by Ted Land
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
JUNEAU, Alaska -- State Senators approved the capital budget Tuesday, and now it's now on to the House, where lawmakers are thinking about adding some projects.
Some things included in that budget: $48 million for local police and fire teams, $37 million to fix up university buildings and $126 million to repair roads in Anchorage.
Senate Minority Leader Con Bunde figured he'd at least try a last-minute change to the capital budget.
"You and I have been here long enough to know that minority amendments do not pass," Bunde, an Anchorage Republican, said.
Nonetheless, he wanted to move several projects to bonds, requiring voter approval in the next election, but his amendment failed.
Senate Finance Committee co-Chair Bert Stedman made a final pitch for the $2.8 billion spending plan.
"We can't put all our money into savings and let our buildings and our roads fall down around our ears and expect to keep employment running from Bristol Bay to Ketchikan to Point Barrow," Stedman, a Sitka Republican, said.
