Legislature(2005 - 2006)BELTZ 211
03/06/2006 01:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB193 | |
| SB291 | |
| SB246 | |
| SB247 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 193 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 291 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 247 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 246 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 193-DEFERRAL OF MUNICIPAL PROPERTY TAXES
CHAIR BERT STEDMAN announced SB 193 to be up for consideration.
He asked for a motion to adopt the \F Version committee
substitute (CS).
SENATOR GARY STEVENS moved \F Version CS for SB 193.
CHAIR STEDMAN objected for explanation purposes. He asked the
sponsor, Senator Bunde, to come forward.
1:34:16 PM
SENATOR CON BUNDE, Sponsor of SB 193, registered objection to
the \F Version CS. He stated that the original bill focused on
deferral of property taxes for people who were having financial
emergencies. Version F provides an expansion that neither he nor
the co-sponsors expected. Certainly the added subject is worthy
of a separate bill, he said, but in his view the changes don't
fall within the purview of SB 193 as originally conceived.
CHAIR STEDMAN clarified that the amendment excludes the
residences of an educator in a private religious or parochial
school from paying property tax when the organization owns the
property.
SENATOR JOHNNY ELLIS asked whose idea it was to change the bill
contrary to the sponsor's wishes.
CHAIR STEDMAN replied he brought the amendment to the committee.
SENATOR ELLIS asked if he had discussed the change with the
sponsor.
CHAIR STEDMAN responded he had discussed the change and the
sponsor expressed his dissatisfaction.
SENATOR ELLIS stated that the committee could introduce a bill
to accomplish the goal of the CS and doing so would avoid the
current awkward conflict among majority members.
SENATOR BUNDE responded it's within the committee's purview to
change bills and he took no personal umbrage. However, he didn't
believe the change falls within the scope of the original bill
and suggested it could inhibit passage.
SENATOR STEDMAN noted that the next committee of referral was
the Finance Committee.
SENATOR BUNDE commented the bill has a way to go and bills have
a way of changing during the process.
SENATOR ELLIS asked about the fiscal note.
CHAIR STEDMAN replied the fiscal note is zero because the fiscal
impact would be at the municipal level.
SENATOR BUNDE pointed out that the original bill was a local
option and the religious exemption is mandatory in the \F
Version.
1:38:58 PM
MARTY McGEE, Assessor for the Municipality of Anchorage,
reported that he hadn't seen the amendments so he couldn't
comment on them. His concern with the original bill relates to
the potential cost to other taxpayers. He suggested the bill
should address the issue of unrealized interest on the deferred
taxes because the impact could be very different in the various
taxing jurisdictions.
SENATOR THOMAS WAGONER noted that the bill is a local option and
judging from the previous testimony, he'd assume that the
Municipality of Anchorage wouldn't adopt the ordinance.
MR. McGEE said the assembly would make that decision, but it
would also have to address the problems associated with the
current version.
SENATOR ELLIS asked if the CRA staff could fax Mr. McGee a copy
of the CS.
CHAIR STEDMAN responded a copy should be available in the
Anchorage LIO, but he would call on Mr. McGee again at the end
of the public testimony to get his comments on the CS.
1:41:28 PM
SCOTT BRANDT-ERICHSEN, Ketchikan Gateway Borough Attorney, said
his comments related to the work he does as the borough
attorney, which is to collect real property tax for the borough
and the City of Ketchikan on an annual basis. Although he hadn't
seen a copy of the CS, his comments would probably apply to
both.
Points that need clarification include: how the tax liens would
be recorded to protect the municipality; whether a surviving
spouse would immediately be subject to tax repayment; and
whether all back taxes would be due if an individual no longer
qualified for the deferral.
CHAIR STEDMAN advised that the bill had two previous public
hearings and the next referral is to the Finance Committee.
1:45:58 PM
KARL SHORT, Finance Director of the Kodiak Island Borough,
testified that his conflict with the bill is that if a
homeowners financial situation changes, the deferred tax still
isn't collectable until the property is sold. He suggested that
it would be reasonable to have some sort of trigger for a
repayment schedule if the person is no longer in financial
difficulty. He agreed with previous testimony regarding the tax
lien so it's clear that taxes are outstanding against the
property.
1:46:44 PM
SENATOR STEDMAN removed his objection to adopting the F Version
CS for SB 193.
SENATOR ELLIS objected.
CHAIR STEDMAN asked the clerk to call the roll.
Version F CS for SB 193 was adopted with Senator Gary Stevens,
Senator Wagoner and Chair Stedman voting yea and Senator Ellis
and Senator Kookesh voting nay.
CHAIR STEDMAN asked for a motion to move the bill from
committee.
1:47:50 PM
SENATOR GARY STEVENS motioned to report CSSB 193(CRA) and
attached fiscal notes from committee with individual
recommendations.
1:48:04 PM
SENATOR ELLIS objected and asked the Chair whether he though the
committee substitute had gotten an adequate hearing. He wasn't
clear about what happened, but this big change came as quite a
surprise and it isn't even in alignment with the sponsor. In
conclusion he said this is an amazing way to conduct business.
CHAIR STEDMAN responded he could understand his concern, but the
bill had been heard three times. The committee was backed up in
its work and he was finding it difficult to get a quorum for
meetings. He recognized that this is a change, but the bill
would have further hearing at the Finance Committee.
SENATOR ELLIS responded there are lots of important things
happening in the building.
CHAIR STEDMAN asked if there was objection to the motion to move
the bill.
SENATOR ELLIS maintained his objection and continued to say:
I don't think the Community and Regional Affairs
Committee has done an adequate job or done its job on
your latest version of the bill. If you're
representing to us that what the CRA Committee should
have done will happen in the Finance Committee, I hope
that's the case, but this committee ought to do its
job is my opinion.
SENATOR ELLIS added that he would hope that the Alaska Municipal
League could comment on the new version.
1:49:52 PM
CHAIR STEDMAN called on Mr. McGee from Anchorage.
MR. McGEE said the Legislative Affairs Office (LIO) in Anchorage
hadn't received a copy of the new version.
At ease at 1:50:18 PM
CHAIR STEDMAN announced he would hold SB 193 in committee until
the following meeting.
SENATOR ELLIS asked the Chair to find out why the Anchorage LIO
didn't receive a copy of the proposed CS.
CHAIR STEDMAN agreed to do so.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|