MOVE THE LEGISLATURE

By Sen. Randy Phillips
Eagle River, Alaska
Sep. 10, 2001

The issue of whether to move the legislature or the capital out of Juneau is one that has been around for quite some time. In 1993 and 1995 I sponsored bills to move the legislature to Anchorage. One of those, SB 26, was the first legislative move bill to make it to the Senate Floor but it failed by a vote of 6 – 14. During the last legislative session, several bills to move the legislature to Anchorage were introduced. The last initiative petition effort in 1994, to move the capital to Wasilla, was approved by voters in every election district from Homer to Talkeetna, but failed statewide, by a vote of 96,398 to 116,277.

Another initiative petition is now being circulated. If the sponsors are successful in obtaining the required number of signatures of registered voters, the issue will once again be on the next general election ballot in November, 2002. This initiative asks voters to approve moving the legislature to the Mat-Su Borough.

Moving the legislature to Anchorage or the Matanuska-Susitna Borough will bring the legislative sessions closer to the majority of the state’s residents. It will save the state money in the long run. All but three legislators must travel to Juneau each year during the legislative session. Nearly half of all legislators live in Southcentral Alaska. Most of them return home several times during the session to meet with their constituents. And perhaps more important, it is expensive and time consuming for the average person to travel to Juneau, and because of this, most of our state’s residents have never even visited our capital city. With phone calls, e-mails and the like, it is possible to communicate with legislators, but none of these methods can replace face-to-face contact. It is difficult to testify during a committee hearing or participate in a meeting with a legislator when legislators are hundreds of miles away. It is the special interest groups and lobbyists, with more money at their disposal than the average citizen, that are able to spend a great deal of the session in the halls of Juneau’s Capitol building.

Even with improvements in aviation technology, there is no argument that Juneau is still not conveniently accessible, Though not as frequently as in the past, the Juneau airport still closes at times due to inclement weather during the winter months when the legislature meets. In order to drive to Juneau, one must first travel through a foreign country (Canada) and then take a ferry. It is about an 800-mile trip from Anchorage.

I have heard many people say that moving the legislature out of Juneau will destroy Juneau. But Juneau’s economy is strong with tourism, fishing, mining and federal and state offices which will not be abandoned just because the legislature meets elsewhere. The real issue is that it is far more important for Alaskans to have access to their elected officials.

When Juneau became the capital of Alaska early in the last century, it was the center of the state’s population. That is clearly not the case anymore. It makes no sense for the legislature to continue to meet in a location so far removed from the majority of our state’s residents.

The current initiative petition would move the legislature to an undetermined location in the Mat-Su Borough. This makes sense for many reasons. The Mat-Su Bouough is the fastest-growing region of the state. It is an easy drive from Anchorage and points north, as well as the Kenai Peninsula. It takes away the concern that some have expressed that Anchorage would have all the power if there capital were there.

Petition sponsors will have to get 28,783 signatures in order for the measure to be on the next general election ballot. Please show your support by dropping by the booth at the Alaska State Fair and signing the petition. I will also have a petition available in my legislative office in the Parkgate Building in Eagle River, 11723 Old Glenn Highway, Suite 105.