2026-11-06 - Assembly Legislative Committee

00:22Hi, good afternoon. I'd like to call

00:23this meeting to order.

00:25This is um

00:27the schedule meeting for the Assembly

00:28Committee.

00:30Um

00:31we are on record at number six at 1:00

00:34p.m.

00:35And um

00:37I'd like to introduce the members

00:39starting with

00:41>> Member Balderrama Day.

00:42>> Donald Handlin.

00:43>> Anna Rawley. Oops, sorry. Go ahead.

00:46>> Janice Park.

00:47>> Anna Rawley, Sergeant at Arms.

00:48>> [cough]

00:48>> Sydney Skout, I will be switching to

00:50phone in a moment. Thank you.

00:55>> And we're joined by members of the

00:57legislative staff, the mayor's office,

00:59and legal counsel.

01:06So, do we have Do we have any

01:09No, I don't have any Okay.

01:13So, we will start today with a

01:15presentation on the legislative uh

01:17program um

01:19by Mr. Mr. Klauda.

01:23>> [clears throat]

01:25>> Yes, thank you, Madam Chair.

01:27Uh

01:28Nolan Klauda with the mayor's office,

01:30and you guys should all have in front of

01:33you a draft of the legislative program.

01:36Uh and I was thinking I could I could

01:38walk uh walk members through what's

01:40here. Um most of this reflects prior

01:42conversations that we've had with the

01:44committee, uh and a lot of continuity of

01:47of past uh priorities for past

01:49legislative programs as well that you

01:51see reflected. Um this is this is a

01:53draft form. There is still a window to

01:56uh tweak and change some of the things

01:58that we see here, but but it's a

01:59probably a

02:00kind of a a short window um before

02:02getting this introduced on for the

02:04meeting of the uh 17th. So,

02:07uh we've organized this into kind of

02:09three uh themes, build, protect, and

02:12thrive.

02:14Um so, I can kind of talk about each of

02:15those each of those in turn. Uh the

02:17build one is uh is is

02:20number one is the Port of Alaska

02:22modernization. I think that's a that's

02:24one we're always going to have as as a

02:26um as a top request for both state and

02:29federal purposes. Um what the request

02:31that we have in here is for a

02:33250 million, and uh we suggest that as

02:37potentially 200 million from a state

02:39general obligation bond and 50 million

02:42from a general fund capital budget. Uh

02:44so, those would be That's our That's

02:46kind of where we're where we're starting

02:48with on the on the port. Two potential

02:50different avenues depending on how the

02:51capital budget conversation goes this

02:54session. Uh the next three items on the

02:57list on page one, they're all relate to

02:59housing. So, um you know, building uh

03:02infrastructure to support housing

03:04development specifically around the JBER

03:06recapitalization uh Fighter Town

03:08recapitalization effort um to so that

03:10we, you know, can accommodate that

03:12growth and not see um a lot of stress in

03:14our housing market that raises costs. Uh

03:17so, that's a that's a key one. Um the

03:19the uh the one about expanding water

03:22sewer access kind of is is something

03:23that overlaps with that one cuz I think

03:25cuz a lot of the infrastructure we're

03:26talking about is water sewer. Um but

03:28this one also is a um

03:30there's a there's a list of of AWWU

03:32projects that fall into this that that

03:35support both new development of housing

03:36and also some areas like in Sand Lake

03:39where they have unsafe drinking water um

03:41and some capital uh funding could could

03:43help with that um as another example. We

03:45also do have uh general manager of AWWU

03:47Dave Persinger here, so folks want to

03:49ask more questions about that, certainly

03:50can.

03:51Um

03:52and uh utilizing um um

03:54AHFC and AHDA to participate in housing

03:57financing housing developments. We think

03:58that's a good It's been a It's been a

04:00priority for us for a while, but we

04:01think this is a good time to bring it up

04:03with a a new um gubernatorial

04:04administration coming on board.

04:06Um on page two that those top two items

04:09are also long-standing ones about

04:12improving state road maintenance

04:14and also about uh

04:17DOT staffing which has impacted, you

04:19know, project delivery

04:21within for a lot of DOT projects within

04:23within the municipality.

04:25Um so those are those will continue to

04:26be priorities. The the the next two are

04:30about solid waste services and energy

04:32projects of both the waste-to-energy

04:33project and then a utilization of

04:35landfill gas. So two separate things. Um

04:37some we we have a renewable energy funds

04:40application in for waste-to-energy for

04:42the for the design and and permitting.

04:45And then the landfill gas uh utilization

04:47is that capital funding to expand the

04:49use of methane gas which is already used

04:52to generate uh power but uh be able to

04:54produce more.

04:56Um very timely with cooking gas

04:58shortages. Uh the the the last item on

05:01on build is to modernize water and

05:03wastewater utility financing. So so two

05:05requests here, the prism mechanism

05:08uh which which is a kind of a simplified

05:10process for recouping costs on on

05:12smaller um capital projects and then

05:14simplified rate filing uh for water and

05:17wastewater utility. So these these are

05:18both um measures that would that would

05:20help that would position AWU in better

05:23financially to be able to in invest in

05:26infrastructure expansion that we might

05:27need um especially to enable housing

05:30development.

05:32Uh the next heading uh protect or yeah,

05:35excuse me.

05:35>> Yeah, um before we go on to the next

05:37section, are there any questions?

05:41Okay.

05:43>> Okay, but next heading of protect

05:45>> Anna has a question.

05:47Yeah, um yeah, I think that way we can

05:49um so I guess for members benefit too

05:53just um

05:54if you have uh we're not the purpose

05:56here is not word smithing. So if you

05:57have minor wording changes, please um

06:00talk offline or give them to Jennifer uh

06:02for for consideration, but just in terms

06:03of kind of discussion about So I'll say

06:06I think this feels like the right list

06:07of priorities under the section and I'll

06:09also just note we met this morning,

06:11Nolan and and Miss Park and I, and so we

06:14recommended moving the housing ones up a

06:16little bit in the list, but otherwise

06:18which has already been done, so you'll

06:19see that here.

06:21But I want to also remind folks, you

06:23know, this is the level of detail we'll

06:24have in the program because there are no

06:26bill numbers yet. We don't need to do a

06:29deep dive if there's things we can do

06:30one pagers on, you know, on the

06:32individual items like that. This doesn't

06:34have to cover all the detail,

06:36but just if there's things folks have

06:37thoughts about, you know, how to

06:39phrase these or or like that. So, but

06:41but my question though, it's really a

06:42follow-up question.

06:45Just to

06:46I guess Mr. Persinger really just a

06:49question. Can you This is more about

06:51process. I would like to see in the

06:53future, whether it's this committee or

06:55different committee, I think we should

06:56have more of a briefing on that

06:57simplified filing in that more detail.

06:59But my question is does EWEB produce its

07:01own legislative priorities or I just

07:04want to make sure uh

07:07mostly out of curiosity cuz I know that

07:09>> [laughter]

07:09>> there's a lot of efforts and advocacy

07:11going on down in Juno.

07:13>> [clears throat]

07:13>> Excuse me, through the chair, David

07:14Persinger, Anchorage Water and Waste

07:16Water Utility General Manager. We

07:17develop a list of priorities internally

07:19and then we work with the administration

07:21to vet those out.

07:23>> Okay, so really your priorities get

07:25rolled into the program, is that

07:26correct?

