Legislature(2013 - 2014)HOUSE FINANCE 519
02/20/2013 01:30 PM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmations: Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority Board of Trustees | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE
February 20, 2013
1:36 p.m.
1:36:08 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Austerman called the House Finance Committee
meeting to order at 1:36 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Alan Austerman, Co-Chair
Representative Bill Stoltze, Co-Chair
Representative Mark Neuman, Vice-Chair
Representative Mia Costello
Representative Bryce Edgmon
Representative Les Gara
Representative Lindsey Holmes
Representative Scott Kawasaki, Alternate
Representative Cathy Munoz
Representative Steve Thompson
Representative Tammie Wilson
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative David Guttenberg
ALSO PRESENT
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
Paula Easley, Trustee Mental Health Authority; Russell
Webb, Trustee Mental Health Authority;
SUMMARY
^CONFIRMATIONS: ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH TRUST AUTHORITY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Paula Easley, Anchorage
Russell Webb, Anchorage
1:38:20 PM
PAULA EASLEY, TRUSTEE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY (via
teleconference), testified to her intention to seek more
accurate statewide data regarding beneficiary needs and
services so that trustees could make the best decisions for
allocating trust resources and fro funding recommendations.
She stated that within the next year the legislature would
have a clearer picture of the mental health need around the
state. She asserted that the trustees were aware that the
cost of behavioral health services would only increase due
to potential Affordable Care Act requirements and
population growth. She said that intensive efforts to
generate long-term revenues from trust lands and natural
resources would continue to be a major focus. She felt that
the trust office was performing better than ever and was
making long rage plans to insure that funding for future
needs was in place. She noted that the trust was
experiencing a rapid growth in the senior population, which
was the most costly of all age groups.
1:40:59 PM
Representative Gara appreciated the past work done by Ms.
Easley and the relationship he and she had cultivated. He
wondered whether the trust could receive royalties from
Cook Inlet gas leases.
Ms. Easley stated that the trust was working on getting
natural gas leases. She said that if anything could be
done, the trust land office was doing it. She said that the
trust was optimistic with the exploration that was
currently occurring.
Representative Gara asked if the trust currently had Cook
Inlet gas leases.
Ms. Easley stated yes.
Representative Gara noted that the state was struggling
with whether or not to accept the Affordable Care Act
provision on federal funding to expand Medicaid. He asked
if the trust had an opinion on the matter.
Ms. Easley responded that she was looking into the issue.
She stated that the amount of information on both sides was
overwhelming. She felt that at this point the trust would
lean towards supporting the expansion. She added that on a
personal level she was seldom a fan of federal government
operation, she believed that the best services could be
rendered closest to the people who would benefit from them.
She hoped that the state would make the most effective
decision. She believed that there was considerable research
being done on the issue.
1:44:42 PM
Representative Gara stated that she had his vote.
Representative Holmes appreciated the work of the board.
She discussed the Long House issue and how her district was
going to deal with housing people with mental illness or
chronic substance abuse. She shared that similar projects
had been completed in a piecemeal manner and encouraged the
trust to have more community conversations concerning how
to house people.
1:46:21 PM
Ms. Easley stated that she would be happy to accommodate.
1:46:46 PM
RUSSELL WEBB, TRUSTEE MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY (via
teleconference), testified that the trust was making a
serious effort to develop resources in order to build
principal and increase the spendable income of the trust.
He believed that the trust land office in the best shape he
had ever witnessed. He shared that the trust was working to
develop its resources. He noted the gas leases in Cook
Inlet, multiple mining and mineral development leases, gold
leases in the Fairbanks area and coal leases in other areas
of the state. He admitted that none of the leases were
without controversy but they hold a potential opportunity
that the trustees could not ignore. He understood that the
trust would be the largest contributor to services for
trust beneficiaries, but he hoped to focus trust resources
on the problems that were significant in the impact to the
state, predominately housing.
1:50:27 PM
Representative Gara offered appreciation for Mr. Webb's
work with the trust. He hoped that the trust would look
into spreading some of the services around the city of
Anchorage, rather than containing them to areas where land
prices were low. He understood the benefit of providing
"wet" housing, but urged the trust to keep those
establishments out of neighborhoods.
