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1 week ago | 
frontiersman.com | Tim Bradner
After extended delay the state House passed a state operating budget April 16 along partisan lines, 21-19. The budget totalled $12.98 billion of all funds, with $6.167 billion un unrestricted general fund, or UGF, revenue; $1.004 billion in designated general revenues; $1.976 billion in other state funds and$3.83 billion in federal funds. kAm|@DE @7 E96 7656C2= 7F?5D 2C6 7@C EC2?DA@CE2E:@? AC@;64ED =:<6 9:89H2JD 2?5 2:CA@CED] %96 &vu 7F?5D :D >@?6J E96 {68:D=2EFC6 92D 4@?EC@= @G6C 2?5 42?
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1 week ago | 
frontiersman.com | Tim Bradner
The state Senate passed a capital, or construction budget and sent it to the state House April 25. The vote endorsing the bill was unanimous and the Senate’s Democrat-led coalition Majority was even praised by Republicans including Mat-Su senators for developing a lean, bare-bones capital spending plan amid the state’s lean times.
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2 weeks ago | 
frontiersman.com | Tim Bradner
Palmer’s city council approved a new extension of city water service outside the city’s limits to a new 46-lot subdivision north of East Bogard Road. It is the second water extension to the same area.
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3 weeks ago | 
frontiersman.com | Tim Bradner
The Matanuska Susitna Borough Assembly worked through a largely routine business agenda at its Tuesday, April 1 meeting. Borough public works director Tom Adams presented a draft Comprehensive Action Plan for roadway safety improvements intended to reduce crashes, injuries and deaths. A public hearing on the plan is set for April 15. Mat-Su residents will be able to review what safety improvements are recommended and to make suggestions.
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3 weeks ago | 
frontiersman.com | Tim Bradner
State legislators in Juneau are struggling with how to fill huge budget deficits that could approach three quarters of a billion dollars between the current fiscal year, FY 2025 and the fiscal year beginning July 1, FY 2026. Part of the budget balancing act is on what can be afforded for a Permanent Fund Dividend this year. kAmv@G] |:<6 sF?=62GJ 766=D E96 567:4:E[ H92E6G6C :E EFC?D @FE E@ 36[ 42? 36 7F?565 7C@> E96 DE2E6’D r@?DE:EFE:@?2= qF586E #6D6CG6[ @C rq#] %96 C6D6CG6[ E96 DE2E6’D >2:?
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1 month ago | 
frontiersman.com | Tim Bradner
The state Legislature is more than halfway through its 121-day 2025 session in Juneau and bills introduced by Mat-Su legislators are being considered in committees. Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Mat-Su, had two bills up for hearings last week. One was Senate Bill 4, proposing a “right to shop” law in comparing costs among health care providers. kAmwF896D AC6D6?E65 E96 3:== :?
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1 month ago | 
adn.com | Tim Bradner
Are we in the twilight of democracy? Is darkness descending? It’s easy to feel that way. We sense echoes from the past: Hitler’s taking over Germany in the early 1930s; Mussolini’s fascists seizing power in Italy in the 1920s. More recently, there was Vladimir Putin’s gradual throttling of democracy in post-Soviet Russia. Dictators follow a playbook, a kind of Dictatorship 101: The independent press is threatened and cowed. The judiciary is undermined. People are threatened for speaking out.
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1 month ago | 
frontiersman.com | Tim Bradner
The state Legislature plans to meet in joint session Wednesday to take up Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s Executive Order creating a state Department of Agriculture. For various reasons, mainly money, lawmakers may vote it down. That’s not the end of the story, however. In lieu of the Executive Order the Senate Rules Committee introduced a bill last week to create the department in statute. A similar bill is expected to be introduced in the state House this week.
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1 month ago | 
frontiersman.com | Tim Bradner
Julie Estey has one of those rare gifts of being able to explain complicated things. For example, how electricity gets to your home, and what it takes to keep it coming. Julie is Matanuska Electric Association’s Chief Strategy Officer. Her job has evolved from just explaining energy. In recent years she has helped MEA navigate the complicated world of energy regulation and led a long-term effort to allow Alaska’s Railbelt electric cooperatives to work together to increase reliability and efficiency.
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1 month ago | 
frontiersman.com | Tim Bradner
Palmer’s council gave its approval at its Tuesday, Feb. 25 meeting for city officials to apply for $2 million in three loans from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, or DEC, to do needed upgrades to the municipal sewer and water treatment facilities. Resolution 25-007 authorizes the city manager to apply for a loan up to $500,000 from DEC’s Alaska Drinking Water Fund to do a new well and well house project. kAmr:EJ AF3=:4 H@C<D @77:4:2=D 56D4C:365 E96 AC@;64E 2?5 :ED ?665 :?