07:27>> Yes.

07:27>> Okay, thanks.

07:28And then yeah, I think follow-up

07:29question for later is kind of just

07:30getting more of a deeper briefing on

07:32what especially for those of us that go

07:34to Juno, the more that we can answer

07:35questions or at least have the correct

07:38answers and not say the wrong answers,

07:40that's helpful.

07:41>> Absolutely, we could we would be happy

07:42to do a briefing and we've developed one

07:44pagers. In fact, the simplified rate

07:46filing we attempted to get through the

07:47legislature last year. Unfortunately, we

07:48ran out of time.

07:50So, we can definitely provide a detailed

07:52briefing and and the information.

07:55>> Okay, thanks. Those are my questions.

07:56Mr. Hanlon, just

07:59>> Yeah, I I guess I guess you do have a a

08:00question on the road maintenance. Has

08:02there ever been any kind of discussions

08:04with the the of Alaska in terms of

08:07uh them potentially providing funding

08:10funding for particular routes if it

08:12became more efficient for I guess the

08:15municipality to um

08:17do that as part of the system. I'm not

08:19sure if may maybe that's a

08:21completely different person kind of

08:23question there.

08:27>> Hi.

08:28Sorry, I'm late. Apologize. Suzy Ann

08:29Fleek-Green, through the chair. Um yes.

08:32I feel like almost [clears throat] every

08:34mayor comes into office and thinks how

08:37can we uh negotiate better operations

08:40with the state of Alaska. I definitely

08:43>> [clears throat]

08:44>> saw it under Mayor Berkowitz.

08:46Um

08:47and it

08:50I would say to some degree we have been

08:53able to make

08:55Well, I take that back. We have not

08:57really been able to make very much

08:58progress

08:59on that and I think partly

09:02we recognize too that state DOT is very

09:05underfunded.

09:07>> And so I mean I guess with a new

09:09incoming administration, is that I guess

09:12something that I guess

09:14having another push to try to see if if

09:17there are I guess ways to work around.

09:19I'm just thinking from like a

09:20an efficiency standpoint, it's like hey

09:22if they're understaffed and stuff and we

09:24are able to I guess say hey here are

09:27some routes that are on outlining areas.

09:29We're already plowing the road roads

09:30around that and just from an efficiency

09:33standpoint of hey we kind of

09:36do a little bit of kind of like swapping

09:38there and but but you guys I guess fund

09:39fund the cost of that. It might be

09:41cheaper

09:42um if that's something to potentially

09:44pursue.

09:46>> Yeah, I think that's definitely a

09:47conversation that we are open to and we

09:49hope that whomever is the next

09:51commissioner of DOT would also engage. I

09:54will say that our two teams meet

09:56frequently. Um so our public works team

10:00road

10:02uh crew meets with their maintenance

10:04team frequently and they do talk about

10:08issues like this. Um so it's an ongoing

10:11conversation, but in terms of

10:13reassigning specific roads, I think part

10:16of that would also be a funding

10:18negotiation.

10:19Um, how we change the Torah to be able

10:22to take that off. So, good question.

10:24Really good question.

10:27Um, yeah, I wanted to also respond to

10:29that just with some background. So, um,

10:31I know

10:32having gone down to Juno's in this

10:34capacity since 2024, I know that is a

10:36conversation every year for sure. And

10:38and there's the discussion about local

10:40roads, but really it's about the state

10:41roads that are in the municipality,

10:42right? And so, um, I know that that uh

10:45Senate and House transportation for

10:47every single year, our Anchorage folks

10:49have said, "We need to increase the

10:51operating funding for DOT." And

10:53especially on the house side cuz that's

10:54where the operating budget goes. Um, and

10:56there's been a lot of resistance to

10:57that. So, I think that that is a

10:58conversation that we that we have

11:00pushed, our legislators have pushed. Uh,

11:02I intend to continue pushing it

11:03individually whether or not it's in this

11:05program. Um, but I think that's the

11:07conversation is how to increase the

11:08operating budget for DOT. And then I'll

11:09note the central region, which I know

11:11Mr. Handeland also knows, um, is

11:13Anchorage, it is Mat-Su, and it's some

11:15some other areas like Bethel's airport,

11:17I believe. So, so the other

11:18consideration is even if it may funding

11:20is increased, will it go to Anchorage or

11:22will it go to Mat-Su? We have Mat-Su

11:24Borough and Anchorage uh municipality

11:26municipality of Anchorage have each

11:28about the same number of state road

11:30miles. Um, and so and the so that's a

11:32question too, like is the resources

11:35allocated and it is not us versus

11:36Mat-Su, but I think it's important to

11:37understand that even if it's put in

11:39there, there is no guarantee that it

11:41will only go to Anchorage or that it

11:42will go to Anchorage at all. And

11:43historically, the conversations have

11:45actually been the opposite. And so, um,

11:48anyway, that's just additional context

11:49for that discussion. That it's

11:51definitely worth continuing conversation

11:52that's happened for a long time.

11:57>> Ms. Bultmann Day.

11:59>> Um, yeah, I'm I just I think have a a

12:02stylistic comment. I also agree that

12:03this is the right list. Um, I'm

12:05wondering about the utility of maybe

12:07some subheadings and potentially just

12:10restructuring just a bit. So, it seems

12:12to me that we have two items that are

12:13pertain to housing, two that pertain to

12:15energy solutions, two that pertain to

12:17roads, and then two that pertain to

12:18water and wastewater. And so, I'm

12:19wondering if we could

12:21sort of bucket those together so that

12:23it's a little bit the flow maybe makes a

12:25little bit more sense.

12:27Um I'm with the port staying as the

12:29header, obviously. Um but, so a

12:31stylistic suggestion, not substantive at

12:33all.

12:38Yes, Ms. Ross.

12:41>> It also looks like there's some that are

12:42more legislative requests and or like

12:45capital

12:46um laws or um executive requests, so

12:50maybe we divide them up that way, too.

12:53I'll have to read these more carefully

12:54first, but that could be a way to divide

12:56them as well.

13:01>> Uh Mr. Cloutier?

13:02>> Yes, through through the chair, we one

13:04thing we've done in past years, um I

13:06believe is uh is is put an indicator

13:08next to each item, whether it's a

13:09capital request or an operating request

13:11or administrative request, along those

13:14lines. So, um we could we could do

13:15something like that as well.

13:20Uh shall I proceed?

13:22Okay. The protect category uh relates to

13:25public safety and public health, uh

13:28emergency response, criminal justice

13:30system. And so, um first item here is

13:33about strengthening drug interdiction at

13:35the state level cuz I think this is

13:36largely a um issue that affects inflow

13:39and outflow to and from Anchorage when

13:41it comes to to illegal substances. So,

13:43so this is about making sure that the

13:45state troopers have the resources to

13:47intercept illegal drugs um before they

13:49reach Anchorage. Uh and so, so that's a

13:52So, so that's that's one uh priority.

13:54Then, um another one here is about

13:57relates to closing gaps in the

13:58competency to stand trial system, which

14:00is an issue that's been identified where

14:03uh a sometimes when a person commits a

14:05crime, but they are not uh but they're

14:08not deemed competent to stand trial, um

14:11and then and the other kinds of uh

14:13mental health support facilities are not

14:15programs aren't available. They fall

14:16through a gap um that often leads to

14:19them being um out without treatment and

14:21also in a position to sometimes cause

14:23continued public safety concerns. And

14:25so, this is about addressing that gap.

