Media Advisory: Legislature's Bond Package Fulfills Majority's Commitment

Alaska State Legislature
News from the Senate Majority

Wendy Lindskoog, Senate Majority Press Secretary
716 West 4th Avenue, Suite 510
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Phone: 907/258-8184
http://www.akrepublicans.org
Broadcast Actualities: 800/478-6540

Media Advisory

Legislature’s Bond Package Fulfills Majority’s Commitment to Address Deferred Maintenance and Alaska’s Need to Build and Repair Schools

For Immediate Release: June 24, 1998 Contact: Senator Sean Parnell at (907) 258-8194.

Anchorage – A bill authorizing nearly $200 million in bond financing to construct and maintain state and local facilities was signed into law today fulfilling an integral part of the Republican-led Majority’s "Commitment to Alaska" to build and repair schools and address the state’s backlog in deferred maintenance.

Senate Bill 360 was sponsored by the Senate Finance Committee to authorize the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation to issue bonds. Projects covered by these bonds include:

$83.2 million for schools, including

$54 million for rural school deferred maintenance; and

$29.2 million for a new schools and school additions;

$54 for the University of Alaska, including

$42.5 million for deferred maintenance at 7 campuses;

$9.5 million to begin construction of a UAA library;

$1.6 million for the Hutchison Career Center at UAF; and

$.4 million for a statewide library consortium database;

$30.6 million for harbor and armory projects, matching federal and municipal dollars, including

$14.5 million of state funds to bring the Seward, Kodiak and Homer harbors to a condition where the cities will accept transfer from the State;

$12.5 million of state funds to make major improvements to 6 harbors used heavily by commercial fisheries (Chignik, Sand Point, King Cove, Unalaska, St. Paul, and St. George); and

$3.6 million to leverage federal dollars for the Nome and Juneau armories;

$13.1 million for health clinic and juvenile detention facilities;
$4.1 million for statewide ADA compliance projects; and
$14.6 million for other state buildings and deferred maintenance.

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Broadcasters Note: Senator Sean Parnell served on the Senate Finance Committee. Please call 800/478-6540 to hear his quotes on the Senate Majority Actuality Line.
= Sean Parnell, 24 K