My compass piece regarding KABATA, the governing authority of the Knik Arm Crossing (a bridge to nowhere) made the editorial page of yesterday's Daily News! It was definitely a group effort and we're very pleased that it was published. The piece in its entirety -- including my picture -- is below.
Bridge
agency pay hikes not surprising
COMPASS: POINTS OF VIEW FROM THE COMMUNITY
By STEPHANIE KESLER
Published: October 18, 2006
Last Modified: October 18, 2006 at 04:10 AM
Click
to enlarge
STEPHANIE KESLER
The recent discovery of the Knik Arm Bridge
and Toll Authority's self-bestowed salary increases may have shocked
and disgusted many Alaskans. However, residents of Government Hill were
not surprised.
We were agog at the sheer audacity of $40,000
pay raises. But we also immediately recognized KABATA's modus operandi:
isolated and covert decision making, disregard of public process, lack
of meaningful oversight and accountability, and very questionable
judgment.
KABATA's governance structure and board
composition provide an ideal environment for an isolated and imperious
approach. KABATA was created by a legislative bill in 2003 and is
governed by a seven-member board appointed by the governor. The board
members are George Wuerch (chairman), Point MacKenzie real estate
broker Darcie Salmon (vice chairman), Lynden Inc. vice president Dave
Haugen, state commissioner of transportation Mike Barton, state
commissioner of revenue Bill Corbus, state Sen. Lyda Green and state
Rep. Bill Stoltze.
Of the seven on the board, only five are
voting members: Wuerch, Salmon, Haugen, Barton and Corbus. Only three
voting members are required for a quorum. One can certainly see how an
action as publicly disastrous as $40,000 pay increases could have eased
through the board's approval process.
But in the grand scheme of things KABATA's
$40,000 pay raises are the tip of the iceberg. KABATA wields impressive
power: eminent domain, bond issuance, the authority to incur debt and
to spend monies for the bridge construction and operation, and to set
toll rates. And that power is concentrated in the hands of essentially
three board members who are not publicly accountable. The voting board
members are not elected officials and have no apparent term limits.
Given its board structure and powers, KABATA
is essentially an independent government. It can levy tolls, issue
bonds and take private property. But this government is not an elected
government -- it is effectively taxation without representation.
KABATA's structure establishes a dangerous
precedent and raises significant concerns. Add to that the facts that
KABATA voting board members include real estate and trucking interests,
and that the only community interests on the board represent the Mat-Su
side of the bridge (and are nonvoting), it becomes clear that what
should be an open and fair decision-making process turns out to be
anything but. Ergo, the $40,000 pay increases aren't all that
surprising.
KABATA's insular approach does not engender
public confidence. For example, KABATA confidently states that the
bridge can be built for $600 million. However, studies in the early
1980s and in 2003 estimated the cost between $1 billion and $3 billion.
On multiple occasions, Government Hill and other organizations have
requested a comparative analysis between proposals. However, KABATA has
not provided such an analysis.
Instead, Wuerch has "assured" us that the
current proposal is a "different plan." Well, sound fiscal policy
demands accurate estimates -- differences of $400 million to $2.4
billion are not insubstantial. More than assurances should be required
for informed and responsible decision making.
Government Hill has not taken a public
position for or against the Knik Arm crossing. We made a decision to
work within the process and in good faith with KABATA and the Federal
Highways Administration during the environmental impact statement
public process.
Unfortunately, even though we devoted
hundreds of hours to public meetings, workshops and planning sessions,
our experience was not positive, and the recently released draft
environmental impact statement confirmed our worst fears. The draft is
a shining example of the grievous damage a badly intentioned, poorly
formed and nonaccountable government agency can inflict.
Government Hill believes that if the bridge
has to be built, it should be built right. "Right" means solid,
accurate cost estimates, sound design of intersections and access
roads, meaningful public process and a route that does not destroy
existing communities. However, the current proposal is the result of
flawed management that serves special interests and is not accountable
to the voters. At this point, one must question whether KABATA is a
responsible steward of state and federal monies.
Stephanie Kesler is president of Government Hill
Community Council.
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10:16:07 AM 
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