14:26Um there may be a um this there might be

14:30a slight expansion of this that we could

14:31that we could talk about and we have a

14:33municipal attorney Eva Gardner here, but

14:35there are some other um other laws that

14:38are a few decades old that have that are

14:39that are kind of similar to this that

14:41relate to public safety challenges like

14:42the um the uh the uh

14:45alcoholism and intoxication act and

14:48certain drug nuisance and property

14:49abatement law areas. So, those are those

14:52are other areas we may actually want to

14:53expand this this request a little bit

14:55to. And we could we could talk if we

14:56want to talk more about that Eva is is

14:58here. Um and and another item that we

15:01did not have on here, but that we may

15:02want to add is about updating state law

15:04to allow urbanized areas with unique

15:07needs to enact traffic laws that differ

15:09from those at the state level. So, to

15:10give us a little bit more leeway to to

15:12um have that those at the design those

15:14at the local level. So, um that that's

15:16another one that I that we're thinking

15:17we we may want to add into this too. And

15:19I don't know if anyone has feedback on

15:20that.

15:27Um so, uh

15:29we have a another an item here for

15:31restoring um

15:33uh schedule 2A drug penalties. This is

15:35something that was identified by the

15:36police department. Oh, yes.

15:37>> Yeah, I I I think we have a question,

15:39Miss Bradley.

15:40>> Oh, uh sorry. I thought you were uh done

15:42with the session. [clears throat] So, my

15:43question can wait till the end of the

15:44session. Sorry, I was mistaken about the

15:45time.

15:47>> Go ahead.

15:48>> Yes, so the the um restore schedule 2A

15:51drug penalty is something identified by

15:52the police department and and by legal

15:54uh that that is a um

15:56um going back to the pre-SB 91 penalties

15:59for schedule 2A substances. So, that's

16:01that that includes methamphetamine and

16:03cocaine. Um so, uh making those first uh

16:07making those class C felonies again to

16:09reflect the seriousness of those drugs

16:11and um and strengthen efforts to uh to

16:14to to deter them.

16:16Uh there's an item here that we had last

16:18year as well. The next item up for uh

16:20wildfire safety for unmanned aircraft

16:23capacity

16:24to be operated by the fire department.

16:26Uh, so this is So yes, that's another

16:29another kind of small capital item.

16:32Um, and then the I think this is the the

16:35last item under protect is to increase

16:37rates for general relief assistance.

16:38This is This was on our program last

16:40year and we did secure a I think it's a

16:421.5% increase in general relief

16:44assistance rates for assisted living.

16:46This This This allows for people with

16:49with more with a you know, serious

16:51disabilities who sometimes end up in who

16:53need assisted living when they end up in

16:54the shelter system, right? They're and

16:56giving them a better place to go and

16:58then and then also opening up that

16:59shelter capacity. So uh,

17:01Representative Mina advocated for that

17:03champion that last year and got that

17:05increase and and I think that that a

17:07further increase would be would be very

17:08helpful as well.

17:10Uh, so that's it for the protect

17:11category. If you want to pause for any

17:13questions or comments there.

17:14>> Thank you. Yes, that's probably Yeah,

17:16thank you. Um, uh,

17:18I'll I'll reiterate a comment I had this

17:19morning just so it's on the record. So I

17:21think um,

17:22uh, we discussed kind of the how I think

17:24it's helpful to be specific in our

17:26headers, um, which this is and you know,

17:28to be clear about what we're trying to

17:29do and why with some and we talked about

17:32kind of broadening some of them. So

17:34specifically on the unmanned aircraft

17:35capacity, I just I think um,

17:37this is something that I've carried down

17:39to Juno a couple times. We haven't

17:40gotten it funded yet. Um, and I think my

17:43suggestion is really to elevate the

17:45header even if this is the specific

17:47request that we put in CAPSIS. I think

17:49the real conversation we need to have

17:51with legislators and with the the state

17:53executive branch as well is um, Chugach

17:56State Park and related lands are some of

17:58the largest lands in our boundaries, um,

18:00and we have the general principle that

18:02if you own the the land, you steward the

18:04land. You maintain it. And so there is a

18:05lack of maintenance not lack of care

18:07about the park, but in terms of wildfire

18:09fuel, what we've heard over and over

18:11from AS AFD is wire wildfires often

18:14originate on those lands and they move

18:16into our area. And so I think I just

18:18suggest we broaden the description of

18:20this, um, and I think we really have to

18:22have the bigger conversation of what are

18:23they doing to maintain their own land

18:25because we all own the wildfire risk.

18:28This is not just an AFD, not just an

18:30Anchorage taxpayer's risk um and and

18:33that's all the way along the two gaps,

18:35right? So and and really into our green

18:36belts as well, which are local. Um but

18:38Miss Lady probably comment on that.

18:43I do like our public lands.

18:45>> Uh

18:45>> [laughter]

18:46>> so I what I'm hearing is that you would

18:48like to make this slightly more generic

18:52so it would be more like expand wildfire

18:55response capacity and then one example

18:58of that is having a UAV response. Uh but

19:03also maybe more investment at the state

19:07park level to be able to address

19:09wildfires.

19:09>> Yeah and I would also say that's correct

19:11and also in uh DPS or wherever the the

19:14fire the state fire folks live because I

19:16think the other thing we keep you know

19:17supplement our budgets keep having

19:19larger and larger disaster response

19:21needs um and that obviously we need to

19:24respond to those things um and this is

19:26not just an Anchorage issue and that we

19:28need to be able to keep socializing that

19:30we cannot pay for the wildland fire

19:32division that we need long-term. And so

19:34so when I go to Juno at least I look at

19:36these as talking points and really like

19:38jump jumping points for conversations.

19:40And so I think it is the specific ask

19:42but we also need to be talking about

19:43these big picture issues um whether or

19:46not we're going to get funding for that

19:47but that's that's so yes as expand the

19:49header but I wanted to connect this to

19:51these other conversations that we need

19:52to keep talking to legislators about

19:54especially because uh they don't pay for

19:56our state our our operating budget the

19:57way they used to so and they're not

19:59going to but we have to have those

20:01conversations and educate those folks

20:02about why there's limits on what we can

20:04do.

20:04>> Okay. Great. We'll work on the wording a

20:06bit based on your comments and then

20:09circulate it around.

20:11>> Okay. Thanks. And then my other comment

20:12just briefly um

20:14different topic that we don't have time

20:15to get into the um the schedule two A

20:18drug penalties um

20:22this one does give me pause I guess I'll

20:25say. Like I understand the argument. I

20:26remember SB 91 10 years ago and the

20:29whole discussion was how do we put fewer

20:31people in prison so that we don't have

20:33to open another prison. And then all of

20:35the politics and everything else that

20:36happened 10 years after that means that

20:38we're kind of going in the opposite

20:40direction. So I feel like we're going

20:41the state has gone in circles on this.

20:43But I do want to just express a concern

20:45about

20:46advocating for first events

20:49first offense felony drug possession

20:52cases. And I And I again, I know that's

20:54a big conversation that we don't have

20:55time for, but I again, I wonder if

20:57there's a way to broaden it a little bit

21:00and then um

21:02cuz again, I think there's two sides to

21:04that conversation and and the result is

21:07that it will put more it will require

21:09even more resources into DOT in the

21:11court or DOC corrections in the courts.

