Legislature(2013 - 2014)CAPITOL 106
04/03/2014 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SCR17 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SCR 17 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SCR 17-150TH ANNIVERSARY OF ALASKA PURCHASE
8:06:28 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the only order of business was SENATE
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 17, Commemorating the 150th
anniversary of the purchase of Alaska for $7,200,000; urging
Alaska communities to plan activities and events in 2017 to
commemorate the Alaska Purchase; requesting that the Alaska
Historical Commission coordinate events; and inviting Alaska
communities, schools, universities, libraries, museums,
businesses, civic and historical groups, and government agencies
to participate in and support commemorative activities and
events.
8:06:54 AM
ERIN HANSON, Staff, Senator Lesil McGuire, Alaska State
Legislature, presented SCR 17 on behalf of the Senate Rules
Standing Committee, sponsor, on which Senator McGuire is chair.
She stated that the one-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the
United States' purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 is an
ideal opportunity for Alaskans to celebrate the state's history.
She said the proposed legislation recognizes the historic
significance of the anniversary of the purchase and encourages
all Alaskan communities to plan events to celebrate the
anniversary. Further, it asks the Alaska Historical Commission
(ANC) to "lead in planning these events" and "seek opportunities
to engage support and coordinate events through our communities,
schools, universities, libraries, museums, businesses, civic and
historical groups, and government agencies." She said passing
SCR 17 now would provide communities with ample time to plan
such events.
8:08:39 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON noted that the sponsor statement
reflects that Alaska was purchased for $7.2 million.
CHAIR LYNN asked if anyone knew how much that would be in
today's dollars.
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON said, "A lot of money."
CHAIR LYNN remarked, "But still a bargain."
8:09:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON relayed that he was born 90 years from
the day of the Alaska purchase, and he traveled to Alaska as a
Russian interpreter. He asked what the sponsor envisioned in
terms of celebrations throughout the state.
8:10:02 AM
MS. HANSON replied that currently, Sitka holds a big parade and
a ball on Alaska Day. She said she thinks the day would provide
a good opportunity for "parades and events and fairs and things
like that." She said more than anything, there would be an
educational opportunity for libraries to put together events,
schools to take an extra step in speaking about Alaska history,
and museums to put together exhibits.
8:11:07 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS reminisced about attending celebrations in
Anchorage with her family in 1967, when she was a child living
in the Interior. She likened the events as being similar to
today's Fur Rendezvous.
8:13:04 AM
CHAIR LYNN remarked that the state observes Seward's Day. He
opined, "It's a shame ... there's not some kind of coordination
between the two. It cannot happen, I understand, because it's
two totally different dates. But he purchased it."
8:13:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON indicated that a place for celebration
was created in Fairbanks, originally called [Alaska 67
Centennial Exposition], then Alaskaland, then Pioneer Park. He
suggested that other communities could create monuments, such as
parks, that would enable communities to gather and celebrate on
a regular basis life in Alaska, while remembering Alaska's
pioneers.
CHAIR LYNN suggested a commemorative coin could be made.
8:14:29 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES opined that two cents an acre was a good
deal. She related having seen a map of the Lower 48 with an
overlay of a map of Alaska, with a comment that in 1867, at the
time of acquisition, the purchase of Alaska was called,
"Seward's Folly." She said the map was provided by "Travel
Juneau," which called [the purchase of Alaska] "the best deal
ever." She expressed appreciation to the bill sponsor. She
related her understanding that there have been national
discussions about whether it was a good deal, and she opined
that it is up to Alaska to let the rest of the nation know that,
indeed, it was.
8:15:53 AM
BARBARA PROPES, Chief of Staff, Office of the Lieutenant
Governor, testified that under statute, the lieutenant governor
serves on the Alaska Historical Commission, and she is his staff
designee. She said she has been working on event planning for
the one-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary for almost two years.
She relayed that during the centennial year, there were 46
projects, and the federal government gave money because "Alaska
had no economic base" and was trying to create one. She
explained, "That was before oil." Currently there are capital
projects, many of which will be "timed around this." She said
she has coordinated with the Seward House, in Auburn, New York -
a museum where William Seward once lived - to have original
artifacts sent, including the original of the painting on the
wall of the committee room. She said the goal was to have an
exhibit at the opening of the State Library Archives Museum
(SLAM) [currently under construction], as well as a traveling
exhibit to museums that have the right staff and are temperature
controlled. The celebration would last a year, and Seward's Day
would be a part of it. The exhibit would end up in Sitka, which
would host the main celebration. Ms. Propes said the Lieutenant
Governor's office has also reached out to the City of Seattle,
because "Washington state would not be developed without this."
