04/26/2001 07:49 AM Senate 013

HB  13-MUNICIPAL SERVICE AREAS                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR BUNDE announced  that the only order  of business before                                                               
the committee  would be HOUSE  BILL NO.  13, "An Act  relating to                                                               
municipal service areas  and providing for voter  approval of the                                                               
formation, alteration, or abolishment  of certain service areas."                                                               
[Before  the   committee  are  CSSSHB  13(JUD)   and  SCS  CSSSHB
(RLS).]                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR BUNDE  informed the  committee that  it is  charged with                                                               
obtaining agreement on  HB 13, which led  to discussion involving                                                               
an  amendment.    This  amendment   would  require  a  conference                                                               
committee with limited powers of  free conference.  After talking                                                               
with Tam  Cook, Director, Legal  and Research  Services Division,                                                               
Legislative Affairs Agency, it was  determined that the committee                                                               
can  request  limited  powers  of free  conference  and  make  an                                                               
agreement pending those powers being granted.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR BUNDE pointed out that the amendment is as follows:                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 29, following "tax zone":                                                                                     
         Insert "that exceed the amount that would have                                                                         
          otherwise been levied"                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
That  language  means  that the  differential  taxes  would  stay                                                               
within the  zone where they  were levied.   He asked if  that was                                                               
clear to the committee.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 0163                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT  related his understanding that  the intent is                                                               
that  taxes generated  boroughwide are  accounted for  separately                                                               
and on top of that there are  service areas that have a mill rate                                                               
that  is service  areawide  and accounted  for  separately.   The                                                               
differential zone would be one  more that would also be accounted                                                               
for separately.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR   BUNDE   explained  that   the   money   raised  in   a                                                               
[differential zone]  beyond the basic  rate would remain  in that                                                               
[differential zone] and wouldn't be used elsewhere.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 0253                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  THERRIAULT  moved  that the  committee  request  limited                                                               
powers of  free conference.   Contingent upon those  powers being                                                               
granted,  the  committee  [agreed]  it would  adopt  the  amended                                                               
language  mentioned  earlier.    There being  no  objection,  the                                                               
motion carried.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  BUNDE   instructed  committee   members  to   sign  the                                                               
following  forms:     one  requesting  limited   powers  of  free                                                               
conference  with the  aforementioned contingency,  one requesting                                                               
[limited  powers  of  free conference],  and  one  adopting  [the                                                               
aforementioned amendment] in case it is needed.