Legislature(1993 - 1994)
02/15/1993 01:30 PM House FIN
| Audio | Topic |
|---|
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE
February 15, 1993
1:30 P.M.
TAPE HFC 93 - 22, Side 2, #000 - #547.
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Ron Larson called the meeting of the House Finance
Committee to order at 1:30 P.M.
PRESENT
Co-Chair Larson Representative Therriault
Co-Chair MacLean Representative Foster
Vice-Chair Hanley Representative Martin
Representative Navarre Representative Parnell
Representatives Hoffman, Grussendorf and Brown were not
present for the meeting.
ALSO PRESENT
Larry LaBolle, Chief of Staff, Representative Foster;
Representative Irene Nicholia; Duane Guiley, Director,
Education Finance and Support Services, Department of
Education.
SUMMARY INFORMATION
HB 45 An Act making appropriations to the Department of
Education for support of kindergarten, primary,
and secondary education and community schools
programs and for school construction debt
retirement; and providing for an effective date.
HB 45 was held in Committee for further
discussion.
HB 90 An Act making corrective amendments to the Alaska
Statutes as recommended by the revisor of
statutes; and providing for an effective date.
HB 90 was reported out of Committee with a "do
pass" recommendation and with a zero fiscal note by
the Legislative Affairs Agency dated 2/03/93.
HB 146 An Act making a special appropriation to the
1
Department of Law to pay a judgment entered into
in the case of Southeast Conference v. Hickel; and
providing for an effective date.
HB 146 was reported out of Committee with
"individual recommendations".
HOUSE BILL 90
"An Act making corrective amendments to the Alaska
Statutes as recommended by the revisor of statutes; and
providing for an effective date."
Representative Navarre MOVED to report HB 90 out of
Committee with individual recommendations and with the
accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTIONS, it was
so ordered.
HB 90 was reported out of Committee with a "do pass"
recommendation and with a zero fiscal note by Legislative
Affairs Agency dated 2/03/93.
HOUSE BILL 146
"An Act making a special appropriation to the
Department of Law to pay a judgment entered in in the
case of Southeast Conference v. Hickel; and providing
for an effective date."
Co-Chair MacLean MOVED to report HB 146 out of Committee
with individual recommendations.
Representative Hanley asked if the recommended change which
had been previously discussed was incorporated into the
legislation. Representative Navarre replied the numbers had
not been changed. The court judgement was the amount listed
in the proposed legislation.
Representative Therriault questioned if the amount of
interest accrued would lock the Legislature into an
overpayment. It was noted that the Department of Law would
need to address any technical changes.
There being NO OBJECTIONS to the motion, it was so ordered.
HB 146 was reported out of Committee with "individual
recommendations".
HOUSE BILL 45
2
"An Act making appropriations to the Department of
Education for support of kindergarten, primary, and
secondary education and community schools programs and
for school construction debt retirement; and providing
for an effective date."
Representative Foster provided the Committee with Amendment
$3,372.0 million dollars to the single site schools.
[Attachment #1].
LARRY LA BOLLE, CHIEF OF STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE FOSTER,
stated the amendment would allocate an appropriation to the
twenty-one single site districts and indicate the
distribution of the allocation. He pointed out that
Amendment #1 was supplied from information from last year.
He distributed to the Committee the updated information
[Attachment #2] which reduces the proposed amendment by
$14.5 thousand dollars.
Co-Chair Larson asked if the Aleutian Region had a dual site
status and inquired if that district would be included in
the proposed amendment. Mr. LaBolle noted that last year
the Aleutian Region received $49.6 thousand dollars in
funding.
Representative Hanley suggested that the amendment be
technically redrafted to reflect the additional $3 million
dollar funding sources. Co-Chair Larson explained the bill
would be further discussed in Committee. A proposed C.S.
would be drafted incorporating the updated information from
the Department of Education.
Representative Martin asked if the sponsor of the bill had
contacted the HESS Committee which is reviewing the
Governor's bill which addresses the single site formula.
Representative Martin questioned if the single site schools
provide better education as a result of the appropriations.
He felt that the administrative costs were out of balance.
Representative Navarre noted that changing the foundation
program has been discussed for many years and it still has
not happened. He asked if any of the single site school
districts had lobbyists. Representative Foster replied none
of the three which are in his area have a lobbyist.
REPRESENTATIVE IRENE NICHOLIA spoke in favor of the proposed
amendment. She explained that Galena and Tanana were in her
district and both need supplemental funding in order to
maintain a basic education program. Last year, Galena lost
their half time principal and five teaching positions.
Additional cuts would seriously jeopardize school programs.
3
Additional funding cuts would affect both in-service
training and travel for teachers and students.
Representative Hanley commented that in the current system
those communities with high administrative costs are being
rewarded. He disagreed with that practice. He expressed
his support of early funding at a unit value of $61 thousand
dollars for the single site school districts.
Representative Martin agreed with Representative Hanley.
Representative Nicholia replied that many of the communities
were not connected by a road. She said this accounts for
the need for superintendents in each single site school
district. The reason the districts chose single site status
was to allow local control in determining how the money is
spent and which teachers are hired. Representative Martin
felt the cost for local control was too high.
Co-Chair Larson provided information regarding some local
school district costs. The average cost for educating a
student in Galena was $17,300 dollars per year whereas in
Hydaburg the average cost was $11,889 dollars per year. He
added that single site school districts allow for
flexibility and local control in the decision making process
although they do increase the administrative costs.
Representative Nicholia pointed out that many of the
teachers were new and consequently were lower on the wage
scale. Co-Chair Larson pointed out that the average
teaching cost in Tanana is $48.435 thousand dollars per year
and in Hydaburg the average cost is $36,394 thousand dollars
per year. The negotiation of teacher costs does affect the
cost of educating each student. Co-Chair Larson asked if
the increase to the instructional unit last year provided an
increase to each school district in the State.
DUANE GUILEY, DIRECTOR, EDUCATION FINANCE AND SUPPORT
SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, replied the Legislature
did approve an increase in unit value last year to $61
thousand dollars. Some school districts in Alaska have
experienced a decrease in overall funding because of federal
support program requirements. This is an issue affecting
many communities in rural Alaska.
HB 45 was HELD in Committee. A draft committee substitute
including Amendment #1 is to be drafted for consideration.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 2:10 P.M.
4
5
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|