21:13And so I anyway, so I don't know what

21:15that looks like. We can talk offline. I

21:16just want to register a concern about

21:18being very specific about that because I

21:20think again, there's two sides to that

21:22coin.

21:24>> Sure. And

21:25Madam Chair, I I would I would I would

21:27add one one piece that I certainly

21:28appreciate your concern with with drug

21:30penalty issue, but I'd also add the that

21:32there are more options to deflect people

21:35into treatment and rehabilitation

21:36programs too. And so that is also a

21:38strength of of the the drug of stronger

21:41potential penalties

21:42too.

21:44Shall I proceed to the thrive?

21:46>> Please. Oh.

21:48>> Oh, yes.

21:50>> Yeah, thank you. Um I think this is

21:53maybe just like a philosophical question

21:55or observation. And that is that we we

21:57call out

21:59we call out behavioral health as a piece

22:01of the protective

22:04asks, but we don't actually have

22:07a specific ask relative to investment in

22:09behavioral health care. And I

22:11I think you know, asking for an increase

22:13in general relief assistance rates is is

22:16is good. Um [snorts]

22:18I think if we're talking about drug

22:19interdiction and drug penalties and

22:21we're not actively calling out

22:24drug prevention intervention like those

22:27kinds of

22:29like investments as well we're really

22:31only asking about half of the equation.

22:34And so I would like to make it clear to

22:35the state that we expect their

22:37participation in the prevention side of

22:39things. Um

22:42>> [clears throat]

22:43>> and and also in that like in the

22:45intervention that we as a city as a

22:47municipality are being asked to do

22:50in the absence of robust state

22:52resources. And so I

22:53I will be very clear. I don't know what

22:55specifically that ask ought to look like

22:56or how it could be structured, but I

22:58think that that's a really important

23:00piece of the puzzle when we're talking

23:02about

23:03drugs, behavioral health

23:05homelessness, all of those things.

23:10>> We

23:11uh good point and we can definitely

23:14again come back with some language to

23:15circulate as a way to address that.

23:20>> Mr. Handel.

23:21>> Yeah, I mean kind of similar similar

23:22line. I mean I just kind of did a search

23:24on here of like like homelessness in it

23:26and there wasn't I guess anything very

23:28specific and this is one of the things

23:30that I brought up actually at a

23:31community council meeting yesterday with

23:33uh Senator Merrick where

23:35um as much

23:37the

23:39the homeless problem, behavioral health,

23:40like a lot of that

23:41um I feel Anchorage is kind of the

23:44bottom of the funnel and it becomes this

23:47state issue that is kind of

23:51mostly felt by the taxpayers of the

23:53municipality of Anchorage. And so as

23:55much of a kind of I mean a stronger ask

23:59I guess for that thing cuz I I view the

24:02the homeless problem as like I mean you

24:03go and ask people and stuff and not a

24:05lot

24:06there are a number of them who don't who

24:08say hey they are there from outside the

24:10municipality of Anchorage. Um and so as

24:13much as we can kind of

24:15convince legislators that this is a a

24:17state problem that is

24:19uh currently located in Anchorage and

24:22that we

24:24need need support and help from them to

24:26kind of

24:27uh

24:28alleviate that.

24:30>> Mhm.

24:31>> Another good point. Thank you.

24:34My first thought is we have we did

24:37submit to the state comments on

24:40rates for crisis stabilization.

24:43That's a small piece, but frankly for

24:45like Providence and South Central

24:47foundations

24:48who are creating crisis stabilization

24:51centers, we want to make sure that the

24:52reimbursable rate is adequate so that we

24:57fill beds

24:58and that maybe we can grow that area

25:00because even as earth-changing as it

25:04will be to have those two centers open

25:06this winter, it still won't be enough

25:09for exactly the reason you said is right

25:11now we're the we're the only place. I

25:14mean Fairbanks closed their shelter. Um

25:17the Mat-Su will not open one. So we are

25:20the place where people come.

25:22I think Thea has talked about where we

25:24know people are getting put on airplanes

25:26from valleys, for example, and sent here

25:29because they know that we have shelter.

25:31Um

25:32and that we have services like the

25:35opening crisis stabilization centers. So

25:37I think again, we will work on some

25:39language

25:40to address your point and see how we can

25:44um

25:45to a new body really accentuate the fact

25:48that we are providing services for

25:51residents of the entire state almost.

25:55>> Yeah, I'm not sure I get I guess some

25:57some of the numbers and stuff but it

25:58would be interesting to I guess look at

25:59I mean cuz it's we're we're 40% of the

26:01population, but I'm I would imagine it's

26:04well over 40% of the the homeless are

26:07are located within the municipality of

26:09Anchorage and so I guess

26:11something like that to kind of reiterate

26:12that.

26:14Thanks.

26:16>> Ms. Brawley.

26:18Thanks. Uh just briefly on that point um

26:20I I feel like an old lady cuz I keep

26:21saying way back in 2024.

26:23We uh

26:25that is the exact conversation we had

26:26and so what I'm going to dig up and ask

26:28staff to circulate is we we sent a

26:30letter that essentially enumerated the

26:32cost per uh police call out, fire call

26:35out, and the the general message, and

26:36this is one I intend to take down to

26:37Juno, is when the state and and other

26:41entities aren't taking care of

26:42behavioral health and homelessness and

26:44all these other things, we do pay more

26:46in fire and police. Like that is what

26:47happens. And also, we all pay for it in

26:49emergency room costs because it goes

26:51straight to our health insurance costs.

26:53And so, anyways, we have crunched those

26:55numbers that are out of date. And that

26:57was we did, just to say, we were

26:58successful in getting $4 million grant

27:01to run our Midtown shelter at that time,

27:03and it took basically the entire session

27:06convincing legislators, especially

27:07Anchorage legislators, one that it's a

27:09statewide problem, and two that that

27:11their inaction was costing us locally.

27:13And so,

27:14so I think kudos to them for funding it.

27:16It was a one-time funding, but yeah, I

27:18think that that's a conversation again

27:19that we've had and we will continue to

27:20have. So, I appreciate you bringing it

27:21up.

27:22>> And I I would just like to add to that.

27:24I I remember that the the

27:27governor cut last year's budget for for

27:30NAMI, for all the senior centers, and

27:34mental health services across the state.

27:38And then, when that happens, we

27:39shouldn't be surprised when people end

27:41up on the street.

27:43So, hopefully, better things to come.

27:46Mr. Clouda.

27:49>> Sure. Sure. Thank you, Madam Chair.

27:52So, to proceed on with the thrive

27:54category that that relates to our

27:56long-term success as a community. And

27:57so, this this capsulates education,

28:01affordability,

28:02energy affordability, and and

28:04competitive

28:05public sector workforce, um among other

28:08things. And so, so the the first three

28:10items here, and to member Baldwin Day's

28:11point, we could do some subheadings

28:13here, but the first three relate to to

28:15education.

28:17So, a couple different dimensions of it.

