does not include some regional and even statewide projects, such as $60 million towards a new Alaska-class ferry, and local projects in a $450 million bond package.
The largest single appropriation on Juneau’s wish list was funding for a new State Library, Archives and Museum projects. Parnell and legislators each chipped in for a budget request of $49 million.
That was considered a “Juneau” project, but Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Chugiak, and co-chair of the House Finance Committee, said it shouldn’t be.
That’s not a Juneau project, that’s a statewide project for all Alaskans,” he said.
The state needs a museum building in which its antiquities, which can ensure that they’ll be preserved for future generations, he said.
Combined with some money already allocated for what’s known as the “SLAM project,” about half the project’s $120 million estimated cost is now available.
“I consider it priceless, being a lover of Alaska history,” Stoltze said.
Members of the Juneau delegation also used their share of capital budget money for local schools, including computer upgrades at Floyd Dryden, JDHS, Mendenhall River and Aurora Borealis schools, and for the University.
Capital Transit will get $1.5 million with which to buy 15 new buses, while the Juneau Community Foundation will get $650,000 to design a new ice rink for Dimond Park, among many city and non-profit efforts getting help.
Some projects, like the SLAM project are only partially funded. Both the renovation of the state’s Douglas Island Building and the State Office Building parking garage are in line to receive money for the first phase of a three-phase project.
In the last few years, contentious battles over the capital budget have led to Parnell vetoing hundreds of millions each year. That often led to disappointment, and sometimes anger, as expected money did not arrive.
Parnell said not to expect that level of vetoes this year, as he was able to reach an agreement with legislators on a capital-spending amount early in the session and the appropriation bills are within that amount.
But he cautioned he’s not giving up the right to veto as he delves into the capital budget, either.
“I will make those decisions after we fully analyze what has passed,” he said.
During last year’s bitter oil tax battles, in which the Senate refused to pass an oil tax cut that Parnell wanted, senators said they feared Parnell would retaliate against opponents with his veto pen.
That did not appear to happen, and Parnell said it wouldn’t happen this year either.
“I haven’t done that in the past, and I don’t intend to do that in the future,” he said.
• Contact reporter Pat Forgey at 523-2250 or at patrick.forgey@juneauempire.com.
Comments (16)
Add comment$650k to design a Dimond Park
$650k to design a Dimond Park ice rink? WTF?!?!?!?!?
I agree! That is absolutely
I agree! That is absolutely insane. I could think of a thousand better uses, than a seond ice rink within 13 miles of the first, for that money. This is SHAMEFUL.
$
I agree, and would like to know how difficult it is to 'design' an ice rink. Are we reinventing it here? How about a scholarship for UAA students contest?
Valley ice rink is needed - ice time maxed out in Douglas
but can't we just use the blueprints from the one in Douglas?
overall
After totaling capital projects funding of nearly $557M I suppose $650K is small potatoes.
Throw your $3.99/lb tomatoes at me!
I'll slice them in half and use them as frozen pucks should the new rink materialize.
Mike
Duplication of effort
As far as I know and have been told about the existing rink by people who know, it was built with expansion in mind. The cooling elements, generators, HVAC, and Zamboni station were all overbuilt should the need to service two sheets of ice ever arise. If a second rink is needed, why not consolidate with the current rink? At the very least it would save on staffing.
Typical Design Costs
are 10-15% of construction costs. How much did the Douglas ice rink cost?
An observation
During the House deliberations on the capital budget, I listened to Rep. Doogan explain why he would vote against it. He mentioned several reasons. For example, we can't keep spending at the rate we are for the construction of new buildings while we have a backlog of maintenance of current structures over $1 Billion
I then noticed that only Representatives Doogan and Peterson voted against the capital budge.
@AverageJoe
I do not doubt that the ice rink would be used. It just seems beyond crazy that it should cost that much to design it, which I can tell you agree with, not trying to argue that. But there are many other uses for that money that I think people would deem much more important and beneficial to the community. Don't you think?
Extortion is extortion
Extortion is extortion whether in a regular session or a special session. Senate majority and house minority. Stand fast! No matter what kind of fancy names or wrapper you put around HB110 (the governors 2-3 billion give-away..3 billion per year @150 dollar oil!!) it still gets nothing done that would not be done soon in any event under their lease provisions. It is the size of the resource, and the demand for that resource, that drives production and investment decisions. It is not state or sovereign taxes. Alaska has both the conventional goods as well as shale and hydrates beyond measuring. And the MAIN treatment, delivery, and right-of-way infrastructure is already in place!! TAPS and the separation plants on the slope have paid for themselves five time over since they were built, yet the profits went elsewhere and not RE_INVESTED into producing more in Alaska for the long term fiscal health of the state`s resource.. This "harvest mode" continues, and nothing in the Governor`s give-away returns a fair return to the people who own the oil and gas. It continues the theft that went on under the ELF tax scheme. If that isn`t true then let`s see a cost-benefit analysis of the producers "plans" to get those million barrels flowing. And lets get the Revenue department to learn how to do ONE PROPER STATUTORILY INDICATED AUDIT ON ACES!!, before dismantling such a hard fought-for, and fair tax system, that finally, after years under ELF (NO production taxes for years on 15 of the 19 largest conventional oil fields on the north American continent!!), returns a fair fiscal share to the people of Alaska. The judge in the Gleason/TAPS tax/valuation decision (and many other decisions supported) said Alaska was too trusting and naive in believing "pledges" and "promises" from the leaseholders. The Senate bipartisan majority seems to be learning that lesson. The House majority is still controlled by the leftover CBC members.. but they are fading fast..thankfully. Pass the prostitution bill and gavel out Senate. Please save the billions that these shilling Conoco and Exxon lobbyists entrenched inside our elected government, would steal from Alaska`s side of the table without seeing ONE DIME of return on THAT investment, let alone the billions already lost..just like the old "ELF" scheme they foisted on Alaskans for years..costing us tens of billions in fair fiscal share, compounding damage done since 1982 because of something called "separate accounting", which allowed Exxon and BP and Conoco to write off FOREIGN losses against their Alaska production income!!! PLEASE STAND FAST against this extortion Senate! SB192 offered the companies a third of a billion dollars per year in tax cuts. The House, in all its wisdom, voted that senate bill down because the companies THEY represent said "it`s not enough".http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/1...
@Art
I think I agree except for your Math and Spelling errors.
who maintains this
I assume CBJ will maintain this 2nd rink as well? If so, why didnt this come up for vote in Juneau considering our assessments and mil rates are going up because CBJ is having financial issues.