Letters to the Editor

Letter: 'Just the basics' state budget includes money for tennis courts

The June 27 Chugiak Eagle River Star contained this quote from a senior state representative speaking to the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce regarding the $2.2 billion state capital budget: "It's just the basics."

This "just the basics" budget contained an item for Anchorage "Project 80s Deferred and Critical Maintenance" which indeed sounds like an item that might be funded in a "just the basics" capital budget; however, as reported in the ADN (story, June 30), within that budget appropriation lurked a $7 million appropriation for new tennis courts in Anchorage. I say thank God, the Legislature met the critical need for even more indoor tennis.

Voters of Anchorage, please remember this prioritization for government funding when you are asked to vote to increase your property taxes to purchase the next ambulance, road drainage project or other critical infrastructure that will no doubt support the new tennis arena we apparently needed so badly it wound up in a "just the basics" state budget.

— Lynn Willis

Eagle River

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