00               CS FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 8(L&C) am                                                              
01 Opposing the enactment by the Washington State Legislature of a bill proposing to                                       
02 impose a fee on the processing of shipping containers in the State of Washington because                                
03 of the negative impact of the fee on the people and the economy of this state.                                          
04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
05       WHEREAS Washington state has been the primary gateway to this state since before                                
06 the first gold rush, more than 100 years ago; and                                                                       
07       WHEREAS the people of this state continue to depend on ships and barges to move                                 
08 almost all of the necessities of daily life from Washington state; and                                                  
09       WHEREAS many isolated maritime communities that do not have road access                                         
10 depend entirely on marine cargo shipped from Washington state as their lifelines; and                                   
11       WHEREAS 97 percent by weight and 60 percent of the value of all goods shipped to                                
12 Alaska are shipped by water; and                                                                                        
13       WHEREAS most seafood harvested in this state and bound for the lower 48 states is                               
14 shipped from this state to and through ports in Washington state; and                                                   
15       WHEREAS, during 2003, this state was Puget Sound's fifth largest trading partner,                             

01 aside from the aerospace industry, and the economic connection between this state and                                   
02 Washington state was responsible for at least 103,500 jobs and over $4,000,000,000 in labor                             
03 earnings; and                                                                                                           
04       WHEREAS Senate Bill 5207, which is pending before the Washington State                                          
05 Legislature, would impose a fee of $50 for each 20-foot equivalent unit on every cargo                                  
06 container traveling between Washington state and this state; most cargo containers are at least                         
07 two 20-foot equivalent units and would be subject to a fee of $100 each time the container                              
08 leaves Washington state and each time the container returns to that state, regardless of                                
09 whether the container is empty, partially loaded, or full; and                                                          
10       WHEREAS Senate Bill 5207 would be detrimental to the trading relationship                                       
11 between Washington state and this state; and                                                                            
12       WHEREAS, because of this state's unique dependence on ports in Washington state,                                
13 enactment of Senate Bill 5207 would damage this state's economy and cripple many isolated                               
14 communities in this state by raising the cost of living by several percent; and                                         
15       WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature recognizes that freight congestion in                                      
16 Washington ports is a serious problem; and                                                                              
17       WHEREAS congestion in Washington ports can negatively impact the transport of                                   
18 Alaska goods; and                                                                                                       
19       WHEREAS the Alaska State Legislature recognizes that the efficient and economic                                 
20 transport of freight along the west coast is a regional issue that takes a regional solution;                           
21       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests that the                                 
22 Washington State Legislature recognize the negative effect Senate Bill 5207 would have on                               
23 the trading relationship between Washington state and this state and the economic costs                                 
24 associated with that negative effect to both states; and be it                                                          
25       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests that                                   
26 the Washington State Legislature recognize the negative effect Senate Bill 5207 would have                              
27 on the people and economy of this state, particularly on maritime communities in the                                    
28 southeast part of this state; and be it                                                                                 
29       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature opposes the enactment of                                     
30 Senate Bill 5207 and urges the Washington State Legislature to consider alternative means for                           
31 raising revenue to be used for the infrastructure of the ports of that state; and be it                                 

01       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature will work with the                                           
02 Washington State Legislature and Washington state to find a mutually beneficial means for                               
03 the efficient and economic transport of goods between Alaska and Washington; and be it                                  
04       FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature urges the attorney general                                   
05 to use the resources of the Department of Law to research the legal issues raised by the tax on                         
06 shipping containers proposed in Senate Bill 5207; and be it                                                             
07       FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the tax in Senate Bill 5207 is enacted and the facts                                  
08 and law support an action by this state challenging the tax, the Alaska State Legislature urges                         
09 the attorney general to immediately file a complaint and request for injunction in Federal                              
10 District Court and in any other forum that could provide relief.                                                        
11       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Chris Gregoire, Governor of                            
12 Washington; the Honorable Brad Owen, Lieutenant Governor of Washington; the Washington                                  
13 State Senate; the Washington State House of Representatives; the Honorable Mary Margaret                                
14 Haugen, Washington State Senator; the Honorable Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska; the                                    
15 Honorable Sean Parnell, Lieutenant Governor of Alaska; and the Honorable Ted Stevens and                                
16 the Honorable Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S.                                          
17 Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.