Legislature(2011 - 2012)BUTROVICH 205
04/14/2011 03:00 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR24 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HJR 24 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
April 14, 2011
3:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Donald Olson, Chair
Senator Thomas Wagoner
Senator Johnny Ellis
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Albert Kookesh
Senator Linda Menard
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 24
Urging the United States Congress to reauthorize the Secure
Rural Schools and Communities Self-Determination Act of 2000.
- MOVED HJR 24 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HJR 24
SHORT TITLE: SUPPORT FED. FOREST LAND REVENUE SHARING
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) P.WILSON
03/25/11 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/25/11 (H) CRA
04/08/11 (H) CRA RPT 4DP
04/08/11 (H) DP: FOSTER, SADDLER, GARDNER, MUNOZ
04/08/11 (H) CRA AT 8:30 AM BARNES 124
04/08/11 (H) Moved Out of Committee
04/08/11 (H) MINUTE(CRA)
04/11/11 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
04/11/11 (H) VERSION: HJR 24
04/12/11 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/12/11 (S) CRA
04/14/11 (S) CRA AT 3:00 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY WILSON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HJR 24.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:00:26 PM
CHAIR DONALD OLSON called the Senate Community and Regional
Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. Present
at the call to order were Senators Ellis, Wagoner, and Chair
Olson.
HJR 24-SUPPORT FED. FOREST LAND REVENUE SHARING
3:00:41 PM
CHAIR OLSON announced the consideration of HJR 24.
3:00:54 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PEGGY WILSON, sponsor of HJR 24, said that this
resolution urges Congress and the President to reauthorize the
Secure Rural Schools [and Community Self-Determination] Act
(SRSCA) and honor an agreement made in 1908. She explained that
the federal government historically shared 25 percent of the
annual income earned from national forest receipts with states
for distribution among local communities located within the
national forest for schools and roads. [This was in response to
local governments' concern about the loss of property tax
revenue when public domain lands were withdrawn from private
ownership to create national forests.] The federal government
has steadily decreased payments through the SRSCA over the years
even though these forest communities continue to have the same
needs as they did initially. They are surrounded by national
forest and thus lack the ability to utilize the land to create
revenue locally.
Forty two states and Puerto Rico receive payments from the SRSCA
including thirty three [Alaska] communities and the State of
Alaska. Last year $16 million was distributed statewide
primarily for schools but also for the Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF). Local school
districts, the National Forest Counties & Schools Coalition, the
Western Governors' Association, and at least 29 senators and 69
congressmen, including the Alaska delegation support
reauthorization of the SRSCA.
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON said Alaska needs to send a strong
message that the secure rural schools program should continue at
a level that will sustain forest communities that are able to
generate little or no tax revenue.
CHAIR OLSON asked if anyone opposes the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON replied she was not aware of any
opposition.
CHAIR OLSON asked if the federal government was interested in
continuing this 1908 agreement.
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON replied funding to reauthorize the
SRSCA is in the 2012 budget but the allocation decreases every
year.
3:04:51 PM
SENATOR WAGONER asked if there is still some contention between
cities and boroughs about the division of the funds.
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON surmised that the issue had been resolved
because she'd heard nothing about it this time.
CHAIR OLSON asked if any strings are attached to the federal
funds other than that they're to be used for schools and roads.
REPRESENTATIVE WILSON answered yes; some of the funds are
allocated to Resource Advisory Councils (RAC) for use in the
forest itself on existing improvements like trails or cabins.
The amount that is allocated to RACs changes depending on the
administration, but the local community has a say as to what
will be improved.
3:06:48 PM
CHAIR OLSON asked how much money each community receives.
REPRESERNTATIVE P. WILSON said it depends on the amount of
forest in the area but in the last distribution Kenai received
$645,000; Valdez received $2.2 million; Cordova received $1.2
million; the Southeast Alaska School District received $373,000;
Chatham School District received $415,000; Anchorage received
$104,563; MatSu received $32,000; the City of Pelican received
$38,000; and Port Alexander received $5,000.
CHAIR OLSON commented that it's a fair amount of money. Finding
no further questions or public testimony, he asked for a motion.
3:08:18 PM
SENATOR WAGONER moved to report HJR 24, version M, from
committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal
note(s).
CHAIR OLSON announced that without objection, HJR 24 moved from
the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.
3:08:42 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Olson adjourned the Senate Community and Regional Affairs
Standing Committee at 3:08 a.m.
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