02/12/2002 03:40 PM Senate STA

                                                                                                                                
           SB 267-ALASKA VETERANS' MEM.ENDOWMENT FUND                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
LADDY  SHAW, state  director for  the Department  of Military  and                                                              
Veterans  Affairs,  described the  bill  as  a grant  program  for                                                              
maintenance, repair,  replacement, enhancement of and  addition to                                                              
any veteran's memorials or monuments  to veterans and the military                                                              
in the state.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
The bill  proposes to finance  the fund through  appropriations as                                                              
well  as contributions  that will  be eligible  for certain  state                                                              
corporate tax credits.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Presently they  have $125,000.00  in the bank  and are  working to                                                              
collect  another $20,000.00  that  is already  pledged. They  have                                                              
offered that $20,000.00  to the Vietnam Veteran's  Moving Wall for                                                              
coming to Alaska and as a part of  a nationwide non-profit program                                                              
to provide information about Vietnam veterans.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
He said  he represents 68,000  veterans and about  30,000 military                                                              
members in  the state. They  are asking  the committee to  pass SB
  thus giving  these  people  the  honor and  recognition  they                                                              
deserve.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PHILLIPS  commented it  meant a lot  to him personally  to                                                              
see the Moving Vietnam Wall at the Parks Strip in August.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SHAW agreed  that  having  the wall  in  the state  was  very                                                              
meaningful.  He said  that  although they  have  had a  tremendous                                                              
amount of volunteer  help, a number of memorials  are in disrepair                                                              
and there is no  money for their repair or for  new memorials such                                                              
as  one  to  honor the  Alaska  Territorial  Guard.  Some  private                                                              
individuals feel strongly enough  that they are going out on their                                                              
own to ask for donations.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
When they  came up  with the  present idea  as an initiative  they                                                              
were overwhelmed with  the support they received.  Any support the                                                              
committee is able to give would be appreciated.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  PHILLIPS asked  whether the monument  for the  Lend-Lease                                                              
Act would qualify.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR. SHAW  said construction or repair  of any monument  that deals                                                              
with any area of military and veterans'  affairs would be covered.                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PHILLIPS  commented he  hopes it  would fit because  there                                                              
were a lot of men and women involved in that effort.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  THERRIAULT said  this just  adds another  option to  the                                                              
existing tax  exemption but he wasn't  clear which tax  types this                                                              
credit applies against.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SHAW asked  that the  representative from  the Department  of                                                              
Revenue answer those questions.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. NEIL SLOTNICK,  deputy commissioner of Department  of Revenue,                                                              
informed  members  the tax  credit  applies  against a  number  of                                                              
types. It  is the insurance premiums  tax AS 21.89,  the corporate                                                              
income tax AS 43.20,  oil and gas severance tax AS  43.55, oil and                                                              
gas  property tax  AS  43.56, mining  and  license  tax AS  43.65,                                                              
fisheries  business  tax AS  43.75  and the  fish  landing tax  AS                                                              
43.77.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  THERRIAULT explained  that you  get 50  percent of  your                                                              
first $100,000.00  and 100 percent of your second  $100,000.00 for                                                              
a total  of $150,000.00.  You may  only get this  once in  any tax                                                              
year from  any of the  sources. Basically,  this allows  people to                                                              
direct their  tax dollars to a  specific purpose. This  is allowed                                                              
in education  as well  and now  the corporations  will be  able to                                                              
choose between the two options.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There were  no further  questions on  the technical mechanisms  of                                                              
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
PAT CAROTHERS,  Chairman of the Alaska Veterans  Advisory Council,                                                              
said he was present to solicit support to move the bill forward.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
There was no further testimony.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN THERRIAULT  noted there was no prepared CS  and he had no                                                              
amendments.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PHILLIPS  made a  motion to move  SB 267 and  fiscal notes                                                              
from committee with individual recommendations.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, SB 267 move from committee.