Stedman speaks on AMHS at Petersburg chamber banquet

PETERSBURG – Sen. Bert Stedman told the community while attending the Petersburg Chamber of Commerce banquet on Saturday that the future of the Alaska Marine Highway System depends on how negotiations go with Gov. Mike Dunleavy.

Stedman said that legislators will discuss the AMHS and present possible scenarios to the governor when Dunleavy releases his operating budget; however, without enough votes to override the governor's anticipated vetoes, negotiations won't be too aggressive.

"If you don't have the ability to override his vetoes, you better negotiate or else he's just going to go back to the number he put on your desk initially,'' said Stedman.

About a year ago, Dunleavy released his proposed 2020 fiscal year operating budget that planned on tying-up the entire ferry fleet, while putting all AMHS capital money into the general fund as a way to balance the state's budget through budget cuts. Negotiations left only one ferry operating through the winter, while more than half of the state's ferries were taken out of service due to a lack of funding to repair the vessels.

The sole ferry operating through Southeast Alaska, the M/V Matanuska, was

taken out of service earlier this month due to complications with its reduction gear system. The ferry was expected to go back online at the beginning of March, but in a prepared statement released last Friday, the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities announced the M/V Matanuska wouldn't be sailing until after April 14. On April 14, the M/V Columbia is anticipated to

assume sailings originally scheduled for the M/V Matanuska.

Stedman said getting AMHS up and running again isn't a matter of money, but political power, because the ferry system receives most of its funding from the federal government. Each year, Alaska receives $500 million for DOT, which is split between airports, road maintenance and the ferry system, said Stedman. AMHS has a lack of support from some legislatures who would rather spend most of the federal money on the road system.

Additionally, Dunleavy has created a working group that will oversee the future of AMHS, but Stedman said he is worried that the group is being put together to ultimately dismantle the ferry system.

"We're giving them a fight, and we'll see what happens,'' said Stedman.

Lila Trask said she heard a comment made by someone living in the Interior about Alaskans who live in villages and coastal areas. Trask said that the individual felt communities separated from the road system aren't being supportive of the state and are creating extra expenses, and they should just move back to the road system. Those present at the banquet were audibly surprised to find out that not only has Stedman heard those types of comments before, but that some legislators felt the same way.

One resident asked Stedman what communities could do to support the ferry system. He said their message has already been received, but the best thing residents can do is to call-in to Juneau during public hearings on the operating budget to request that enough funding be made available to keep the ferries running.