28:19So, one one just increasing funding,

28:21increasing and stabilizing funding. And

28:23so, we mention in here,

28:25you know, just higher baseline funding

28:26and a and a mechanism for an inflation

28:28adjustment. I think we keep ending up in

28:29the situation where one-time

28:31adjustments, and then they lose

28:32purchasing power, you know, to inflation

28:34and then take special

28:37legislation to increase, right?

28:39Uh so, that's one and then the education

28:42funding formula looking at this is

28:44things like like a required local

28:45contributions and also the average daily

28:47membership to smooth the amount of money

28:50that comes to schools so that they don't

28:52there's that volatility depending on

28:53what the specific enrollment is that

28:55year.

28:56And then and then the the third

28:58education item is about forward funding

28:59education. There's a lot of talk about

29:00this providing budgetary predictability

29:02and stability to school districts which

29:04we I think we all know is a is a thing

29:06from our conversations with the with the

29:08school district.

29:09Uh

29:10the next one relates to you know, in

29:12this is this is a broad statement about

29:14sort of

29:15investing in University of Alaska

29:17Anchorage, you know, key asset for

29:19Anchorage is our university system. If

29:22if you talk to you know, the city of

29:24Fairbanks or the Fairbanks North Star

29:25Borough, you know, they're always going

29:26to go to bat for UAF and in a lot of

29:29ways it makes sense for us to be

29:30thinking of UAA in in the same way.

29:33Uh there's an next item here is on

29:36increasing Cook Inlet natural gas supply

29:38and storage

29:40recognizing the situation that we're in

29:41with regard to natural gas shortfalls

29:44potentially this winter.

29:46Also the item for residential

29:48weatherization

29:49helping people adjust to higher energy

29:52costs which we know are coming.

29:55Um we the next item we called for an

29:57increase in community assistance so that

29:59the community assistance funding formula

30:01that exists now

30:02has been the same since 2016 the same

30:04dollar amount since 2016. So, when so

30:07it's lost a lot of its a lot of its

30:09purchasing power but it is still a fixed

30:11dollar amount where 30 million gets

30:12distributed and and there's a 90 million

30:14dollar trust fund and and and that

30:16amount was a the amount set in 2016 was

30:18a was a reduction

30:20from the prior revenue sharing program.

30:22So, this so we think at least you know,

30:24something that that restored that

30:25increases that funding a little bit and

30:26it's it's on a on a per capita basis

30:28because the the formula kind of has two

30:31pieces of flat amount per

30:33per incorporated city or borough and

30:36then an then a per capita amount and and

30:38so Anchorage doesn't do very well when

30:39it's a flat amount, but we do well when

30:41there's a per capita amount. So, this is

30:43something that can be flexible funding

30:44for us for new revenue for the

30:46municipality.

30:47Uh

30:48then we have after that we have the

30:50restored defined benefit pensions. I

30:52think you know, I think we know the I

30:53think we know the importance there.

30:56Uh um and then and then this last item

30:58is uh um to invest in in parks, trails,

31:01and recreation infrastructure. This is

31:03There's a There's a list of of some of

31:05the parks projects uh that are sort of

31:08summarized here. These are things that

31:09would that would be good items for um

31:12state for smaller in the event of a kind

31:14of a a smaller uh capital budget that's

31:16looking for for some you know, few

31:18million dollar projects here and there.

31:19There's a number of them to to to choose

31:21from that would strengthen our our

31:23our our parks and trails as a community.

31:26Uh so, um that's the end of the of the

31:28thrive section. Um I could pause there

31:30before we talk federal priorities.

31:34>> And if if I may, I want to just make one

31:36note um on the parks trail recreation is

31:40I know that we will get to the point

31:42where you will have district requests at

31:45the um

31:46additional page that each of you will

31:49develop and sometimes parks are on your

31:53list and then we know that Anchorage

31:55Park Foundation also does very good job

31:57of advocating for projects in front of

31:59Juno um be

32:02frankly because the capital project

32:04program has been so anemic over the last

32:08many years, we have not had this

32:11category in there, but we are thinking

32:13that there will be more of an appetite

32:15by individual legislators to have their

32:18own district projects. Um

32:21so, these are just starting with some

32:23ideas and then also these are ones where

32:27um

32:28yes, we could bond for them, but our

32:30park bond is um

32:34oversubscribed. I'll say it that way. Um

32:37and uh we just are always trying to be

32:39cognizant about how much voters might

32:42approve in a parks bond. So we thought

32:44that it would be helpful to also have

32:46these listed in the legislative program.

32:54>> Member Bragley, I'm sorry. Member of

32:56Oldman Day.

32:58>> Thank you. A couple of a couple of notes

33:01suggestions.

33:02First under improve the education

33:04funding formula.

33:05I I'm not sure if this is something that

33:07you all have work shopped but um

33:10one of the things I continue to hear as

33:12a suggestion not just here locally but

33:14from

33:16lawmakers elsewhere who are dealing with

33:18real challenges in education funding

33:19outside of the state of Alaska is

33:21consideration of a base facilities

33:23allocation. I don't know if that's

33:24something that we might want to call out

33:26specifically as something we would like

33:27the legislature to consider but I think

33:29a base facilities allocation is a worthy

33:31concept to just sort of float out there

33:33to say we are interested in this. Um

33:37under invest in the University of Alaska

33:39Anchorage I would love to see student

33:41housing called out as a place of

33:43investment. Understanding that there is

33:46a wait list for dorms and we have

33:47homeless university students living in

33:49our city. I would love student housing

33:51to be incorporated as a specific ask.

33:54Um

33:55and then

33:57uh

33:58potentially just a a language note

34:01under invest in parks, trails and

34:03recreation infrastructure.

34:05I would love for us to sort of

34:07collectively start talking about the

34:08recreation economy.

34:10Um and so I think that might be an

34:12interesting way to to sort of shift the

34:14the narrative is that you know yes this

34:16is an

34:17this is all infrastructure but it

34:18supports

34:20our recreation economy in a very

34:22important way

34:23and

34:25I think if we started to adopt that

34:26language we can help people understand

34:28that recreation isn't just oh we're out

34:29here having fun. I mean yes we are but

34:32this is also a very specific economic

34:34driver for for Anchorage. So

34:36maybe using that as the header.

34:39>> Great.

34:40You will be pleased to know that I have

34:42a draft of a recreation economy

34:46plan, let's call it, on my desk.

34:48And I would highly encourage you to talk

34:50to Travis Morrison. He is our lead

34:52staffer on it and is working on that

34:56plan, so

34:57>> We have not gotten to chat yet, but I am

34:59very excited about talking with him.

35:01Thank you.

35:04>> Mr. Volley.

35:05>> Yeah, I have three different comments.

35:07First one is as I'm looking at this and

35:09in general support for this and second

35:12the mentioning student dorms or housing

35:15development there for the university. I

35:17think we should move the cooking with

35:19gas supply storage to protect and the

35:21reason is because it is a life and death

35:23situation if it's zero degrees and

35:24people's furnaces don't work. And so

35:27I think

35:28I mean I think it's real. I think we

35:29just need to keep elevating it and I

35:30think that's the way residents are

35:31feeling. Last night at Turnagain

35:33Community Council that was a big

35:34question was kind of what are we doing

35:36about our gas supply? And I know we're

35:37not the ones to answer that. But I think

35:39that's where that should go and also

35:41rebalances this list a little bit.

