A prediction. If the recall efforts fail, a year from now we won’t have a “marine highway” left to talk about. A year ago the governor backed away from his campaign promises and unleashed his plan for AMHS to cut its funding by 75%. It was only by the grace of God that the legislature managed to get a 75% vote and overrode him by the slimmest of margins. If that hadn’t happened I dare say there would be no AMHS at all today. But his reckless cuts did manage to do something positive for the coastal regions served by AMHS. It brought about the recall campaign and allowed our voices to be heard! It was precisely at this juncture that he backed off on his plan to kill the AMHS. In fact he backed off on most of his drastic cuts, became a political observer, but not the leader we desperately need. If this recall fails at any step along the way, it will become Dunleavy V2.0, and then as the state uses up the last of its reserves, it’s game over for our ferry system. After that, how long will it take for our town to be cut off from the rest of the world? As we go from enjoying being a town along a great highway that stretches all the way to WA, and BC, to a town at the terminus of a 150 mile road with almost no traffic, would the Canada customs keep a year-round presence at the border? Would the Yukon government still want to keep the Haines Highway clear of snow? Lots at stake, and only one chance to right this ship. When that chance is gone, it’s gone forever. Please sign the petition.
Dave Nussbaumer. Haines