Anchorage Daily News

JUNEAU -- Gov. Sarah Palin's veto of $30 million for state ferries has raised objections from a Juneau lawmaker.

The vetoes cut money from the vessel replacement fund and a contingency fund.

"That means the ferry is back to living on bare bones -- rubber bands and masking tape," instead of getting ahead of maintenance problems, said Rep. Andrea Doll, D-Juneau.

Palin vetoed $15 million from a plan to put $25 million in a stabilization fund to help the ferry system operate and deal with unforeseen costs, including higher fuel prices.

Palin also vetoed $15 million from a $75 million appropriation to a vessel replacement fund.

Palin's staff cited a recommendation from the Marine Transportation Advisory Board as justification for one cut.

Office of Management and Budget Director Karen Rehfeld said the state already acknowledged that ferries were facing dramatically higher fuel costs this year but that they could be dealt with later in a supplemental budget.

Rehfeld cited a board request of $60 million to the replacement fund as justification for the second veto and said an additional appropriation would be needed to build a new vessel anyway.

"The Legislature did put in $75 million; we did reduce it down to the $60 million requested by MTAB," she said.

Doll said not putting money into the ferry system when the state can afford to do so was troubling.

"Our governor makes it very clear she doesn't want to put any money in the (Juneau access) road, and then she takes away from the (ferry) stabilization fund," she said.

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