Gov. Mike Dunleavy was planning a trip to Wrangell Tuesday, but he ultimately canceled because of poor weather conditions. The Southeast Alaska city overwhelmingly voted the Republican into office in 2018, but as the community prepared for a visit, some residents were ready to stress the importance of the state ferry system.
Not everyone had heard that the governor was planning on coming to town. But Don McConachie might be a bit more civically-minded than most in Wrangell. He did serve on the City and Borough of Wrangell Assembly and as mayor for many years.
“I have a question to ask him, too,” McConachie said. “I would ask him if he made reservations on the ferry.”
Dunleavy proposed a 75% cut to the Alaska Marine Highway System last year. After a compromise with the Legislature, the ferries lost $43 million in a single swoop. The cuts have been a burden for communities throughout Southeast Alaska.
Wrangell is a Republican town. Of those who cast a ballot in the gubernatorial race, 65% voted for Dunleavy. That’s 14 percentage points higher than statewide results.
McConachie voted for him in 2018, but he isn’t sure if Dunleavy will get his vote in 2022.
“That is yet to be determined,” McConachie said.
One Wrangell resident knows what it’s like to be in Dunleavy’s shoes.
“Well I’m a little disappointed,” said former Gov. Frank Murkowski. Like everyone else, the ferry is a priority for him. And he doesn’t believe a full PFD should be given out at the expense of critical infrastructure.
“Trying to maintain that when you have to cut services because your revenue is down, you have to, I think, prioritize just what’s important to the livelihood of southeastern Alaska,” Murkowski said.
A spokesperson for the governor’s office said he expected AMHS to be a hot topic in Wrangell. In a press release regarding his community visits, Dunleavy said “your input will be valuable in solving many of the issues our state is facing.”
As of Thursday, the governor had not yet rescheduled his trip to Wrangell.
