 Deferred Maintenance, Roads, Senior Housing and Safe Water Top List May 13, 2002
Topping the list this year were numerous "deferred maintenance" projects in areas of Public Safety, Department of Fish and Game, Roads and Harbors, just to name a few. "I think this is a very well balanced capital budget that address a vast majority of the state's needs," said Sen. Pete Kelly (R-Fairbanks), who chairs the Senate Finance Committee's capital budget process. "While assuring major infrastructure concerns were addressed throughout the state, I think we spent a little more time addressing the concerns of rural Alaska." The attention given to rural Alaska included $70 million, which was directed into the "Village Safe Water" program, to fully fund safe water programs in the bush. $24 million was appropriated for municipal water and sewer programs in urban Alaska. The FY 03 capital budget also funded statewide renovations in Alaska Housing Finance Corporation senior housing. Areas to receive the funding include: Anchorage, Seward Ketchikan, Kodiak, Cordova, Sitka, Juneau, Fairbanks, Bethel and others. Other projects topping this year's capital budget include: $680 million to fully-fund the Department of Transportation for road repair and construction as well as airport maintenance. $15 million has been appropriated to fully-fund municipal and unincorporated matching grant programs. In total the FY 03 capital budget (SB 247) is $1.2 billion, with roughly $109 million coming from the state general fund, $890 million from federal matching funds and nearly $200 million in other revenue sources. By region, this year's capital budget calls for:
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