What a long, arduous final week it has been.  But somehow we managed to wrap up another session.  I am not happy about the size of the capital budget but I have to admit I also put district priorities into it as well.  Some of the district projects that were funded were for the Homer Electric wind project, senior citizen centers for Ninilchik and Nikiski, road money for the borough and other road projects, the Sterling community center, the Nikiski fire Department building, dune protection on the Kasilof River and the Kenai Peninsula State Fair projects.  The bond package will include the Kenai Peninsula College technical center and student housing which were high on my list of what I would like to see accomplished.

The other major accomplishments were legislation that passed this session.  My focus at the end was to get the In-state Gasline Project Plan, House Bill 369, through the Senate.  I am very proud of all those who contributed to make this bill a reality and now the work will begin for the development team.  Also passed were two pieces of legislation to incentivize exploration for Cook Inlet gas, House Bill 280 and Senate Bill 309. 

I was very pleased that we were able to accomplish so much this session, but I now look forward to returning home.  I get on the ferry this morning and hopefully will arrive back home in a couple of days.

It was an honor to be able to serve the residents of District 34 and I look forward to seeing many of you this summer.  Please call me at my Kenai office if you have questions, comments or concerns about our district and this past legislative session.  My office number is 283-7223 or email me at representative_mike_chenault@legis.state.ak.us.

Have a great summer.

I just received this statement from Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Dave Carey.  I truly appreciate his kind words and his efforts in moving the borough forward. 

[caption id="attachment_1280" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Speaker Chenault and Mayor Carey"][/caption]

 

Saturday, April 17, 2010 3:11 PM 

Statement regarding the 2010 State Capital Budget 

Dave Carey, Borough Mayor 

          The State of Alaska’s 2010 Capital Budget, which is moving through the Legislature and headed to Governor Parnell’s desk, is a most significant “light at the end of the tunnel” for Kenai Peninsula residents. Senate President Gary Stevens and House Speaker Mike Chenault have lead a most important effort to see that local residents and taxpayers have relief during this economic slowdown while looking toward the important needs of developing the local workforce for tomorrow’s economic and social realities. Representatives Kurt Olson and Paul Seaton have also been constant champions for the Borough and the State as wise and seasoned leaders. 

Time is running out on the 26th Alaska State Legislature, but spirits are still high and we’re all still getting along. And the photo is proof. The House half of the Joint Legislative Bush Caucus presented me with this hand-carved ivory bolo tie. It’s right up my alley and greatly appreciated. But the appreciation also comes from the camaraderie and friendships we’ve been able to strengthen over the last two years. Reggie Joule, Bryce Edgmon and Bob Herron have brought a valuable perspective to the Majority this legislature, and we’re a better caucus for it. The boys went above and beyond on this – and it was a most welcome surprise.

[caption id="attachment_1272" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="hand-carved ivory bolo tie"][/caption]

As of this morning, I have been involved in the many discussions that have to take place to put the House and Senate in a position to adjourn tomorrow night.  Education, the in-state gasline, cruise ship taxes, the Governor’s scholarship program, oil and gas taxation policies, the capital budget and energy are all issues that we are talking about as we get closer to the hour of sine die adjournment for the 26^th Alaska State Legislature.  Before we hit the floor at approximately 12 noon, I will have had three different hour long meetings to discuss what we call the “final package” in order to wrap up the people’s business.   On top of all this, the conference committee on the operating budget will complete their work today and we will be voting on the final operating budget sometime tomorrow.

After a lot of discussion and compromise, House Bill 369, the bill that establishes a development team to pursue an in-state gasline, was moved from the Senate Resources Committee yesterday.  The bill underwent some changes but all were to my liking and it should be scheduled for a hearing in Senate Finance within the next two days.  We are getting close to the end of session but I remain optimistic that it will be one of the end game bills that should pass. 

We are still in discussion over the capital budget and I will be insisting some of the requests from my district be incorporated.  I am concerned about the size of the capital budget but House District 34 is woefully lacking in having our needs addressed and I will take every opportunity to see we have taken care of a number of our needs.

