Legislature(2003 - 2004)
04/30/2003 05:18 PM House EDT
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TOURISM
April 30, 2003
5:18 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Cheryll Heinze, Chair
Representative Lesil McGuire, Vice Chair
Representative Nancy Dahlstrom
Representative Vic Kohring
Representative Sharon Cissna
Representative Harry Crawford
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Pete Kott
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
OVERVIEW BY THE ANCHORAGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION RE:
PROMOTING ANCHORAGE AS A PLACE TO LIVE AND DO BUSINESS
TAPES
03-11, SIDE(S) A
CHAIR CHERYLL HEINZE convened the meeting of the House Special
Committee on Economic Development, International Trade and
Tourism at 5:18 p.m. Present at the call to order were
Representatives Heinze, Kohring, Cissna, Dahlstrom, and
Crawford. Representative McGuire arrived shortly thereafter.
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION
LARRY CRAWFORD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Anchorage
Economic Development Corporation (AEDC), introduced himself and
provided some background into the achievements and aims of the
corporation. Noting that AEDC is a nonprofit organization whose
aim is to expand and diversify Anchorage's economy, he also said
AEDC members serve as ambassadors to the world to promote
business, travel, and economic development in Alaska.
Mr. Crawford offered compact disks (CDs) containing a PowerPoint
presentation to all members of the committee. He said much of
the "outside world" maintained some misconceptions regarding the
Anchorage airport and the city of Anchorage in general, and that
he felt strongly that it was important to dispel these
misconceptions.
REPRESENTATIVE CISSNA noted that Paul Fuhs had proposed
something regarding Fire Island.
MR. CRAWFORD responded that Fire Island was indeed an asset.
CHAIR HEINZE mentioned that committee members would all like to
travel and promote Alaska, and asked if members of the committee
might be able to have more CDs.
MR. CRAWFORD agreed that AEDC would be happy to provide ample
CDs to the committee in an effort to dispel the common
misconceptions surrounding Alaska as a place to live, visit, and
do business.
CHAIR HEINZE mentioned that the Council of State Governments is
planning to come to Anchorage in the fall of 2003, and suggested
that they also should have copies of the CDs to promote Alaska.
She then asked if AEDC was specifically targeting any areas to
promote Alaskan business.
MR. CRAWFORD responded in the affirmative, stating that Asia is
the number-one focus. He suggested that on their routes to
other locations, flights should be via Anchorage, where they can
easily stop for refueling, thus enabling them to carry a larger
payload.
CHAIR HEINZE responded with the idea that on their return trip
they might carry Alaskan products such as fish and geoducks, and
stated that in the Asian market the demand for geoducks is huge.
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD offered that in the near future, with
the increased use of the Anchorage airport facilities, perhaps
there could be light assembly [manufacturing outfits] in place.
He suggested that if the facilities are built, the business will
come.
MR. CRAWFORD responded that yes, "we" can provide the necessary
goods and services if there is interest. He also mentioned that
66 percent of the Anchorage airport operating dollars come from
air cargo, and that some carriers will use the Fairbanks airport
as well.
CHAIR HEINZE asked if the Anchorage airport subsidizes the
Fairbanks airport.
MR. CRAWFORD responded that the Anchorage airport subsidizes the
Fairbanks airport at approximately $6 million a year.
REPRESENTATIVE McGUIRE mentioned that former Representative
James had once had a bill dealing with the subject of the
airport, and that the governor may be in favor of supporting an
airport commission.
CHAIR HEINZE inquired if there were any nonmilitary warehouses
at the airport at the present time.
MR. CRAWFORD responded that no, at present there are no
nonmilitary warehouse, but given the demand, they could easily
and quickly be put into place.
MITCHELL GRAVO, Lobbyist, stated that this would be a capital-
appropriations issue, and that they had drawn up a letter
addressed to the finance committee that would be distributed to
all Anchorage legislators as well as Matanuska-Susitna
legislators for signature; this letter is a request for funding
for Global Logistics Marketing. Mr. Gravo mentioned that there
have been four phases to the program, and that now they are in
phase four.
REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING asked how much money was being requested,
and what the money would be used for.
MR. CRAWFORD responded that AEDC is funded 40 percent by the
private sector and 60 percent by the public sector; that the
money would go toward funding of AEDC's operations; that in the
four phases, $150,000 was utilized; and that it was expected
that now, in the fourth and final stage, the same sum will be
needed.
REPRESENTATIVE KOHRING asked for an example of some projects
that have proven successful in the past.
MR. CRAWFORD responded that they have been successful in
bringing Fed-Ex and UPS [United Parcel Service] business to
Anchorage.
JOE GRIFFITH, Board Member, Anchorage Economic Development
Corporation, added that in addition to these examples, there is
a small high-tech company of 25 employees, as well as another
small company that employees 19 Alaskans.
CHAIR HEINZE added that the company called Tasty Fries is
looking to the Alaskan seafood industry to do business.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
There were no committee announcements.
COMMITTEE ACTION
The committee took no action.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Economic Development, International Trade
and Tourism meeting was adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
NOTE: The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were
taken. A copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained by
contacting the House Records Office at State Capitol, Room 3,
Juneau, Alaska 99801 (mailing address), (907) 465-2214, and
after adjournment of the second session of the Twenty-Third
Alaska State Legislature this information may be obtained by
contacting the Legislative Reference Library at (907) 465-3808.
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