03/22/2012 03:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB131 | |
| SB225 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 131 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 225 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
March 22, 2012
3:45 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Donald Olson, Chair
Senator Thomas Wagoner
Senator Linda Menard
Senator Johnny Ellis
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Albert Kookesh
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 131(TRA) AM
"An Act establishing the Alaska Community and Public
Transportation Advisory Board and relating to a long-range
community and public transportation plan; and providing for an
effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
SENATE BILL NO. 225
"An Act creating the endow Alaska grant program in the
Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to
encourage community development."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 131
SHORT TITLE: COMMUNITY AND TRANSPORTATION ADV. BOARD
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) MUNOZ
01/28/11 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/28/11 (H) TRA, FIN
03/15/11 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 17
03/15/11 (H) Heard & Held
03/15/11 (H) MINUTE(TRA)
03/22/11 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 17
03/22/11 (H) Moved CSHB 131(TRA) Out of Committee
03/22/11 (H) MINUTE(TRA)
03/23/11 (H) TRA RPT CS(TRA) 4DP 3NR
03/23/11 (H) DP: MUNOZ, PETERSEN, GRUENBERG,
P.WILSON
03/23/11 (H) NR: JOHNSON, FEIGE, PRUITT
04/14/11 (H) FIN RPT CS(TRA) 10DP
04/14/11 (H) DP: GUTTENBERG, T.WILSON, GARA, JOULE,
NEUMAN, COSTELLO, EDGMON, DOOGAN,
04/14/11 (H) STOLTZE, THOMAS
04/14/11 (H) FIN AT 8:30 AM HOUSE FINANCE 519
04/14/11 (H) Moved CSHB 131(TRA) Out of Committee
04/14/11 (H) MINUTE(FIN)
04/14/11 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM HOUSE FINANCE 519
04/14/11 (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
01/27/12 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
01/27/12 (H) VERSION: CSHB 131(TRA) AM
01/30/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/30/12 (S) TRA, CRA
02/09/12 (S) TRA AT 1:00 PM BUTROVICH 205
02/09/12 (S) Moved CSHB 131(TRA) am Out of
Committee
02/09/12 (S) MINUTE(TRA)
02/10/12 (S) TRA RPT 4DP
02/10/12 (S) DP: KOOKESH, THOMAS, MENARD, HUGGINS
02/22/12 (S) FIN REFERRAL ADDED AFTER CRA
03/22/12 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
BILL: SB 225
SHORT TITLE: ESTABLISH ENDOW ALASKA GRANT PROGRAM
SPONSOR(s): COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
03/14/12 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/14/12 (S) CRA, FIN
03/22/12 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
WITNESS REGISTER
TERRY HARVEY, Staff
Representative Cathy Munoz
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced HB 131 on behalf of the sponsor.
JEFFERY OTTESEN, Director
Division of Program Development
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported on HB 131.
ANDRA NATIONS, representing herself
Wasilla, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 131.
PAT BRANSON, Director
Kodiak Senior Center
Kodiak, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 131.
MARIE DARLIN, Coordinator
Association of American Retired Persons (AARP)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 131.
DENISE DANIELLO, Executive Director
Alaska Commission on Aging
Department of Health and Social Services
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 131.
REPRESENTATIVE CATHY MUNOZ
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 131.
SYDNEY SEAY, Staff
Senator Donald Olson
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Introduced SB 225 on behalf of the CRA
Committee.
Erin Harrington, Staff
Representative Allan Austerman
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions regarding SB 225.
SCOTT RUBY, Director
Division of Community and Regional Affairs
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions related to SB 225.
CANDACE WINKLER, President and CEO
Alaska Community Foundation
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 225.
DIANE KAPLAN, President
Rasmuson Foundation
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 225.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:45:56 PM
CHAIR DONALD OLSON called the Senate Community and Regional
Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:45 p.m. Present
at the call to order were Senators Wagoner, Ellis and Chair
Olson. Senator Menard arrived soon thereafter.
HB 131-COMMUNITY AND TRANSPORTATION ADV. BOARD
3:46:21 PM
CHAIR OLSON announced the consideration of HB 131.