Coastal zone management is still an issue and not yet resolved.  I am not a proponent of coastal zone management as it is currently proposed.  However, a lot can happen as we approach the last five days and I will wait and see if a compromise is worked out that does not give sole authority over development to local entities.  I believe these local entities are more than entitled to provide input on issues that will affect them, but there has to be a balance between federal, state and local jurisdiction in most of these matters.  Time will tell.

With the final week of session upon us, it appears all the pieces needed to adjourn are starting to come together.  The House will be working on the capital budget this week.  My district came up a little short on capital requests and I intend to work with the Finance Committee to get some of our key requests placed into the budget.  However, I am concerned about the size of the capital budget and we will be meeting with Senate leadership and the Governor to see if we can develop a sensible, prudent capital budget.  With that said, I also will work to ensure some of the boroughs and communities needs are included.  There has to be a level playing field and I have a problem with our district’s being left out while other district’s receive millions and millions of state dollars to address some of their requests.

The House is expected to pass a reasonable bond package out today or tomorrow.  Three of the educational needs within the borough are being addressed through this package.  Two projects are for the Kenai Peninsula College campus:  the Career and Technical Education Center and the college’s student housing project.  Also included in the bond package is funding for the city of Kenai’s library.  The Senate will continue their work on this legislation and hopefully, we will have a reasonable bond package to put before the voters in November. 

House Bill 369, the in-state gasline bill that I sponsored is scheduled to be heard in Senate Resources today.  I’ve been told the committee plans on passing it from committee and move to Senate Finance.  I am cautiously optimistic it will be on the Senate floor at the end of the week and receive the votes needed to pass.

[caption id="attachment_1247" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Mike and Majority Leader Kyle Johansen share a laugh during an at ease today on the House floor. The House was awaiting the Senate for a joint session to confirm state board and commission appointees."][/caption]

We held a joint session today to confirm the governor’s appointees to various boards and commissions and the Administration’s cabinet posts.  All were confirmed with the exception of two Alaskans.  Al Barrette of Fairbanks, a nominee for the Board of Game, was turned down and Nancy Bienvenue of Fairbanks was not confirmed as a member of the Board of Nursing. 

The opposition of Al Barrette centered around his stands on subsistence and predator control.  There was also debate about his commercial background as a trapper and fur tannery business so some perceived there may be a conflict of interest.  I didn’t have a problem with his background and he was not unspoken, at least in my mind, on subsistence.  Therefore I supported his nomination but he was voted down by a majority of the Legislature.

We are currently awaiting the release of the capital budget which is expected to be heard in Senate Finance this afternoon.  Once I have had a chance to review it, I will be listing on this site, proposed projects within the district that have been included in the Senate proposal.  The House will get the final opportunity to add individual projects after the bill is passed by the Senate.  I will be scrutinizing it closely and make every effort to add some of the priority requests we’ve received from the borough and local governments, non-profit entities and our communities.

The House Finance Committee will unveil a proposed bond package tomorrow.  Once we learn what projects are being proposed, I will provide that list as well. 

Only 11 days left in session and the more important issues facing the Legislature are starting to move forward.

I recently received an update from the Rasmuson Foundation on the Pick. Give. Click. program, also known as the PFD Charitable Contributions Program. As of midnight Wednesday, March 31, the close of the filing period for the 2010 Permanent Fund Dividend, over 8,600 Alaskan individuals pledged charitable donations totaling $815,000 when they filed online for the 2010 PFD.

This $815,000 figure represents a 46 percent increase in total pledged dollars over last year and a 65 percent increase in the number of pledges. Average participation rates through the state’s Pick. Click. Give. program increased too, with most days showing a doubling of participation over the project’s first year.

Contributions through Pick. Click. Give. help provide food, shelter, and much needed relief for many Alaska residents. You can visit www.PickClickGive.org to download the list of individual organizations and see the support they received by the end of the regular PFD filing period.

A special extension of the Pick. Click. Give. filing period opened, Monday, April 5, and continues through May 31. This window of opportunity provides a second chance for Alaskans to give, regardless of whether they made a donation during the regular filing period.