The Assembly Building in Juneau was donated to the Legislature last year. It would have 33 apartments for the session, according to the plan approved by the Legislative Council.
Juneau Democratic Rep. Sara Hannan, the council chair, said the city government supported the plan.“To make sure that we have adequate housing for legislators, especially in times when there might not be housing available.”
But opponents said the council didn’t have enough information to make the decision. The council hasn’t surveyed legislators about their interest in renting the building, which could also be used to house legislative aides or other state employees for the session. Dillingham independent Rep. Bryce Edgmon voted against the plan. He said he wanted more time to consider the proposal.
“I kind of wonder … that it just seems like there’s been some steps that have been skipped here,” he said.Edgmon estimated that a third to a half of the Legislature flies out of Juneau on weekends. And he said having lawmakers stay in small apartments could encourage more of them to spend time away during sessions.The council hasn’t decided what the rent for the apartments will be, but the legislative staff said it could be based on the market rate.
The Assembly Building is diagonally across the street from the Capitol. It was built in 1932 as an apartment building but has included offices since at least the 1980s. It has a 17-space parking garage on its ground floor.State government plays an outsized role in the life of Alaskans. As the state continues to go through the painful process of deciding what its priorities are, I bring Alaskans to the scene of a government in transition.