3:46:26 PM
TERRY HARVEY, Staff for Representative Cathy Munoz, Alaska State
Legislature, introduced HB 131 speaking to the following sponsor
statement:
House Bill 131 creates an Alaska Community and Public
Transportation Advisory Board, which will assist in
the development and procedural recommendations for
existing programs of state, federal, and local
agencies that provide community-based transportation
services. Public and community transportation is
integral in connecting communities, supporting
development and serving our most vulnerable
constituent.
The designation of this board is a recommendation from
the Governor's Coordinated Transportation Task Force,
which was released in the February 2010
Recommendations Report. The board will continue
efforts to address public and community transportation
and help fill the gap in transportation for
individuals who require more specialized travel -
senior citizens, low-income individuals, persons with
disabilities, and those who are transit-dependent.
The board will consist of 13 members from departments
within state and local governments, Denali Commission,
Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, nonprofits, and
those with expertise in transportation needs for
senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and
transit-dependent individuals. This broad range of
membership will facilitate communication and
strategies that will benefit communities of all sizes.
HB 131 has support from the Alaska Mobility Coalition,
the Governor's Council on Disabilities and Special
Education, Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug
Abuse, the Alaska Commission on Aging, Alaska Mental
Health Trust Authority, Alaska Brain Injury Network,
and the Alaska Suicide Prevention Council.
3:49:44 PM
SENATOR WAGONER questioned the need to load the advisory board
with commissioners, other than the commissioner of
transportation.
MR. HARVEY said the Governor's task force felt strongly that the
departments of transportation, health and social services and
labor and workforce development have day-to-day dealings with
the 11.4 percent of Alaskans that use coordinated
transportation. He pointed out that the bill gives the
commissioner the discretion to appoint an appropriate designee
to serve on the board.
SENATOR MENARD commented on her advisory board experience,
agreed with Senator Wagoner regarding overloading busy
commissioners with board appointments, and opined that an 11-
member board was more than adequate.
3:54:33 PM
MR. HARVEY explained that the decision to have a 13-member board
was based on the challenges of transportation in the state and
bringing in a broad range of groups that have a stake in
community transportation.
SENATOR MENARD reiterated that smaller boards function better
and are more productive.
MR. HARVEY said he appreciated the comments.
SENATOR WAGONER suggested that the board could ask the
departments to send an expert to provide input on a particular
agenda item when it was appropriate. He expressed concern about
the time away from work and travel costs to attend meetings.
3:58:08 PM
CHAIR OLSON asked if other states have similar transportation
advisory boards and if they are successful.
MR. HARVEY answered that many states have this type of advisory
board. He deferred to Mr. Ottesen for details.
CHAIR OLSON asked which area of the state the board would
primarily serve.
MR. HARVEY answered that there are coordinated transportation
operations throughout the state. The idea is that all areas of
the state would be represented.
CHAIR OLSON asked how he could access the coordinated
transportation system in Ketchikan.
MR. HARVEY answered that Ketchikan has a public bus system, a
senior service system, and a disabilities agency that offers
transportation.
CHAIR OLSON asked about Kotzebue.
MR. HARVEY offered to follow up with the information.
SENATOR MENARD commented that a 9-member advisory board was
sufficient, because the governor makes the decisions based on
the advice given.
4:01:23 PM
JEFFERY OTTESEN, Director, Division of Program Development,
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOTPF), said
he served as chair of the Governor's Coordinated Transportation
Task Force under both Governor Palin and Governor Parnell. He
also oversees the National Rural Transit Assistance Program,
which is the transit money that goes to communities statewide
that are not in the metropolitan planning areas of Fairbanks
Metropolitan Area Transportation System (FMATS) and Anchorage
Metropolitan Area Transportation System (AMATS). That money goes
to both scheduled transit service and the tribal, local and
nonprofit agencies that provide transit services.
When the federal government realized it was spending money on
about 65 transportation programs to serve different subgroups of
citizens, President Bush signed an executive order that
encouraged coordination at the federal level. It continues to be
a federal priority. Many other states have established permanent
commissions. He offered to follow up with exact numbers.