She noted there is a William H. Seward park in Seattle. She
said the office is also reaching out to the Native communities,
acknowledging that "that's an important part of the discussion."
She encouraged discussion around the state. She said the office
is working on a statute of Seward that would be erected near the
Dimond Court House.
8:18:21 AM
MS. PROPES, in response to Chair Lynn, offered her understanding
that currently the only bust of Seward exists in Anchorage. She
said the Office of the Lieutenant Governor has been working with
the Seward Family to have them attend events. She said people
in Sitka are considering a coffee table book. She said there
was a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was part of the
museum project, so there would be books and mementos for the
archives. She relayed she has worked with people in Haines and
Seward, and she said there would be events statewide. Ms.
Propes said there will be academic discussion, as well as
celebration; therefore, it will be a commemoration. She said
the office is looking at the possibility of having a coin, which
would help to raise money for the events. She indicated that
fundraising is another reason why it is important to begin the
process soon, because it can take a couple of years. She said
the planning list is long, but there is hope that a lot of
national attention will be drawn, in order to have a discussion
about Alaska and its worth.
MS. PROPES indicated that originally [the worth of Alaska] was
described as "a sucked orange" in some newspaper articles. She
echoed Seward's Folly was another term related to the purchase
of Alaska. She talked about reaching out to work with the
Canadians, and she noted that when Senator Dennis Eagan had
headed the centennial commission, one of the questions he had
asked was what it would have been like if Alaska had never
become part of the U.S. She said the Office of the Lieutenant
Governor wants to challenge people to have the discussion as
well. Ms. Propes emphasized the importance of having [the
proposed joint resolution] in hand when approaching the federal
government, not only as authorization, but to show the support
of the state.
8:20:30 AM
CHAIR LYNN ventured that the border between Canada and Alaska
must follow a longitude line, and he asked if the current border
is the original one.
MS. PROPES offered her understanding that it is the original
border, but proffered that its designation had more to do with
fur trade.
CHAIR LYNN asked where most of the Seward family is located
today.
MS. PROPES answered Auburn, New York. In response to a
question, she confirmed that there are a quite a few descendants
still in Auburn.
8:21:48 AM
CHAIR LYNN said the Russian Orthodox Church is a more integral
part of the state's history than any other church, and he asked
if the church would be part of the celebration.
MS. PROPES said right now the emphasis is on getting communities
"to drive what's going to happen in their particular areas."
Notwithstanding that, she mentioned a person named, Anna, who is
the "bell ringer" in Sitka who would like to see some
restoration of the Russian Orthodox churches; however, "most
federal grants won't allow you to spend money on that." She
said the Alaska Historical Commission has "sort of moved some of
the grants that we have to address anniversaries, and that would
allow some funding to help with churches, because churches would
be allowed to be part of this."
CHAIR LYNN recommended Ms. Propes contact the hierarchy of the
Russia Orthodox Church to inquire about its plans, because "it
very much affects them."
MS. PROPES responded that the intention is to reach out to the
church after establishing the authority [through the passage of
SCR 17].
8:23:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON recommended that Ms. Propes contact the
State Department, which he said has given money overseas for the
restoration of mosques. He opined, "So, if the State Department
can do that overseas on religious buildings, certainly we can do
that in recognition of our own people here." He asked for
details related to the large painting on the wall of the House
State Affairs Standing Committee room, to which Ms. Propes had
previously referred.
8:24:47 AM
MS. PROPES said the painting depicts "the original signing."
She continued:
It was quite an ordeal getting Congress to pass it,
and then they didn't pay for it, which was on Seward's
Day ... when it passed. ... They finally signed in
the middle of the night, because I think that he was
nervous when they finally had the agreement. And so,
this symbolizes the actual signing of the document
that transferred.
8:25:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE ISAACSON indicated he had just been informed that
there was information about the painting just below it on the
wall.
8:26:05 AM
MS. PROPES, in response to Chair Lynn, reiterated that this
painting in the room was a copy of the original, which the board
had arranged to borrow for [2017].
8:26:42 AM
CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining that there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony.
8:26:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to report SCR 17 out of committee
with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal
note. There being no objection, SCR 17 moved out of the House
State Affairs Standing Committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 01 SCR17 - Legislation - Version 28-LS1452N.pdf |
HSTA 4/3/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SCR 17 |
| 02 SCR17 - Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HSTA 4/3/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SCR 17 |
| 03 SCR17 - Fiscal Note.pdf |
HSTA 4/3/2014 8:00:00 AM |
SCR 17 |