The Times spoke to Rep. Hawker at his office in Juneau, where he is currently participating in a vigorous legislative debate over TransCanada’s bid to develop a North Slope natural gas pipeline under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA).By Aaron Selbig
Turnagain Times Correspondent
South Anchorage and Turnagain Arm area Rep. Mike Hawker (R-District 32) is upbeat about state funding for local projects included in the latest capital budget bill for fiscal year 2009, Senate Bill 221.
Passage of the bill, which was ultimately approved by Governor Palin after threats by some lawmakers (including Hawker) to attempt to override her line item vetoes, means that there will be money next year for several projects important to Turnagain Arm communities and the city of Whittier.
The projects include:
- An extension of winter hours for the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to 14 to 16 hours per day
- $1.77 million to replace the roof at the Whittier Community School
- A community development grant of $25,000 for the town of Hope
- A $200,000 grant to Chugach Electric to relocate power lines in Hope, mitigating hazard to the line and improving year-round reliability of power delivery.
- $400,000 toward installation of a new water tender for the Girdwood Volunteer Fire Department.
The Times spoke to Rep. Hawker at his office in Juneau, where he is currently participating in a vigorous legislative debate over TransCanada’s bid to develop a North Slope natural gas pipeline under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA).
Times: Why is it important to extend the winter hours of the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel?
Hawker: So that Whittier can be a year-round community. So that residents can participate and engage in the state’s commerce. As it is, it’s like we shut down an entire town for the winter rather than continuing to allow for the full access it’ll take for the city of Whittier to continue to develop its community. Whittier residents should have access to the same privileges that every other community has.
Times: Why are the funds for the tunnel only a one-year allotment rather than an ongoing commitment?
Hawker: There is some history to that. I had the same money appropriated a year ago, but the Governor vetoed it. We put it back in the budget this time and were able to not incur a veto, but it is a one-time funding so that we can look at the tunnel usage over the coming year and determine if the statistics demonstrate that we can continue the funding on an ongoing basis.
Times: The community of Hope has received a $25,000 community development grant this year. Any idea what they plan to do with it?
Hawker: They will use it to continue to build out the infrastructure and public facilities that are needed to deal with the summer tourist trade. A year ago, in the FY ’08 budget, we had put $50,000 to Hope, $25,000 for public safety and the other half for general community work. The public safety money was included in the budget but the general community work was vetoed.
Times: So the Governor was ultimately convinced of the need?
Hawker: We pointed out that the need is really driven by the fact that there are demands placed on the community by the existence of the park at the end of town and the tourist activities during the summer. We need to continue to develop the town’s capability to deal with the increasing numbers of tourists but, at the same time, preserve the unique character of the community.
Times: You also managed to get $1.77 million for renovation of the roof at the Whittier school.
Hawker: That is a project that has been brought forward and vetted all the way through the state school budgeting priorities process. It had their full blessing.
Times: Is that a high price tag for a roof renovation?
Hawker: Oh gosh, I’m surprised it’s as little as it is. Industrial roofs are incredibly expensive.
Times: The legislature also approved a bond measure to secure $20 million for Seward Highway improvements at Windy Corners. Why was that not included in the capital budget?
Hawker: I personally believe that we should have just simply expended the money in the capital budget, but the Governor chose to pursue it under bonded indebtedness and that made her happier. It clearly avoided the prospect of vetoes and was the route to go. The Seward Highway needs constant, continuous attention. What we’ve really got to continue to do is work on community sensitive design and improvement as we continue to expand the Seward Highway to accommodate the increasing traffic levels.
Times: It looks like the only appropriation for the Turnagain Arm area that was vetoed by the Governor was $150,000 for stabilization of the levee at Whittier Creek.
Hawker: Yes, all the rest of our requests for the Turnagain Arm communities were included in this budget. I am very, very pleased with the results for the Turnagain communities; however, the Whittier levee is a very important project. We’ve got it on the Administration’s radar screen and we’re going to continue to work until we get that project done. That levee has not been maintained since World War II, and it’s reaching a point where, during the high runoff in the spring, there is a risk of the levee being breached and having a flood.
Times: Are you pleased with the new Girdwood Library and Community Center?
Hawker: I secured about $2.5 million, which is about half the funding. I’m extremely pleased. The building is community sensitive; it’s absolutely compatible with the character of Girdwood.
Times: Was that project a tough sell to your colleagues?
Hawker: That was a horrendous fight, to get that money. I got that funded in the years when we were looking at budget deficits, when we didn’t have a lot of money on the table and the priorities for roads and public safety tend to rise to the surface over general community buildings. It was very, very well spent money. Girdwood was willing to put skin in the game. You got the Municipality putting skin in the game and that’s absolutely the right way to go about requesting state support.
Times: When the state is flush with surplus money, is it harder to prioritize which projects are deserving of funds?
Hawker: Let’s look at it the other way and say that it is much more difficult to say no to a project that might not otherwise rise to the same level of priority. The irony of it is that, from an individual legislator’s standpoint, pork barrel spending occurs in the other guy’s district and everything in your district is important. Realistically, what do I care about a hockey rink in Homer? And why would folks in Bethel care about improvements to the Seward Highway?
Times: Last year, a major battle developed between lawmakers and the Governor over her vetoes to the FY ’08 capital budget. Several legislators were surprised by the cuts that she made. Do you think there was better communication with Governor’s office this year?
Hawker: The Legislature has attempted to communicate with the Governor’s office and we found it very difficult to have access to the Governor’s office. We had a limited improvement of access, which certainly resulted, in this case better results for the Turnagain Arm. Access to the Governor is better but it could be significantly improved.