State House members have voted 38-1 for House Bill 192, which would continue operation of the Alaska Regional Development Organization program, including Prince William Sound Economic Development District, for another decade.
Without passage, the ARDOR program will sunset this year.
The nine ARDOR organizations were created in 1988 to encourage local officials, tribal entities and businesses to work together on economic infrastructure and workforce development projects to enhance public-private partnerships and provide assistance to communities that lack critical resources.
As the novel coronavirus pandemic persists, the ARDORs have continued to back efforts to get federal money out to Alaskans in need.
“These regional economic development organizations are critical for economic development and diversification across Alaska,” said Rep. Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, D-Sitka, who sponsored the bill.
During the pandemic, ARDORs have played a critical role in getting funds out to businesses, communities, nonprofits and fishermen and by steering limited federal money to critical infrastructure projects, said Speaker of the House Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak. Their work in the past year provided yet another proof point of their value to our state, she said.
Keeping the ARDORs alive will help protect local control over future investments, said Rep. Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage.
HB 192 is now headed to the Senate for consideration.
