04/02/2008 01:30 PM House FINANCE

3:23:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 254                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     An Act extending the termination date of the Alaska                                                                        
     regional economic assistance program; and providing for                                                                    
     an effective date.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
JODY SIMPSON,  STAFF, SENATOR CHARLIE HUGGINS,  said that the                                                                   
Alaska Regional  Economic Assistance  Program was  created by                                                                   
the Legislature  in 1988 to promote the  economic development                                                                   
of Alaska's urban  and rural areas.  The program  enables the                                                                   
creation   of  Alaska   Regional   Development   Organization                                                                   
(ARDOR).  To carry  out the mission of each  ARDOR, the State                                                                   
provides  funding  in the  form  of  grants.   In  turn,  the                                                                   
ARDOR's  use that  money to  leverage, on  the average  eight                                                                   
times the  State's investment  in private, federal  and other                                                                   
funds.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
The intent for the statewide ARDOR's is:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
   ·    Enable local officials and business to pool                                                                             
        resources and work together on economic development;                                                                    
   ·    Develop partnerships among public, private and other                                                                    
        organizations; and                                                                                                      
   ·    Provide technical assistance via direct links with                                                                      
        local citizens.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:26:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair  Stoltze pointed out  that SB  254 is a  companion                                                                   
bill to HB 272, which he had sponsored.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:27:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL  HANZUK,   DEVELOPMENT  SPECIALIST,   ARDOR  PROGRAM,                                                                   
OFFICE  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,  ARDOR  PROGRAM, DEPARTMENT  OF                                                                   
COMMERCE,  COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT testified  via                                                                   
teleconference,   offered   to   answer  questions   of   the                                                                   
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:27:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL   CATSI,   EXECUTIVE   DIRECTOR,   SOUTHWEST   ALASKA                                                                   
MUNICIPAL  CONFERENCE testified  via teleconference,  offered                                                                   
to answer questions  of the Committee.  He  noted support for                                                                   
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
PUBLIC TESTIMONY CLOSED                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:28:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer stated that SB  254 would be HELD in Committee                                                                   
for further consideration.