May 05, 2004
Wednesday

Ketchikan, AK - A bill that would allow the state to issue more than $143 million in revenue bonds to pay for a variety of construction projects at schools and university campuses around the state was passed late Tuesday evening by the Alaska State House.

"Our students deserve to go to class in safe, modern facilities."... Rep. Bill Williams

Representative Bill Williams (R-Saxman), co-chair of the House Finance Committee, said the bonds will provide badly needed help for the state's educational institutions. "Our schools have a huge backlog of deferred maintenance projects. This bond package includes money for projects as varied as upgrading fire alarms in Iditarod, building a new school in Coffman Cove and new bleachers for Service High in Anchorage," said Williams. "Our students deserve to go to class in safe, modern facilities. Passage of this bill will help our schools and universities more effectively teach the next generation of Alaskans."

Among the projects that would be funded by these bonds in House Bill 404 are:

• Construction of a new Howard Valentine K-12 school in Coffman Cove (estimated cost $3.748 million)
• Repair of the Humanities Building roof at Ketchikan High School ($232,000)
• Replacing Playground equipment at Houghtaling, Point Higgins and the Valley Park school building ($385,000)
• Repair the curtain wall at Ketchikan High School ($65,000)
• Design and construction of the new City of Ketchikan Library ($2,000,000)
• House Access Ramp at Thorne Bay ($136,000)
• Renovation and classroom improvements at the Paul and Ziegler buildings at UAS Ketchikan Campus ($1,000,000)
• UAS Sitka Campus improvements ($250,000)
• Security and Safety upgrades for the Annette Island Schools in Metlakatla ($1.069 million)

House Bill 404 now goes to the Senate for its consideration.

Source of News Release:

Office of Representative Bill Williams
Web Site

 

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