Does anyone worry... (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Bethel: relocation, rent, work)

[Metlakatla]

It was Willow that the voters decided the state capital should move to quite a few years ago.

[Rance]

Personally I think it should stay in Juneau. We can't be bopping the capitol around the state. You don't see other states shuffling their capitols around.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

It was Willow that the voters decided the state capital should move to quite a few years ago.

Correct. The three choices on the ballot were:

• Larson Lake - 33,170 votes
• Mount Yenlo - 16,169 votes
• Willow - 56,219 votes

Unfortunately, Alaskan voters did not approve the funds to move the capital, which is why it is still in Juneau.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Rance

Personally I think it should stay in Juneau. We can't be bopping the capitol around the state. You don't see other states shuffling their capitols around.

You don't see other states that don't have road access to their capital, except Hawaii obviously. Alaska is unique in that respect.

[travelmate38]

People coming and growth are probably wwhat is 99% responsible for you employment. Growth drives economic stimulation for us all. It is difficult to have one without the other, so quit gripping about it. Realtors who complain about growth crack me up the most as they benefit more then just about any of us all.

The valley for example. Everywhere I go I hear complaints about all the new subdivsion, the box stores, etc.. Then as you inquire with these complaining folks a little more, you soon realize they are reaping the huge benefits of the growth. If you really don't want growth or care to benefit from it, move way, way out into the mountains and become a survivalist.

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by Glitch

According to you everything that isn't Juneau is Anchorage. You live in a very small deluded world indeed.

What an unbelievably illogical thing to say. I believe that Anchorage is Anchorage, and the small towns very close by that share the same deluded notion of self-importance are also Anchorage. All of the rest of Alaska... is not Anchorage.
Let's examine your points, shall we?

• More Alaskans will have access to their representatives;

Again, this is a telecommuter state. People are much more likely to pop their legislator an email than they are to show up at their door. Repeating the same tired rhetoric doesn't make it true.

• We won't be forced to hire incompetent state employees because of the lack of the population pool to select from;

I won't even deign to reply to this...

• Closer scrutiny of our representatives will reduce their temptation to commit crimes

Once again, how divorced from reality are you? The politicians are going to do what they are going to do no matter where we put them. If you don't like what they're doing, elect new ones.

• Political decisions will be made on what is best for the state, not what is best for Juneau

No, political decisions will be made based on what is best for Anchorage, just as they are now. Moving the capital won't just take whatever small amount of power we have away, it'll take power away from the rest of Alaska too.

But then, I'm just living in a small deluded world.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

Let's examine your points, shall we?

• More Alaskans will have access to their representatives;

Again, this is a telecommuter state. People are much more likely to pop their legislator an email than they are to show up at their door. Repeating the same tired rhetoric doesn't make it true.

So you only want special interest lobbyists to have exclusive access to our representatives. Why am I not surprised?

Originally Posted by Xa'at

• We won't be forced to hire incompetent state employees because of the lack of the population pool to select from;

I won't even deign to reply to this...

That is because you can't dispute reality. The majority of state employees are recycled from the same 30K Juneau population. They just move from one job to the next because they are utterly incompetent.

Originally Posted by Xa'at

• Closer scrutiny of our representatives will reduce their temptation to commit crimes

Once again, how divorced from reality are you? The politicians are going to do what they are going to do no matter where we put them. If you don't like what they're doing, elect new ones.

They are committing crimes in Juneau because nobody is watching them. By not supporting the capital move you are essentially condoning and encouraging even more political corruption.

Originally Posted by Xa'at

• Political decisions will be made on what is best for the state, not what is best for Juneau

No, political decisions will be made based on what is best for Anchorage, just as they are now. Moving the capital won't just take whatever small amount of power we have away, it'll take power away from the rest of Alaska too.

But then, I'm just living in a small deluded world.

Juneau-based politicians make decisions that only benefit Juneau, and causes harm to the rest of the state, but I suppose that is the way you like it or you wouldn't be advocating maintaining the status quo.

