Torgerson outlines propositions on statewide ballot
In his address to the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce this week, Sen. John Torgerson also briefed the audience on the propositions voters will be asked to decide on in the fall.
Of these, three bond propositions specifically ask voters to approve approximately $1 billion needed to fund three different projects. The six propositions discussed at the chamber meeting were:
Bond Proposition A -- Would guarantee a set amount of money to be used for veteran residences and services.
Bond Proposition B -- Would approve around $226 million to be used for transportation projects throughout the state. This combines $102 million in a federal bond and $123 million in general obligation bonds.
The Kenai River bridge in Soldotna and several other projects on the peninsula are included in this package.
Bond Proposition C -- Would allow around $236 million for school and museum improvements and repairs throughout the state.
This combines both a plan for tax-based school districts to receive a percentage reimbursement from the state on improvement projects and money to be allocated for rural school districts that cannot draw from taxes.
Proposition 1 -- Will determine whether the state will hold a constitutional convention. According to Torgerson, this proposition is mandated to appear every 10 years after legislative redistricting and has never been approved by the public.
Proposition 2 -- Will determine if legislative sessions are moved from Juneau to Anchorage. The capital itself would not be relocated, as has been proposed on past ballots, only the legislative sessions would change their venue. Because this is a general proposition and cannot request to allocate specific funds, the cost of moving the sessions will not appear on the ballot.
Proposition 3 -- Would create a team of people who would look at promoting the gas line from Valdez to the Prince William Sound area.
This also would not allocate funds for the program nor would it put a time cap on the initiative.