The Nome Nugget

"Go Slow" Feeling Very Evident Over Proposed Borough Legislation

JUNEAU (A) - A general "go slow" feeling was very evident Friday night at a public hearing called to go over proposed borough legislation.

Some 50 persons attended the hearing, conducted by the joint Senate-House Local Government Committees, and about half of them were members of the House and Senate.

After problems of taxation, schools, road maintenance and implementation of borough legislation were discussed, House Local Government Committee Chairman Harold Hansen of Cordova asked for a show of hands of those who felt the state should proceed at once with setting up a borough system.

No hands went up.

The only out of town witness to appear before the committees was Robert Sharp, city manager at Ketchikan.

Sharp said he did not feel there was need for an organized borough in the Ketchikan area at the present time, but he said Ketchikan would be willing to support a need elsewhere.

Rep. Leo Rhode of Homer read a telegram from the Kenai Peninsula Chamber of Commerce which urged that any borough bill approved contain a provision delaying the effective date at least until April 1, 1962, "to allow definite thinking on the complexities and arouse interest among citizens concerning definite provisions."

There are four borough bills before the Legislature at the present time, one in the House and three in the Senate.

The House measure was introduced at the request of Gov. Egan and the Legislative Council. It represents a year's research on a borough system of local government.

Sen. Brad Phillips of Anchorage has introduced a bill calling for the creation of both organized and unorganized boroughs, as does the Egan-Legislative Council bill.

Sen. John McNees introduced two borough bills in the upper chamber.

One provides for the establishment of organized boroughs and the other for the establishment of unorganized boroughs.