03/25/2019 05:00 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

          SJR  6-CONST AM:APPROP. LIMIT; RESERVE FUND                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
5:03:05 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  SHOWER   announced  the  consideration  of   SENATE  JOINT                                                               
RESOLUTION  NO. 6,  Proposing amendments  to the  Constitution of                                                               
the State of Alaska relating  to an appropriation limit; relating                                                               
to the budget  reserve fund and establishing  the savings reserve                                                               
fund; and relating to the permanent fund.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
He stated that  the purpose of the meeting is  to continue public                                                               
testimony.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:03:44 PM                                                                                                                    
LILA JENSEN, representing self, Anchorage,  stated that she is an                                                               
Alaska Native and  lifelong Alaskan. She said she  supports SJR 6                                                               
and a  spending cap to  ensure there is  money in the  future for                                                               
our children.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
5:04:39 PM                                                                                                                    
MIKE  LITZOW,  representing  self,  Kodiak,  stated  that  he  is                                                               
speaking  in opposition  to SJR  6 because  it would  effectively                                                               
short-circuit the  democratic process by curtailing  the power of                                                               
the voters in  just one direction. He said it  would allow budget                                                               
cuts but  would then lock  those cuts  in place, which  is beyond                                                               
the democratic  process. For example,  if a legislature  passed a                                                               
budget  that  failed to  meet  the  constitutional obligation  of                                                               
education,  voters would  be unable  to reverse  that policy.  He                                                               
opined that that puts policy  disagreements beyond the democratic                                                               
process and  as such  the proposal to  amend the  constitution is                                                               
fundamentally  undemocratic. He  urged the  members to  set aside                                                               
their individual views on the  policy implications, recognize the                                                               
anti-democratic aspect of the proposal, and reject it as such.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:05:54 PM                                                                                                                    
LINN MCCABE, representing self, Big  Lake, stated support for SJR
 that,  if passed by  the voters, would cap  government spending                                                               
and create  a savings  plan for  Alaska. It is  time to  stop the                                                               
practice of  not knowing how  much will  be spent each  year, she                                                               
said.  She  reported that  when  the  governor returned  from  an                                                               
energy meeting in Texas, he  advised that resource developers are                                                               
reluctant to commit to Alaska  because they don't know what taxes                                                               
to expect when  the budget has a shortfall and  they are expected                                                               
to  fill it.  She  emphasized the  need for  a  spending cap  and                                                               
reiterated her support for SJR 6.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
5:07:19 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
5:25:15 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  SHOWER  reconvened  the meeting.  Finding  no  others  who                                                               
wished  to comment,  he closed  public  testimony and  encouraged                                                               
written         testimony         be         submitted         to                                                               
senate.state.affairs@akleg.gov.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
[SJR 6 was held in committee.]