MR. OTTESEN said that the task force identified about $80
million, primarily from DOLWD, DHSS, and DOTPF, which was
probably the reason that the sponsor included those three
departments on the advisory board. He relayed that he had little
trouble pushing coordination within DOTPF, but it was more
challenging to coordinate across "silos" or departments and
among the various recipients of the federal dollars. It can be
tough for someone who can't drive and needs medical services in
an urban hub, he said. A previous committee heard that someone
had to use an ambulance to get to a medical appointment. He
noted that that was paid for by some government program. The
committee also learned that in Juneau almost two-thirds of the
employees at the big box retail stores rely on the bus to get to
and from work. The need for public transit is so profound that
Fred Meyers aligned its work schedule with the bus schedule. He
confirmed the statistic that about one in nine Alaskans need
coordinated transportation.
4:08:31 PM
SENATOR WAGONER commented that he often sees City and Borough of
Juneau buses running nearly empty and school buses serve the
same area. He asked how much the state pays to transport
students and if the bill would do anything to coordinate that
effort.
MR. OTTESEN said the task force discussed coordinating with
school buses. He explained that until very recently state
general fund money wasn't put into scheduled public transit, it
was generally paid for with federal and local money. Responding
to comments from Senator Wagoner, he said the state receives
Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) money and is allowed
to use federal highway money as well.
He said the bill is about efficiency through coordination.
SENATOR WAGONER suggested pursuing the idea of having
schoolchildren ride public buses.
MR. OTTESEN discussed the program "Safe Routes to School" that
is intended to encourage students to walk or bike to school.
Sometimes the students have to use a public bus because schools
aren't always located in neighborhoods. He noted that DOTPF had
talked to the MatSu Borough about aligning school locations to
the program. He commented that placing a school in the wrong
location ensures the government will have to pay for bussing for
50 years.
4:13:46 PM
SENATOR MENARD commented on the challenges of busing students to
school. She reiterated her belief that the advisory board was
too large and asked if he could suggest efficiencies.
MR. OTTESEN declined. He said the sponsor asked him to discuss
the power of coordination.
With regard to cost, he clarified that the board would rely on
federal transit money that the state receives annually in the
capital budget. The fiscal note technically shows zero because
the bill does not change DOTPF's operating budget. If there
weren't a board, DOTPF would probably do coordination ad hoc. He
reiterated that the department had been trying to coordinate for
12 years.
SENATOR MENARD acknowledged that she was belaboring her
objection to the size of the advisory board.
SENATOR WAGONER commented that the legislature should cut
DOTPF's operating budget by $110,000 if there isn't a board
since it can support the board with its existing budget.
MR. OTTESEN clarified that it was money from the capital budget.
Those funds come annually from the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) to further coordination. The fiscal note
shows no change to the operating budget.
SENATOR WAGONER said it was confusing because the advisory
committee was not a capital item.
4:17:40 PM
CHAIR OLSON asked if the state might have to backfill the
funding if federal funds were withdrawn in the future.
MR. OTTESEN acknowledged that it was a real risk, but
coordination would likely continue to be a priority and FTA
money would probably continue to flow to the state. Transit has
a growing cast of supporters in Washington D.C.
4:19:56 PM
CHAIR OLSON asked if the department was in favor of the bill.
MR. OTTESEN answered that the department had to remain neutral,
but did support coordination. The Federal Transit Administration
expects DOTPF to make coordination happen.
SENATOR WAGONER asked if the bill excluded Anchorage and
Fairbanks.
MR. OTTESEN clarified that the coordination efforts extend into
Anchorage and Fairbanks because it is a statewide expectation,
but the money for buses, equipment, or bus stops only goes to
the non-urban areas.
SENATOR WAGONER asked if Juneau was eligible for federal transit
money
MR. OTTESEN said yes.
SENATOR MENARD asked if the federal money pays for signage.
MR. OTTESEN said yes.
CHAIR OLSON opened public testimony.
