Legislature(1995 - 1996)
03/13/1995 05:05 PM House MLV
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON
MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
March 13, 1995
5:05 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Ivan M. Ivan, Co-Chairman
Representative Pete Kott, Co-Chairman
Representative Eldon Mulder, Vice-Chairman
Representative Ed Willis
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Richard Foster
Representative Gail Phillips
Representative John Davies
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
* HB 166: "An act making special appropriations to the
Department of Education for construction or
upgrade of schools on military installations:
and providing for an effective date."
PASSED OUT OF COMMITTEE
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE ELDON MULDER
Alaska State Legislature
State Capitol, Room 411
Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182
Telephone: 465-2647
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided sponsor statement
DUANE GUILEY, Director
Division of School Finance
Department of Education
801 W. 10th Street, Suite 200
Juneau, AK 99801-1894
Telephone: 465-2891
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered Questions on HB 166
PREVIOUS ACTION
BILL: HB 166
SHORT TITLE: APPROP: CONSTRUCT/UPGRADE ON-BASE SCHOOLS
SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) MULDER,James,Martin
JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION
02/08/95 273 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S)
02/08/95 273 (H) MLV, HES, FIN
03/13/95 (H) MLV AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 95-5, SIDE A
Number 000
The House Special Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs was
called to order by Co-Chairman Pete Kott at 5:05 p.m. Members
present at the call to order were Representatives Kott, Ivan, Eldon
and Willis. Members absent were Representatives Foster, Phillips
and Davies.
HMLV - 03/13/95
HB 166 - APPROP: CONSTRUCT/UPGRADE ON-BASE SCHOOLS
Number 030
REPRESENTATIVE ELDON MULDER, Sponsor, stated HB 166 appropriates
$6,800,000 (or a lesser amount, contingent upon what the federal
government agrees to match on a dollar for dollar basis) from the
general fund to the Department of Education to fund the
construction of a new elementary school at Eielson Air Force Base.
This school would replace Taylor and Pennell elementaries, which
are too deteriorated for upgrades. In Section 2, HB 166
appropriates $17,700,000 (or a lesser amount, contingent upon what
the federal government agrees to match on a dollar for dollar
basis) from the general fund to the Department of Education to fund
upgrades on the 6 schools remaining on the task force construction
list.
REPRESENTATIVE MULDER said in 1993, the Alaska Legislature
established a Military Schools Task Force. The task force reviewed
maintenance requests, cost estimates and other pertinent
information. The Department of Defense owns the facilities,
partial maintenance funding comes through the U.S. Department of
Education, which grants to the state department of Education, who
then pass the funds to the local school district. The task force
determined the schools should be controlled locally. Prior to
this, the districts want the schools upgraded to meet health and
safety codes. It was determined to cost approximately $49 million
to upgrade all the schools to meet the required codes. Local
school districts cannot bond to secure funding to upgrade the
facilities due to the federal government owning the facilities. In
response to this dilemma, the 1994 legislature passed a resolution
to Congress stating should the posts remain open, Alaska would be
favorable toward a matching funding program. Alaska has received
$7 million from the U.S. Department of Defense with an additional
$20 million appropriation that is currently in the budget. It has
been indicated, Alaska would have priority for $10 million to $12
million providing we match funds. The effected schools that need
to be upgraded include Aurora Elementary, Orion Elementary, Mt.
Spurr Elementary (Elmendorf), Ben Eielson Junior/Senior High School
(Eielson), Ursa Minor Elementary, JF Kennedy Elementary (Fort
Richardson) and replacing Taylor and Pennell with a new facility on
Eielson Air Force Base. HB 166 is a focal point to draw attention
to the problem and to give opportunities for those schools and for
those affected families. It also gives impact back to the
legislature on how important this issue is and places the funding
into the capital budget.
CO-CHAIRMAN PETE KOTT asked if this was a continuation of last
year's proposal?
REPRESENTATIVE MULDER responded last year's proposal was for $52
million, we did receive $3.5 million.
REPRESENTATIVE IVAN asked if the federal allocations were
transferred through the state's Department of Education and what is
the status of that funding?
Number 124
MR. DUANE GUILEY, Director, Division of School Finance, Department
of Education, stated in regards to the recent allocations received
for repair of military schools, each school district is working
directly with the federal agency. The funds received from the
Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Education have been
direct appropriations to the individual school districts. Although
there is an agreement with the districts that Department of
Education will serve as the intermediary, the districts have
requested and are allowed to negotiate directly and independently
of the Department of Education. The impact aid funds which are
available for operation and routine maintenance, do flow through
the state Department of Education based upon a single application
representing Kodiak, Fairbanks and Anchorage school districts.
Impact aid funds are received by the Department of Education, who
allocates the funds to the three school districts and submits a
check within 45 days of receipt of funds. Impact aid funds routine
operation and maintenance where HB 166 addresses capital repairs.
Number 149
CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT asked last year when the appropriation measure was
passed asking for $52 million, we only received $3.5 million from
the federal government and we matched those funds, did the
remaining funds revert back into the general fund?
REPRESENTATIVE MULDER responded we received $7 million from the
federal government. The language in the appropriation bill
designates the funds to be used for upgrades of base schools. Top
priority was given to upgrade Taylor and Pennell elementaries when
actually phasing the school out and building a new school facility
is needed. As the federal appropriation language states upgrade,
the funds could not be used to build a new facility. The state
used half of the funds to upgrade another facility in Anchorage and
hopes to use the remaining funds for the new elementary school at
Eielson.
CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT asked if the remaining $3.5 million dollars in
federal funds is still available?
REPRESENTATIVE MULDER responded the $3.5 million are funds that
have been obligated and will be in addition to other funds that
would be appropriated.
Number 173
MR. GUILEY stated they are anticipating additional funding for
Eielson. The state has provided $600,000 to the Fairbanks school
district for the design of the new Eielson elementary school. They
are awaiting the balance of the funds to be able to construct the
facility.
REPRESENTATIVE IVAN asked if this appropriation bill is anticipated
by the House Finance Committee in the FY 96 capital budget?
REPRESENTATIVE MULDER responded no. Our goal and objective is to
get $10 million in the capital budget, this has been discussed with
the Governor. It is not anticipated to be a major component in the
capital budget. If we can get partial funding to match the federal
dollars, Senator Stevens believes the process can be continued.
Operated under local school districts and owned by the federal
government, these facilities never received continued upgrading.
Consequently, the facilities deteriorated causing possible safety
and health hazards.
CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT asked as this is an appropriation bill, does it
require a fiscal note?
REPRESENTATIVE MULDER responded no, the fiscal note is the amount
included at the top of the bill.
Number 236
REPRESENTATIVE ED WILLIS made a motion to move HB 166 out of
committee with individual recommendations.
CO-CHAIRMAN KOTT asked if there were any objections. Hearing none,
the motion passed.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the House Special
Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, Co-Chairman Kott
adjourned the meeting at 5:17 p.m.
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