35:43Separate question, base facilities

35:45allocation. Um

35:47This is a whole other discussion, but

35:49AML, Alaska Municipal League, they have

35:51a set of resolutions. In fact, as a

35:53board member I'm going to be voting on

35:54them in a few weeks or about a month

35:56from now.

35:57Base facilities allocation is something

35:59they have carried as well and just to

36:01note there that there's not enough time

36:03in the world for us to fully connect our

36:05priorities with AML's priorities and I'm

36:07not even running any resolutions. It's

36:09just I can't, but

36:10anyway, that conversation is happening I

36:12guess is what I'm saying. So whether we

36:14put it here or whether it's elsewhere,

36:16that's an advocacy piece and AML does a

36:18good job of advocating for local

36:20governments generally and so things that

36:22that elevate beyond us, that's a good

36:24space to bring that conversation.

36:27And then third separate thing, on the

36:28parks thing, I would suggest um

36:32because of the timing of all of this,

36:34we're going to have to print this

36:36basically right after we publish the

36:37budget. I would suggest we don't

36:39necessarily put a dollar amount in the

36:41program for the parks. I'm sorry, I'm

36:43looking at the last one. And then I I'm

36:45not a super fan of listing all of these

36:48park projects in there.

36:50Um not cuz we shouldn't ask for them,

36:51but in terms of the description. And

36:53then I'll say I've had a 3-year side

36:54quest um of trying to uh connect the our

36:58our CIP with what the park foundation

37:01advocates for cuz what I discovered is

37:02we went down there 3 years ago and I

37:04didn't even have their list and so I

37:06didn't talk about it. And I think the

37:08the um the pro and con of the way that

37:10that we do that and say hey every

37:12legislator gets to put something in the

37:13budget. Um it it creates a scattershot

37:16approach that I think we keep we're on

37:17the cusp of keep having that

37:18conversation locally. And it is not

37:20because they don't do good work. I just

37:22there's a disconnect there that I'm

37:23trying to connect and it's taken me

37:24multiple years. Um I will continue, but

37:27I think um making sure not to constrain

37:30what they do. But anyway, I I think

37:32rewarding this a bit, keeping it a

37:34little more general, recognizing that we

37:36are going to be moving amendments into

37:37the CIB. I know we talked about a couple

37:39of them today.

37:41I just want to make sure we don't leave

37:42anything off the list or if or if we

37:44don't Right. So So that it's more a

37:46wording thing, but just to say that's a

37:47whole other big conversation. Um each of

37:49these things is a huge conversation

37:51really. Um but that's something that I

37:53will continue to do as well is try to

37:55keep those things aligned and

37:56prioritized. Thanks.

38:00>> Thank you.

38:01Mr. Nolan.

38:02>> I'll share Scott.

38:03>> Sure. Thank you. Thank you. Yes, all all

38:05good comments and we can incorporate a

38:07lot of these changes.

38:08Uh the the last the last item here uh we

38:10had talked about a federal priorities

38:12piece that probably lives separately

38:14from the printed state focused

38:16legislative program.

38:17But uh the the federal priorities list

38:19is is here um and they do echo many of

38:22what we've have uh talked about for the

38:24state level, but position a little bit

38:25differently and there's a few other

38:26items that are not on the state list. So

38:28uh first one, secure funding for the

38:30port which uh we we of course have our

38:33state and federal strategies on the port

38:35um and uh and so pursuing different

38:37different approaches, but there's a

38:38large amount of investment needed as you

38:40guys know and uh and so we we are

38:42pushing on both avenues.

38:45Uh

38:45another one that echoes the state is

38:47that is investing in housing

38:48infrastructure. So, a different set of

38:50of of funding channels available, but

38:52also, you know, that federal government

38:54is is making the large investment in

38:57JBER um

38:58provided that that Mill Con budget

39:00passes. And so, uh,

39:01there there is a strong case for

39:03federal, you know, assistance in

39:05adjusting to that change, right? And in

39:07getting housing built with supportive

39:09infrastructure. Uh, third here is the

39:12waste-to-energy and and JBER land

39:13transfer such a specific effort to get

39:16the 50 acres adjacent to the uh regional

39:20landfill um that we've been leasing

39:22that's owned by JBER transferred to

39:23municipal ownership. And then that would

39:24be the site of the waste-to-energy

39:26facility um when it's developed. And so,

39:29that's that's an active effort that we

39:30have going on right now. Um

39:33Expanding weatherization funding to

39:35improve affordability. This is uh this

39:37is also going on with with higher energy

39:39costs. Federal pots of money that can

39:41complement any state or local money that

39:43we have to help reduce household energy

39:45costs.

39:46Uh, the continuum of care funding to

39:49address homelessness. You know, this is

39:50under under HUD the continuum of care

39:52funding funds a variety of different

39:53programs that support um the support

39:55people coming out of homelessness and

39:57housing insecurity in general. And uh

40:00so, getting more funding available from

40:02that pathway is a very high priority and

40:04I think has been for some time. Um the

40:07last item here is about the Corps of

40:09Engineers authority for for Alaska water

40:11and restoration project. So, some

40:13language to uh this this section of the

40:16of the Flood Control Act um would expand

40:18the Corps of Engineers authority to in

40:21Alaska to include um shores, wetlands,

40:23ecosystem restoration, environmental

40:24protection. The kind of bottom line of

40:26all of this is it creates a new

40:28vehicle through which we could get

40:30funding for uh for water, sewer, um and

40:33restoration projects, including things

40:35like the restoration of the Eklutna

40:37River. So, a lot of a lot of good upside

40:38here. This dovetails with uh the

40:40potential to build more um um to get

40:42more infrastructure to support housing

40:44as well as some other projects like like

40:46restoration. And this is also something

40:47that that uh Persinger from uh from

40:50Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility

40:51can speak more to as well.

40:54Um

40:54but that is uh that's that's the

40:56run-through of the program and I can I

40:57can stop here for any more discussions

40:59or question.

41:02>> Ms. Baldwin Day.

41:04And then Ms. Brawley.

41:06>> Yes, thank you. Um great list, super

41:08excited about um Core Authority.

41:12Uh

41:12I I think I have I have I'm not sure if

41:15this is an addition to the list or

41:17something to incorporate in

41:19one of these

41:20bullets.

41:22Uh maybe. Um

41:23I think continuing to ask for a cost of

41:27living adjustment in HUD entitlement

41:28calculations would be really helpful. Um

41:31so I think that there's not much we can

41:33do to really change the HUD formula

41:36itself, but I think a cost of living

41:37adjustment has been [clears throat]

41:39a way for us to get at the question of

41:43how the HUD pie gets sliced and diced.

41:46Uh and

41:48I

41:49I've had a couple of conversations with

41:51our federal delegation about how how

41:54critical that could be for Anchorage and

41:56in getting additional CDBG funding and

41:58things of that nature. So um

42:00that's something that you would be open

42:02to incorporating. I would love to see

42:03that added.

42:05>> Ms. Brawley.

42:07>> Thank you. Um I promise we did not

42:08coordinate a similar commentary. Uh and

42:11then the other thing I'm going to ask to

42:12send around is uh the the advocacy for

42:15the last 3 years on HUD regarding the

42:17continuum of care formula cuz I think it

42:19just provides information and and kind

42:20of why that's being asked for. But all

42:22that to say, I think the point is valid.

42:24The formula is difficult to change

42:25because it's a zero-sum amount of money.

