House Fast Tracks Ferry & Medicaid Funding

• News Home
• More from News of the North

Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at 4:05 PM

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Messenger
• Share on Messenger
• Share on X
• Share on Whatsapp

The House voted 32-7 to send to the senate fast track legislation that provides 24 million for the marine highway system to keep running and 45 million for medicaid.

The House voted 32-7 to send to the senate fast track legislation that provides $24 million for the marine highway system to keep running and $45 million for medicaid. It rejected an amendment 20-19 that would have restored $21.3 million for the Juneau access road project. 

Both local House members Sam Kito and Justin Parrish were opposed to the amendment. Parrish said he supports the road project but had to weigh that support over current budget needs. Kito says the road isn't supported by the governor and is not on the federal list that qualifies for big time dollars.

Rep. Justin Parrish was torn between the Juneau access roads $21 million and using those dollars for other concerns.

North Pole representative Tammie Wilson says the state needs to do good projects and develop them. She supported the Juneau access road since the Marine Highway System has become too costly, and is hampered with constant repair issues. "We have issues with the Marine Highway, that it doesn't run enough. Well, wouldn't it have to run less in some areas if we were able to build this project? Wouldn't we be able to provide more access to those that don't have roads to it? I just want to make sure they know I'm listening to them and feel their pain for it."

Rep. Sam Kito says he doesn't think the Juneau access road is a priority for the state or federal government. He added to include $21 million for that project would only take the money away from other projects in Northern Lynn Canal and the Southeast.

Representative Chris Birch said that infrastructure is important, but so is access to the state capital. "It's an effort to reinvigorate a project that needs to happen, frankly. I spoke in this forum one year ago about this project, the Juneau access road. We remain, aside from Hawaii, the only state that doesn't have road access to the capital. This project serves to provide jobs, opportunity and potential for the people of Alaska, and certainly the people of the Southeast." Birch compared the Juneau road access project to that of the Douglas bridge project in 1980.

Representative Parrish said he supports to road access, but ultimately had to weigh it against other more pending issues facing the state.

 

 

More from News of the North

• Bomb threat made to Alaska airports viewed as uncredible according to JPD

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - On Friday at about 1:30 p.m., staff at the Juneau International Airport notified the police department that they were made aware of a bomb threat toward airports in Alaska.

• CBJ property tax payments due September 30

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - 2023 property tax payments are due on Saturday, Sept. 30. The deadline falls on a Saturday this year; it does not move to the next business day.

• U.S. Attorney’s Office hosts first event for United Against Hate Initiative

  Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - This event is the first in a series of community events in Alaska, and Alaskan communities interested in participating are encouraged to reach out.

• National District Attorneys Association honors Fairbanks DA

  Fairbanks, Alaska (KINY) - The National District Attorneys Association, (NDAA), honored Fairbanks District Attorney Joe Dallaire with a Volunteer of the Year Award this summer. The NDAA is the largest association of prosecutors in the nation and recognizes the vital role that prosecutors play in the safety of local communities.

• USDA partners with Southeast Alaska Native Financial Institution, invests $1M to advance housing development in rural communities

  Sitka, Alaska (KINY) - U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Under Secretary Farah Ahmad today announced that USDA is providing a $1 million loan to Native Community Development Financial Institution Haa Yaakaawu Financial Corp to help improve access to housing in southeast Alaska.

• With Alaska’s federal judge vacancy nearing 2-year mark, Sullivan breaks from nomination tradition

  Juneau, Alaska (Alaska Beacon) - Murkowski appears skeptical about the switch, saying she’s prepared to advance nominees to Biden

• Limpets, crabs stressed by higher temperatures, acidity

  Fairbanks, Alaska (UAF) - Warmer, more acidified water increases stress in a species of limpet in Alaska’s Kachemak Bay, a University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate student has found.

• Daniel Rocero sentenced for 2022 murder of Keenan Wegener

  Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - Anchorage Superior Court Judge Peter Ramgren sentenced 46-year-old Daniel Alex Rocero for the Mar. 18, 2022, murder of Keenan Wegener in Anchorage.

• Join Olympians Scott Hamilton, Keegan Messing, and Polina Edmunds at Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer events

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Figure skater and Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton is coming to Juneau—and he's bringing friends. Join Hamilton on Saturday, Sept. 30 as he hosts two special ice shows at Treadwell Arena featuring Olympians Polina Edmunds and Alaska's Keegan Messing as part of a celebration weekend of Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer™ special events.

• Department of Revenue announces 2023 Permanent Fund Dividend Amount

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The Department of Revenue announced the calculation of the 2023 Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) as $1,312. The amount allocated for the dividend has been determined each year since 2016 by the Alaska Legislature.

• Diesel fuel source shut off once identified and clean up efforts continued

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - On Sept. 7, the CBJ Utility noted an aroma of diesel in the wastewater collections system in the Juneau downtown area and at the Juneau/Douglas waste treatment facility. At the same time, downtown businesses also reported the fuel smell directly to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC).

• Rep. Peltola advocates for changes to National Standards for NOAA fisheries management

  Washington, D.C. (KINY) - On Sept. 12, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) completed the public comment period for its notice of proposed rulemaking to update the National Standards of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS).