Mayor all ears on earmarking issue during Congressional trip

Mayor John Williams visited Washington, D.C., last week, and like assembly members a few days earlier, met with Alaska’s congressional delegation as well as with John Katz, who represents Gov. Frank Murkowski in the nation’s capital.

At the moment, Congress is wrestling with reforming the practice of earmarking funds for congressional district projects, often described as pork. Alaska projects, including the proposed Gravina Bridge in Ketchikan dubbed “the bridge to nowhere,” have focused attention on the practice.

Williams said some believe there will be no more earmarking in the federal FY 2007 budget, while other suggest there will.

“One philosophy is that if there is a request for earmarking funds for ongoing projects that have already received funding, then there is probably still a chance to get on the list if there is a list,” Williams said.

The mayor said it had been “an enlightening trip” leading to a better understanding of how the federal government is dealing with its own problems — everything from the massive debt to the extra money needed for Katrina relief to positions on the war in Iraq. Federal lawmakers, he said, face an almost overwhelming process compared to that faced at the state and local level. The biggest issue is the amount of money the federal government doesn’t have.

“They’re running a little gun-shy, Williams said.

The mayor said he presented the borough’s federal priority list seeking funding for roads, bridges and the like to Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Ted Stevens and Rep. Don Young.

“We’ll just have to see where it goes from here,” he said.