42:27Um I think that the thing that I would

42:29love to see in here is um we have

42:31housing and we have the homeless piece.

42:33I think they're uh I'm hearing not just

42:35from

42:36kind of the political world, but also

42:37American Planning Association, others

42:39are really tracking that there is likely

42:40to be a road to Housing 2.0 type of

42:42bill. And I think there's a going to be

42:44appetite to really look more broadly at

42:47these funding streams like CDBG, the the

42:49ones that come through HUD that are not

42:50just housing. And so I think we would

42:52miss an opportunity to advocate and say

42:54you should be putting more money in

42:55those in those programs. And so I think

42:58maybe there's a way to use what's there

43:00and expand it. Certainly the COC funding

43:01is important, um but I think many of

43:03those programs have not been touched for

43:05a long time and they are very siloed. Um

43:07and so really an overhaul of HUD is

43:09needed, which is um probably not going

43:11to happen in the next 2 years, but

43:13um

43:14that's the level of conversation we need

43:15to be pushing for, I believe. Um it but

43:18with these kind of tactical things.

43:20Um

43:22And then I think that's all I had for

43:23now, amazingly. That was so thank you.

43:29>> Uh thank you. Um member our chair

43:31Brawley's comment uh actually reminded

43:33me of um another piece of of um

43:37federal legislation that I think merits

43:38advocacy and I think uh that is really

43:42implementing

43:43the um

43:45some of the provisions in Build America

43:47250 with respect to local control of um

43:51or MPO control, I should say, of federal

43:54funding dollars.

43:56Uh happy to share some specifics on what

43:58that ask could look like, but as we're

44:00sort of looking at this IIJA transition

44:02to Build America 250 and MPO

44:05flexibility, I think there are some very

44:06specific things we could say that we

44:07support and that we want to see

44:08implemented um by

44:11our

44:12congressional delegation.

44:18>> Yeah, member Balderrama if you want to

44:19send us language, that'd be great. Cool.

44:22Thank you.

44:23>> Ms. Brawley. Okay, I'm going to briefly

44:25suggest one more item. I remembered what

44:27the other thing was. Um

44:29uh and I don't know if this belongs in

44:30the legislative program. It would be a

44:31federal thing.

44:33It really is do something about the

44:35health care system. And I and I know

44:36that's a huge I'm I'm not even Yeah. Um

44:39because I think because I just

44:41I again, I know it's not it's not

44:42necessarily the most strategic. We can

44:44talk offline about what that looks like,

44:45but I think we the muni is self-insured.

44:47It is one of our biggest cost increases.

44:49It is partly why we cannot pay for many

44:51other things and it is killing the

44:54private sector, too. And so I just I

44:55mean, I think that it's such a huge

44:57conversation that I I can't help but I

44:59wish I had a sticker on here that said

45:00health insurance is theft. I mean,

45:02that's where I'm at. And so, like and

45:04I'm not going to buy that sticker right

45:05now, but I just And and again, I

45:06recognize much bigger than the muni, but

45:07I think because we are self-insured,

45:09because many of our issues have to deal

45:11with lack of access to health care, I

45:12think there probably is some narrower

45:15thing that is at least a talking point.

45:17So, we can talk offline, but I just

45:19think that is something that I that I

45:21think we need to bring up and the

45:22federal level is the way to do it, and I

45:25am not arguing for any specific system

45:27or change, but we have to talk about how

45:30it is killing our budget. Um and it is

45:32killing our constituents' budgets. And

45:34so, I Anyway, so I don't know what that

45:36looks like. I just We can talk offline,

45:37but if it doesn't end up in here, it's

45:39not the end of the world, but I think

45:41someone has to bring it up.

45:43>> Well,

45:43my response would be I think

45:46good point, and we should talk about it

45:48soon because T leaves here saying that's

45:51going to be one of the first priorities

45:53in the new Congress. So, I will I will

45:56reach out to the US Conference of Mayors

45:58to see how we make the argument

46:00connected to our local cost of just our

46:03own in-house health care.

46:06Okay.

46:07>> And I think somebody probably heard me

46:08say before that early intervention saves

46:10money on health care costs.

46:12>> Yeah.

46:24>> Let me just do one

46:31Um

46:33Yes, Miss

46:34Ben Carson class, whatever.

46:37>> Thanks. I just wanted to mention

46:39timeline because I know a number of you

46:41have mentioned additions that you want

46:44the administration to consider. So,

46:46Nolan is

46:48planning to get this

46:49near final draft to our office by Monday

46:52morning. That will give Ali just two

46:54days to lay out the design to make it

46:56into this

46:58booklet. You're going to be up to an

46:59eight-page booklet this year instead of

47:00four-page based on what we saw in the

47:02drafts. So, um if you have things that

47:05you want to get in writing to Nolan or

47:07Cynthia and please do that um today if

47:09possible um so that they have time to

47:11incorporate those and get them to us.

47:13And then the plan is for the resolution

47:17and the program to be submitted for the

47:19addendum. So, that's by this Thursday.

47:22So, you'll see it on the November 17th

47:24agenda um

47:27for introduction and potentially um

47:30discussion or you know, it could it

47:32could wait for the discussion to wait

47:34till December 1st. But the bottom line

47:36it has to be it has to be approved by

47:38December 1st

47:40per municipal code.

47:45>> And if I can [clears throat] offer

47:47one correction, uh in code it says it

47:49has to be approved by December 10th. So,

47:52functionally either we have a special

47:53meeting in addition to the 1st or we

47:55just do it on the 1st. And so, that's

47:56why that's the timing. Um and it needs

47:59to be introduced before the budget is

48:01passed. And so, that's why it has to go

48:03on the November 17th agenda. Um I mean

48:05it could go before, but we're never in

48:07the position that we that we do that. Um

48:09and then it has to get passed by that

48:10date. So, that is why we were doing this

48:12um

48:13it just for folks' awareness. That's

48:14that's why it's got this two-step.

48:17>> Yes, go ahead.

48:19>> Thank you for clarifying that. And one

48:20more point, the district priorities. I

48:23have most district priorities submitted

48:26to me and I'll get that list to Ali and

48:28to administration as well. Um I'm still

48:31have two districts that haven't given me

48:32their priorities. So, if that's you,

48:34please get them to me. And if you're not

48:36here, I'll be following up with you.

48:39>> Thank you.

48:41Ms. Bromley.

48:41>> Yeah, thank you. And one more point on

48:43that um I mentioned this to Ms. Scout uh

48:45one-on-one earlier. Um

48:46if you would like something if you have

48:48a a capital request um especially if

48:50it's new and it's not already in the

48:51program, it needs to be in our capital

48:53improvement budget because there's a

48:55straight line from the amendments that

48:57we run to the final CIB to CAPSIS

49:00because what the what our staff do is

49:02they take the list that's already in

49:03there because it's program or sorry,

49:05it's projects that are already defined.

