Capitol Move

Here is a part of the Associated Press article printed in ADN today.

JUNEAU -- A new report about an old issue says moving the state capital from Juneau would devastate the economy in the region.
Jim Calvin, lead researcher for the Juneau-based McDowell Group, said if the capital moved Juneau would lose between a quarter and a third of its economy.
The report was paid for by the Alaska Committee, a group dedicated to keeping Alaska's capital in Juneau. McDowell Group researchers used state data on the work force and location of state government jobs.
If the capital was moved, total employment losses could be between 4,358 and 5,810 jobs, the report said. It estimated Juneau would lose about 29 percent of its 30,000-plus residents.
The relative importance of state government to Juneau's economy has dropped somewhat since a similar study in 1992, Calvin said. That's because tourism has grown. Cruise visitors, for example, doubled to about 1 million a season in the past decade.

The report is openly one-sided in their argument for keeping our colonial capitol. With comments arguing for a capitol move or against. The comments bring up valid points, such as the larger issues of dealing with energy and building up a statewide surface transportation system. Others bring up newer arguments for moving the capitol, such as access and the special interests that can afford to lobby in such an isolated location.
There were a few comments about modern communications being a way to contact your representatives, but there is nothing more effective than getting a one-on-one sit down with your elected official, which is hard and expensive to do with them being in Juneau. I'm sure they enjoy their privacy, but they are public officials. Alaska needs to evolve and progress if we are to make it in an increasingly global economy. I say to move the capitol to Anchorage and that is my firm opinion.