Mr. Webb appreciated the comment. He stated that his work
with various entities required different tactics. He opined
that housing for the people served by the trust was
unwelcome in virtually any neighborhood. He said that the
challenge of the trust was to try to find appropriate
housing for the people it served, while respecting the
desires of the community. He shared that the difficulty was
finding ways of developing housing that was less
concentrated. He understood that people in communities were
concerned about potentially dangerous problems. He assured
the committee that the trust was sensitive to locations for
the housing projects. He relayed that he lived in Downtown
Anchorage and encountered the mentally ill on a daily basis
as he walked the trail system.
1:55:09 PM
Representative Gara stated that one of the areas that the
trust held a coal lease was in the Chuitna Coal Mine area,
which would tear up 17 miles of salmon stream and replace
it in 30 years. He hopes that Mr. Webb would exert any
control he had over the development of the project in order
to limit the environmental devastation.
1:56:08 PM
Mr. Webb was aware of and shared some of the concerns. He
reminded the committee that he retained a different role as
a trustee than he had in his private life. He assured the
committee that the trust was attempting to be sensitive to
the larger community as resources were developed. He
offered that none of the members of the board were mining
experts. He stressed that the trustees were eager to listen
to the concerns that people brought for the as resource
development work progressed. He said that the trust had the
responsibility to address the concerns to the best of its
abilities.
1:57:42 PM
Ms. Easley interjected that the state requirements during
the regulatory process required the most stringent
restrictions on impact to the residents and businesses in
the area of the Chuitna Coal Mine. She believed that the
regulatory process was reasonable and was confident that
the involved departments would do everything in their power
to ensure that people were protected.
1:59:02 PM
Co-Chair Stoltze queried the growing demographic of people
with autism and drug addiction. He wondered how Mr. Webb
would prioritize funding.
Mr. Webb replied that he focused on those with the greatest
need. He thought that the assistance should go to the most
vulnerable. He saw alcohol as an issue with the longest and
most severe impact on the state both directly and
indirectly. He believed that getting ahead of the curve
regarding domestic violence and child abuse should be a
priority. He advocated for focusing resources on those
problems that caused the state the most profound
difficulties.
2:03:00 PM
Ms. Easley agreed with Mr. Webb. She said that the impacts
of substance abuse were could be found across the board.
She thought that the focus should be on prevention. She
expressed concern at the lack of available jobs in the
places where they were needed. She noted that people felt
more dignified when they could provide for their families.
She advocated for opportunities, particularly in rural
areas, for jobs in the natural resource industry. She
opined that the sense of hopelessness felt from being
unemployed set the stage for domestic violence and
substance abuse.
2:06:36 PM
Co-Chair Stoltze appreciated the comments. He noted that
Representative Wilson had joined the meeting.
Representative Munoz asked about the development plan for
the sub-port land in Downtown Juneau.
Ms. Easley stated that an attempt to develop the land had
yet to work out. She said that plans for the land had been
placed on hold for the time being.
Co-Chair Stoltze thanked the trustees for their service.
2:09:05 PM
Ms. Easley noted that the trust had been focusing on the
employment of beneficiaries. She reiterated that when the
economy was thriving there would be more opportunities for
trust beneficiaries to become employed.
Co-Chair Stoltze stated that the committee could not block
a confirmation.
Representative Costello MOVED that the names of Paula Easly
and Russel Webb be forwarded from the House Finance
Committee as reconfirmations to the Alaska Mental Health
Board of Trustees on February 20, 2013.
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
Co-Chair Stoltze discussed housekeeping.
Vice-Chair Neuman stated that budget subcommittee overviews
were complete.
Co-Chair Stoltze further discussed housekeeping.
2:13:26 PM
Representative Kawasaki queried when a list of invited
testimony for the February 21, 2013 meeting would be
available.
Co-Chair Stoltze said tomorrow.
Vice-Chair Neuman stated that the invited testimony for HB
24 would include a representative from the National Rifle
association.
Representative Gara spoke to the invited testimony. He
hoped that the testimony would be as balanced as possible.
Co-Chair Stoltze believed that there would be vigorous
debated from both sides.
Co-Chair Stoltze reminded the committee that it would be
the first hearing of the legislation.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 2:16 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|