49:07They have a code, they have a number,

49:08they have a department, right? They're

49:09all lined out. That is what goes into

49:11CAPSIS. So, if you put a line in the

49:13legislative program, you don't do

49:15anything else, it's only a line on the

49:16piece of paper. And so, um that is just

49:19something to be aware of. And so, it

49:20doesn't have to it can be done after our

49:22budget is done. Um but that's what our

49:25staff uses to put things into CAPSIS,

49:28which is the state capital uh or state

49:30budget request system. Um so, just to

49:32close that loop. And so, that's So, if

49:34you're in that situation, talk with um

49:36our budget analyst and uh OMB director

49:39cuz we can probably get them in the um

49:42in the S version uh if necessary or they

49:44have to be individual amendments. So,

49:46just to close that loop. That That is

49:47cuz again, if it's in the program and

49:48it's nowhere else, it's nothing else

49:50happens with it. So, uh for for capital

49:53requests.

49:56>> Thank you.

49:57Any other questions?

50:04Okay. Um our next scheduled meeting will

50:06be December 2nd from 1:00 until 2:00.

50:10And

50:12>> out of order. That's

50:13>> Yeah. Um

50:16We will also be having um a meeting with

50:19our uh

50:20uh legislative representatives uh for

50:22the Anchorage

50:24uh caucus on December 14th and it will

50:27include only committee members.

50:33Uh

50:34Miss Miss Broyles.

50:36>> Okay. Sorry.

50:37>> Oh, it's okay. Yeah, I think um just to

50:38clarify uh it's not all committee

50:40members. Um the request of the

50:42delegation was, you know, more than

50:43three of us meet um that it becomes a

50:46public meeting. And so, in the past

50:47we've done just a couple of members. But

50:49I remember

50:50Mr. Claman could speak to that. And if

50:51you could also kind of cover um thinking

50:54ahead to session 2027 briefly.

50:58In terms of what we've done in the past

50:59and what we're hoping to do.

51:02>> Sure. Sure. Uh Madam Chair, we uh we

51:04>> So that So this this meeting um

51:07the meeting that we have in December is

51:08is going to include Chair Brally and and

51:12Chair Park. So we we will um

51:16have we we are trying to keep it as a as

51:18a a smaller conversation and that was

51:20also the request of the legislators,

51:21too. Um

51:23but we we will be um you know, have a

51:26we'll have other points of engagement

51:27with the the delegation

51:30and in December, January as session gets

51:32going, too. So we have a lot more

51:34strategizing, I think, to do as a as a

51:35group that will include the involvement

51:37of Assembly members, as well, as we

51:39progress with that. And we have the AML

51:41conference usually early in session,

51:42too. So lots of other opportunities to

51:45engage and and work together on

51:47priorities.

51:52>> Ms. Brally.

51:53>> Thank you. Sorry, I'm not talking more.

51:55Um so historically, just for context for

51:57members, um in the past, we have gone

52:00down right at the beginning of session,

52:01and by we I mean some Assembly members,

52:03mayor's office, you know, a kind of a

52:05group of us go down, meet with our

52:07delegation, meaning all of the

52:08legislators that represent the

52:10the areas of the municipality. Um we've

52:12done dinners with them, we've done a

52:14lunch to brief on the port. Um we've

52:16done um other kind of you know, Zoom

52:19meetings. They meet regularly. So just

52:20to say that that's it's a separate thing

52:22than going down for the AML conference.

52:25We've sometimes timed it with the

52:26conference when all of our local

52:27officials This is essentially a fly-in

52:29for all the local governments. Um so

52:30just to say uh

52:32I think we're still working out what

52:33that looks like. It is certainly The

52:35goal is not to make it an elaborate

52:36event, but it's a way for us to talk to

52:38our folks uh during session. And so um

52:40in terms of timing and everything, we've

52:42done it different ways over the years,

52:43but that's the the goal. So and I think

52:45we're

52:46My interest would be to defer to the

52:47mayor's office, who I know is working

52:48with those folks on scheduling that. Um

52:51but just to say um that is not a only

52:54committee chair thing. It's not All 12

52:56members could go down and do it, right?

52:57That's rare, but um So just to say if

53:00anybody's interested, whether you're

53:01here or not today, um that is an

53:04opportunity. And and and separately

53:05folks have also gone down and advocated.

53:07So, I think that anyway, there's lots of

53:08ways to do it and so the interest is to

53:10get as many of us um actively

53:12participating in that as possible.

53:15>> Thank you, Chair. Choose.

53:17Yes, Ms. Bronson Ms. Bronson Montague.

53:20>> Yeah, I I actually have a um

53:22a follow-up question to that. Um, have

53:24have we ever have we ever coordinated uh

53:28so such that

53:30there's like a single point of

53:31engagement where sort of like everyone

53:32who's there representing the

53:33municipality of Anchorage to include

53:35both executive and legislative branches

53:38have hosted a lunch or engaged somehow

53:41with legislators in Juneau. Like have we

53:43ever done that in a collaborative

53:45fashion to sort of say, "Hey, here's a

53:47united front of things that we would

53:48like for you to work on." Um, and if so,

53:53is that something we're considering? If

53:54not, is that something we're

53:55considering?

53:56And sort of what's the appetite for

53:58that?

53:59>> Um, yes, uh through the chair. We we we

54:01have we have done that and do

54:03coordinate, you know, with with the

54:04body. I think in the over the you know,

54:06the last few years that that certainly

54:07is the case. Um, we you know, we we do

54:10we do hear from legislators. They let

54:12they do like the fact that that the

54:13mayor is in a position to speak for the

54:15municipality as a whole. I think that is

54:16something that is important. Um, but we

54:18we do like the broader engagement and we

54:20do want to have you know, have the

54:22assembly members be involved in in you

54:24know, in government affairs and in our

54:25advocacy. I think that is that is

54:26something that's that's very helpful.

54:28But yes, there is lots of joint planning

54:30that we that we can undertake as well.

54:33>> I like that, too.

54:35>> Ms. Bronson.

54:35>> Um, yeah, I think there's a couple of

54:37years there was a lunch that was held in

54:40December, so before session. Um, and it

54:42and it was a big you know, it was at the

54:43Dena'ina Center. It was a whole thing.

54:44Um, and so that is a way and we did have

54:46good participation. Um, but it's I know

54:48it's resource intensive to do that. And

54:50then what we've heard from legislators

54:51is they have a very tight window before

54:53they go to Juneau cuz they're also

54:54trying to have a life before they go

54:56down there for 5 months. Um, but I'll

54:58also say in uh 2024 I was dubbing our

55:01our visits down there the Anchorage

55:03Friendship Tour and that was to uh uh

55:05that was more to to build the

55:07relationship between Anchorage and other

55:08local governments and say it's not us

55:09versus them cuz that has been a historic

55:11dynamic in that building. Um, and then

55:132025, uh, was the Anchorage Unity Tour.

55:16And so it was, uh, the mayor's office

55:18and the assembly going down. So I'm not

55:19suggesting we have to brand our, uh, our

55:22outreach. Um, in 2026 I was running for

55:24off, yeah. Yeah, more shirts, yeah. Um,

55:28so so just to say we don't have to brand

55:29the tour, but the Unity Tour was very

55:32specific in order to signal to our

55:34legislators we are on the same page.

55:37>> Thank you.

55:39Any more questions?

55:42Okay, as I mentioned the next regular

55:45meeting of this committee will be

55:46December 2nd from 1 until 2.

55:50Um,

55:51and we have reached, uh, the time for

55:53audi- audience participation.

55:55Uh, is there anyone who, uh, wants to

55:58speak?

56:01Anyone at all?

56:04So seeing and hearing, uh, none, we will

56:07stand adjourned.

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