4:22:40 PM
ANDRA NATIONS, representing herself, said that as a disability
advocate she served on both the 2008 and 2011 task force. That
work included performing needs assessments, taking public input,
visiting communities statewide to hear about coordination needs,
and pinpointing barriers and costs to coordination. The final
report outlined the coordinated transportation action plan for
surface transportation and proposed strategies for increasing
efficiency and effectiveness. The idea was to help the various
agencies work together.
MS. NATIONS said the task force also heard from a number of
private transportation agencies that have been trying to do
effective coordination.
She said the task force identified as a priority an advisory
board with commissioners as members, because those state
agencies have the authority to work on the barriers that were
identified. She said passage of this bill will help implement a
coordinated transportation plan that will ensure reliable
transportation for all Alaskans.
4:27:08 PM
PAT BRANSON, Director, Kodiak Senior Center (KSC), said KSC
operates the Kodiak area coordinated transit system for 17
nonprofits in the community. It has been in operation for more
than 10 years under the guidance of the local human service
coalition. She said she served on the Governor's Coordinated
Transportation Task Force. This was the first time the state
transportation needs were assessed and the different funding
silos evaluated. She emphasized the efficiency of coordinated
systems and noted that cabs are an important component in places
like Kotzebue and Kodiak.
MS. BRANSON said one of the most important items that the task
force identified was to continue the coordinated transportation
work with an advisory board being established. The task force
had representatives from many of the agencies that are proposed
for the advisory board. The commissioners' designees helped move
things along by getting answers quickly from the different
funding silos (departments). She said she understands the
concern about the size and cost of the board, but it was very
valuable having those representatives on the task force.
She encouraged the committee to support the bill.
4:31:42 PM
MARIE DARLIN, Coordinator, Association of American Retired
Persons, stated support for HB 131. She said AARP was aware of
the need and the work that had gone into assessing the
transportation needs of the state. She reminded the committee
that Alaska's senior population was growing and reliable
transportation was important to this sector. The advisory board
will help effective transportation planning and efficient use of
the different funds. She said each area in the state has
different needs and offers different services, and transit is
more difficult in some areas than others. Juneau has a very good
coordinated system, but this is not common in other areas. She
emphasized the importance of having one group look at the needs
and various funding sources.
4:35:32 PM
DENISE DANIELLO, Executive Director, Alaska Commission on Aging,
Department of Health and Social Services, said the commission
believes that transportation is vitally important for seniors.
The commission surveys seniors every four years and
transportation is always a priority issue because about one in
five seniors chooses not to drive. When elder community forums
are conducted in locations around the state, transportation
comes up as an important issue. Seniors need transportation to
get to doctor appointments, the beauty shop, restaurants, the
senior center for lunch, and volunteer locations. They have to
get out of the house to participate in community life, but
without transportation they're homebound.
She reminded the committee that Alaska has the fastest growing
senior population of any state. More than 90,000 residents are
age 65 or older, and this age sector is growing faster than any
other. Alaskans have diversified needs so it is important to
have a body that does broad perspective planning that takes into
account all the needs in all locations.
CHAIR OLSON asked the sponsor to comment on the bill.
4:38:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CATHY MUNOZ, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of
HB 131, summarized that through executive order both Governor
Palin and Governor Parnell established a coordinated
transportation task force. That body recently published a report
and identified departments within the state that have access to
federal funding for transportation. To maximize the use of those
federal dollars, it is very important to have those voices to
work together to identify the gaps in service and how
coordination can prevent duplication.
CHAIR OLSON asked if anyone opposed the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ answered that she wasn't aware of any
opposition.
CHAIR OLSON asked what the long-term plans were for financing.
REPRESENTATIVE MUNOZ answered that the bill had a 2016 sunset
and it was intended to maximize federal dollars.
CHAIR OLSON commented that coordination made sense.
[CHAIR OLSON held HB 131 in committee.]
SB 225-ESTABLISH ENDOW ALASKA GRANT PROGRAM
4:40:37 PM
CHAIR OLSON announced the consideration of SB 225, "An Act
creating the endow Alaska grant program in the Department of
Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to encourage
community development."