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by Glitch

So you only want special interest lobbyists to have exclusive access to our representatives. Why am I not surprised?

I fail to see the correlation between the capital being in Juneau and only special interest groups having access to our reps, which is completely untrue, by the way.

Originally Posted by Glitch

They are committing crimes in Juneau because nobody is watching them. By not supporting the capital move you are essentially condoning and encouraging even more political corruption.

Once again, it is failed logic to say that these politicians will only commit crimes if allowed to remain in Juneau. It is the nature of the beast.

Originally Posted by Glitch

Juneau-based politicians make decisions that only benefit Juneau, and causes harm to the rest of the state

Do you even read what you write? Juneau-based politicians are supposed to make decisions that benefit Juneau... that's what we elected them to do. In the same vein, Fairbanks reps are going to support motions that benefit Fairbanks, etc etc. That's the whole point of the system.
You show me one instance where we've passed a law that benefited Juneau but "harmed" the rest of Alaska, and I'll eat my hat.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

I fail to see the correlation between the capital being in Juneau and only special interest groups having access to our reps, which is completely untrue, by the way.

I stand corrected, you are right. It isn't only the special interest lobyiests who have exclusive access to our representatives, but also those in Juneau. The rest of the state be damned.

Originally Posted by Xa'at

Once again, it is failed logic to say that these politicians will only commit crimes if allowed to remain in Juneau. It is the nature of the beast.

It is only "the nature of the beast" in Juneau because it encourages political corruption.

Originally Posted by Xa'at

Do you even read what you write? Juneau-based politicians are supposed to make decisions that benefit Juneau... that's what we elected them to do. In the same vein, Fairbanks reps are going to support motions that benefit Fairbanks, etc etc. That's the whole point of the system.

They are ALL Juneau-based politicians while the capital is in Juneau. Wake up and smell the coffee.

Originally Posted by Xa'at

You show me one instance where we've passed a law that benefited Juneau but "harmed" the rest of Alaska, and I'll eat my hat.

I can give you a litany of decisions made in Juneau that has harmed the rest of the state. For example, all servers and databases MUST reside in Juneau, even when it means denying other portions of the state access to those servers and databases. It is a power grab by Juneau, plain and simple, and if it harms the rest of the state, well I guess that is too damn bad.

[Xa'at]

Originally Posted by Glitch

I stand corrected, you are right. It isn't only the special interest lobyiests who have exclusive access to our representatives, but also those in Juneau. The rest of the state be damned.

Dude, that doesn't even make sense.
Everyone in Alaska has access to their representative. It's as simple as picking up the phone, clacking out an email, or writing a letter. Are you really so delusional as to think that people outside Anchorage will have any better access to their rep if we move the capital?

Originally Posted by Glitch

It is only "the nature of the beast" in Juneau because it encourages political corruption.

So let me get this straight. You think that if we move the capital, suddenly all the politicians will magically start behaving, stop accepting bribes from oil companies, and turn into moral, god-fearing men and women? Cause they ain't.

Originally Posted by Glitch

They are ALL Juneau-based politicians while the capital is in Juneau. Wake up and smell the coffee.

I'm in a coffee house right now, and let me tell you the coffee smells great. Too bad I'm severely allergic to it.
If representatives are not casting votes that represent their constituents, they're not doing their job. It really is just that simple.

Originally Posted by Glitch

I can give you a litany of decisions made in Juneau that has harmed the rest of the state. For example, all servers and databases MUST reside in Juneau, even when it means denying other portions of the state access to those servers and databases. It is a power grab by Juneau, plain and simple, and if it harms the rest of the state, well I guess that is too damn bad.

Oh yeah, cause the folks out in Kaktovik live a precarious life, never sure about their next meal... all because they don't have access to a certain state server that was situated in Juneau so that it would be easily accessible to the legislators. Let's be serious, shall we?