01/30/1993 08:00 AM House STA

  HJR 15:  100 DAY SESSION LIMIT                                               
  HJR 5:  90 DAY SESSION & FEBRUARY CONVENING DATE                             
  HJR 9:  VOTER APPROVAL FOR NEW TAXES                                         
                                                                               
  Number 374                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY asked if there were any further comments on                   
  HJR 15 and HJR 5.  Hearing none, these bills were held in                    
  committee for further consideration.  He read the title of                   
  HJR 9 and asked for testimony.                                               
                                                                               
  Number 389                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE MARTIN, PRIME SPONSOR of HJR 9, restated                      
  prior testimony regarding HJR 9.  He reminded the committee,                 
  HJR 9 allowed the public to decide if there would be a tax                   
  increase.                                                                    
                                                                               
  Number 439                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE ULMER opposed the concept, because currently                  
  the oil and gas industry was paying Alaska's tax bill.                       
                                                                               
  Number 475                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE PETE KOTT stated legislators did not always                   
  complete tasks they were sent to do.  "The public should get                 
  to check us to balance the democracy with true                               
  representation," he said.  He asked the committee to move                    
  HJR 9 to the Judiciary Committee which was the next                          
  committee of referral.                                                       
                                                                               
  Number 493                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE G. DAVIS had a bit of a problem with HJR 9                    
  because of his municipal background.                                         
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY asked Representative G. Davis to explain the                  
  mill rate since he had a municipal background.                               
                                                                               
  Number 511                                                                   
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE G. DAVIS described the mill rate.                             
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY called the roll vote for HJR 9 with three                     
  yeas and three neas.  And so HJR 9 was held in committee for                 
  further consideration.                                                       
  HJR 9:  VOTER APPROVAL FOR NEW TAXES                                         
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN VEZEY, because testimony on HJR 9 through                           
  teleconference was not possible due to technical                             
  difficulties, read the title of HJR 9 again and asked for                    
  testimony.                                                                   
                                                                               
  Number 108                                                                   
                                                                               
  WESS SKINNER testified via teleconference from Anchorage.                    
  He stated he personally polled over 200 resident voters                      
  regarding taxation and each one replied they wanted a direct                 
  voice in how they were taxed.  Each one supported HJR 9, he                  
  claimed, and asked the committee to pass the resolution out                  
  of committee so it could get to the floor for a vote.  He                    
  said the public was very interested in how each member would                 
  vote on HJR 9.