4:41:08 PM
SYDNEY SEAY, Staff to Senator Olson, Alaska State Legislature,
introduced SB 225 stating the following:
Endow Alaska sets up a challenge grant or matching
fund mechanism that allows local community foundations
throughout Alaska to leverage private donations from
within their communities by matching donor's
contributions dollar for dollar with state funds.
By providing this tool to help grow the endowed assets
of community foundations, the Endow Alaska program
addresses several objectives. It supports community
self-sufficiency. It recognizes the ability of
community members to identify and respond to local
needs. It creates an additional catalyst for community
conversations about philanthropy and the power of
Alaskans to invest in meaningful local projects and
visions. It also creates an opportunity to take
today's state dollars, which result from the
development of a finite nonrenewable resource, and
turn them into a financial tool that can yield
perpetual returns, potentially supporting local
projects and investments for centuries to come.
Endow Alaska is inspired by a program that was
originally put in place in Iowa. Endow Iowa has since
been established in Kentucky as well. The legislation
envisions a relationship between the state and a lead
philanthropic entity - a statewide organization that
receives an annual lump-sum grant and then turns
around and provides numerous challenge grants to local
community foundations or community affiliate
[organizations].
Presently in Alaska the organization most likely to
qualify as the lead philanthropic entity would be the
Alaska Community Foundation. [It is] a statewide
community foundation with more than 250 funds in
management and assets of more than $47 million, a
nonprofit public charity promoting personal
philanthropy and providing financial management,
strategic development, and donor development services
to communities, organizations, and donors across
Alaska. The program is simple, but the impacts are
potentially profound.
The bill provides some funding limitations to ensure
that community investments are made in diverse regions
of the state. However, because this is a matching or
challenge grant program, the scope of the fund is
necessarily limited by the capacity of donors in
Alaska's communities.
4:44:13 PM
MS. SEAY provided the following sectional analysis of SB 225.
Sec. 44.33.150 establishes the Endow Alaska Grand
program in the Department of Commerce, Community and
Economic Development (DCCED). It gives DCCED the power
to grant state funds to the "lead philanthropic
entity" in Alaska, to be further granted to community
foundations and community affiliate organizations to
build their permanent endowed funds.
Sec. 44.33.160 describes the requirements for an
organization to be qualified as a "lead philanthropic
entity" or a "community foundation" under this
program.
Sec. 44.33.170 describes factors that the lead
philanthropic entity should consider when considering
applications for funding; and describes the community
foundations and community affiliate organizations that
are eligible to receive funding.
Sec. 44.33.80 sets limits on the size and distribution
of Endow Alaska grants, and describes the allowable
administrative fees for the program.
Sec. 44.33.190 provides statutory definitions.
CHAIR OLSON asked if limiting the individual grants to $25,000
would present a problem.
MS. SEAY deferred the question to Ms. Harrington.
4:47:12 PM
Erin Harrington, Staff for Representative Austerman, Alaska
State Legislature, sponsor of the companion bill HB 290, said
the program will be limited every year to the amount that the
legislature decides to appropriate. However, these are challenge
grants, meaning that the community has to raise the entire
amount before it will receive the match. Thus, the real limit on
the program is the capacity of individual communities to do
significant fundraising in any given year.
CHAIR OLSON asked for an example of what these grants should
fund.
MS. HARRINGTON explained that the legislature would make an
annual appropriation to the lead philanthropic entity, which
would then offer challenge grants to local community
foundations. Local community foundations can use the funds
solely to build their endowed permanent funds. She noted that
was on page 1, lines 11-13. Those community foundations can
decide on the distribution of those funds, according to their
spending policies. This provides local control and local
assessment of priorities, which is appropriate for a permanently
endowed fund. The local community foundation may decide there
are child and family needs one year and food assistance another
year. Local control allows that flexibility.
CHAIR OLSON opened public testimony.
4:50:06 PM
SCOTT RUBY, Director, Division of Community and Regional Affairs
(DCRA), Department of Commerce, Community and Economic
Development (DCCED), said that under SB 225 the division would
be charged with administering a grant to a philanthropic agency.
