Legislature(2005 - 2006)BELTZ 211
03/06/2006 01:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
Audio | Topic |
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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 246-APPROP TO REVENUE SHARING FUND 2:45:04 PM CHAIR BERT STEDMAN announced SB 246 to be up for consideration. He asked Senator Gary Stevens to introduce the committee- sponsored bill. SENATOR GARY STEVENS explained that SB 246 and SB 247 are related. SB 246 makes a $28 million appropriation from the Alaska Capital Income Fund ("Amerada Hess") and places it in the Revenue Sharing Fund. The bill is the result of work done by the Advisory Commission on Local Government and would only become effective if SB 247 is passed. SB 247 establishes the Revenue Sharing Fund and it will provide a sustainable source of funding to be shared with local governments on a long-term and predictable basis. CHAIR STEDMAN asked if the Alaska Capital Income Fund source is loosely referred to as Amerada Hess. SENATOR GARY STEVENS said yes; income from the Amerada Hess would provide the annual $28 million appropriation. CHAIR STEDMAN clarified that Amerada Hess funds are held inside the Alaska Permanent Fund but aren't figured into the dividend calculation. Last year the Legislature used income from Amerada Hess and this proposal is another use for the ongoing income stream generated from those funds. SENATOR GARY STEVENS added the key is that the funds are renewable because communities really won't benefit if revenue sharing isn't available on an ongoing basis. CHAIR STEDMAN opened public comment. 2:48:19 PM KEVIN RICHIE, Executive Director, Alaska Municipal League (AML), thanked the advisory commission for its hard work and stated support for using Amerada Hess funds as at least one source for sustainable revenue sharing. 2:49:15 PM TIM JOYCE, Mayor of Cordova, testified in support of some mechanism to provide for sustainable revenue sharing for Alaskan communities because many have had a tough time since revenue sharing was eliminated. He opined that it would require more than the Amerada Hess appropriation to make the contribution meaningful. CHAIR STEDMAN asked testifiers to hold their comments to the funding source. 2:51:11 PM ELAINE PRICE, Projects Manager for the City of Coffman Cove, said she wanted to testify on SB 247, but she would like the funding source to be from Amerada Hess or whatever means is necessary to provide revenue sharing to communities. 2:51:40 PM DORIS BAILEY, Assembly Member for the City and Borough of Sitka, offered official support for both SB 246 and SB 247 and stated that revenue sharing is an exceptionally important issue for the municipality. 2:52:27 PM PAT PORTER, Mayor for the City of Kenai, encouraged support for both SB 246 and SB 247. She advised that this isn't Kenai's real choice for a bill, but it's a good beginning. 2:53:16 PM DAVE TRANTHAM, JR., Alaska Municipal League Representative from District 9 testified from Bethel in support of using Amerada Hess funding for municipal revenue sharing. 2:54:42 PM KARL SHORT, Finance Director for the Kodiak Island Borough, testified in support of SB 246, which establishes funding for revenue sharing. He reported that since 1986 costs to the borough have skyrocketed. CHAIR STEDMAN announced he would hold SB 246 in committee.
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