Assembly legislative committee reviews 2026 draft legislative program, keeps Port of Alaska modernization as top ask

Nolan Cloud, policy director in the Mayor’s Office, told the Anchorage Assembly Legislative Committee on Oct. 23 that the administration is preparing to introduce a draft 2026 municipal legislative program to the Assembly on Nov. 18 with approval required before Dec. 10 under local code.

Cloud said the program is organized around three themes—"safe, secure, affordable"—and that the top capital request would be support for Port of Alaska modernization. "So you'll see the top request listed there for the port," Cloud said, framing it as a statewide concern that may warrant a sizable ask.

Under the "safe" theme, Cloud listed several priority items: capital support for an Anchorage Police Department real‑time crime center; a blight reduction request intended to fund nuisance abatement through Development Services; an inflation adjustment to the 9‑1‑1 surcharge (which currently excludes voice‑over‑IP lines); and continued funding for the municipality’s community assistance program. He described the $500,000 blight ask as a strategic, lower‑dollar request that could cover roughly 10–12 demolitions given recent demolition cost estimates of $30,000 to $70,000 per house.

The "secure" category included infrastructure and resilience priorities. Cloud called out court modernization and an administration proposal to increase general relief rates for assisted‑living providers so people with disabilities in congregate shelters can move into assisted‑living beds. He also proposed a modest request to fund a Chugach State Park access study to evaluate roadway, parking and trailhead improvements and indicated the need for better winter road maintenance coordination with the Alaska Department of Transportation.

Cloud described an AWU‑driven statutory change to allow Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility to include certain horizontal infrastructure costs in rates without a full rate case, a change the administration says could remove a barrier to housing development.

In the "affordable" category the draft includes a $2,000,000 request to the Renewable Energy Fund for a waste‑to‑energy project and a package of housing measures: new gap‑financing or "patient capital" tools, potential AHFC participation or loan mechanisms to support housing production, and targeted weatherization funding for mobile homes.

Committee members pressed staff on strategic choices, particularly on whether to attach a dollar figure to the Port of Alaska ask. "It seems like if we had a concrete ask and a rationale, that is a stronger position," one member said. Staff and members noted the project’s multi‑billion‑dollar scale and discussed the merits of seeking state support through a general obligation bond, a tariff model, or a diversified funding strategy. Des Baldwin Day urged the program to note recent changes in state law (SB 47) that authorize easements into Chugach State Park, saying legal access easements should be addressed in the park‑access language.

Committee members and administration representatives also discussed whether to prioritize gap financing/patient capital for housing or pursue a broader infrastructure‑bank model. Staff cautioned that the legislature is likely to have constrained resources and recommended coordinating with the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) and other state agencies before finalizing the administration’s ask.

Wendy Chamberlain, speaking online, warned members the state is facing a difficult fiscal year and said disaster relief obligations, DOT match requirements and declining oil price projections make the session challenging for new spending. "I think it’s going to be a very, very bleak year," she said, noting estimates of at least a $200 million deficit and possibly more.

Staff outlined next steps and schedule: a committee work session in late November, a Legislative Committee meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 19, and adoption of the municipal legislative program at the Assembly’s first December meeting. Members were urged to submit amendments before the work session to avoid heavy late‑stage changes.

Public comment addressed related municipal priorities. Carol Treem, government affairs manager for the Alaska Municipal League, promoted AML’s December conference and recruitment for AML’s legislative committee. Amanda Thompson, an ESD teacher and Turnagain/Grandview community member, urged the committee to press the state on large classroom sizes and special‑education supports and asked the Assembly to protect local community council voice.

The committee set scheduling and district‑priority guidance: members were asked to select one or two district priority projects each and to coordinate with the administration to align requests with capital project lists. The committee adjourned after confirming it will meet on the fourth Wednesday starting in January.