CHAIR OLSON asked if he was aware of any similar programs that
were or were not successful.
MR. RUBY answered that he was not aware of any that involved the
Division of Community and Regional Affairs.
4:51:01 PM
CANDACE WINKLER, President and CEO, Alaska Community Foundation
(ACF), testified in support of SB 225. She stated the following:
The endow Alaska grant program is a pragmatic way to
incentivize and grow individual philanthropy and
invest in Alaska's future. Alaskans understand the
value of endowment, as we are all familiar with the
permanent fund as part of our life, and we recognize
the importance of local control and guidance. Many of
us in the nonprofit and development world know that
Alaska has very low levels of individual giving, and
the concepts behind this bill that utilize state
resources to maximize and grow private dollars will
help build a culture of philanthropy far beyond just
the dollars that it raises.
To give a bit of context to the bill and the work of
the community foundations, I want to tell you about
the Alaska Community Foundation. We are 17 years old.
We hold $55 million in assets and annually we are
granting out between $5-6 million per year throughout
the state of Alaska. Together, over the past 17 years
we have granted about $30 million throughout the
state. We currently have 280 different funds,
including the Alaska Children's Trust. We also have
five regional affiliates in Seward, Petersburg, Kenai,
Talkeetna, and Haines. We also have three partner
community foundations - the Homer Community
Foundation, the Juneau Community Foundation, and the
Arctic Slope Community Foundation. These are
standalone nonprofits, but they have permanent
endowments that the Alaska Community Foundation holds,
in addition to the endowments they hold locally. We
are also more loosely affiliated with the Chugiak
Eagle River Foundation, the Bethel Community Services
Foundation, and the North Star Community Foundation.
We also have at the Alaska Community Foundation,
experience in managing these kind of matching
programs. We have worked in partnership for the past
four years with the Rasmuson Foundation on a project
called the Community Asset Building Initiative where
we have matched about $1 million in local funds to
these community affiliates and community foundations.
It's been a proven and effective method for raising
local funds. In the past four years, collectively they
have raised $4 million for their endowments.
MS. WINKLER said the Alaska Community Foundation generally
supports SB 225, in particular the requirement for those local
foundations to meet best practice standards. With regard to the
five percent cap on administrative fees [Sec. 44.33.180(a)(2)],
she said it was difficult to know whether that was appropriate
since there was no appropriation for the bill.
4:56:26 PM
DIANE KAPLAN, President, Rasmuson Foundation, said this is a
statewide, Anchorage-based family foundation that has been in
business since 1955. She confirmed that the Rasmuson Foundation
has been in partnership with the Alaska Community Foundation for
the past four years to do a similar program. The Rasmuson
Foundation committed over $1 million to match funds for local
community foundations.
She said the Rasmuson Foundation believes this is important
because history shows that for the last 150 years or so the
wealth that individuals have made in Alaska has not stayed in
the state. For example, J.P. Morgan and Samuel Guggenheim made a
lot of money from the Kennecott copper mine, but there is no
legacy to demonstrate that those men ever did business in
Alaska. However, New York City has the Guggenheim Museum and the
J.P. Morgan Library. That is where the wealth from the copper
ended up, not in Alaska.
MS. KAPLAN said the idea of community foundations is to provide
a vehicle for Alaskans to give back to their community. She
noted that a longtime resident recently left $2 million to the
Seward Community Foundation. Without the foundation, those funds
would not have been able to benefit the community of Seward for
time to come.
MS. KAPLAN highlighted that the Rasmuson Foundation just
committed another $2 million to continue its work around the
state and hopes that more communities will participate. She
noted that the communities of Fairbanks, Ketchikan, Sitka,
Cordova, Kodiak, and Valdez have expressed interest in giving
their citizens an opportunity to help endow these communities
over the long term.
CHAIR OLSON asked Ms. Seay if she had any closing comments.
MS. SEAY stated that the program was good and the impacts were
potentially profound.
5:00:00 PM
CHAIR OLSON held SB 225 in committee.
5:00:09 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Olson adjourned the Senate Community and Regional Affairs
Standing Committee meeting at 5:00 p.m.
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