Legislature(1997 - 1998)

02/03/1998 06:30 PM Senate FIN

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
txt
MINUTES                                                                        
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE                                                       
3 February 1998                                                                
6:30 P.M.                                                                      
                                                                               
                                                                               
TAPES                                                                          
                                                                               
SFC-98, Tape #17, Sides A and B                                                
                                                                               
                                                                               
CALL TO ORDER                                                                  
                                                                               
Senator Bert Sharp, Co-chair, convened the meeting at                          
approximately 6:30 p.m.                                                        
                                                                               
                                                                               
PRESENT                                                                        
                                                                               
In addition to Co-chair Sharp, Senators Phillips, Torgerson                    
and Parnell were present when the meeting convened.  Senator                   
Donley arrived shortly thereafter.                                             
                                                                               
                                                                               
Also present:  Senator Gary Wilken, Committee Chairman for                     
Health and Social Services; Dave Tonkovich, Fiscal Analyst,                    
Division of Legislative Finance; Al Weinberg, Single Site                      
School Districts; John Cyr, President, NEA-Alaska; Bob                         
Deitrick, Gifted/Talented Teacher; aides to committee                          
members and other members of the Legislature.                                  
                                                                               
Via teleconference: The following cities participated in                       
teleconference or call-in public testimony:  Kotzebue,                         
Dillingham, Mountain Village, Anchorage, Kenai, Fairbanks,                     
Mat-Su, Tok, Ketchikan, Unalakleet, Seward, Nenana,  Copper                    
River, Barrow, Homer and Delta Junction.                                       
                                                                               
                                                                               
SUMMARY INFORMATION                                                            
                                                                               
                                                                               
 SENATE BILL NO. 36                                                            
"An Act relating to transportation of public school                            
students; relating to school construction grants;                              
relating to the public school foundation program and to                        
local aid for education; and providing for an effective                        
date."                                                                         
                                                                               
                                                                               
 SENATE BILL NO. 142                                                           
"An Act relating to formation of and taxation in                               
regional educational attendance areas; and providing                           
for an effective date."                                                        
                                                                               
                                                                               
SENATE BILL NO. 146                                                            
"An Act relating to the public school funding program;                         
relating to the definition of a school district, to the                        
transportation of students, to school district layoff                          
plans, to the special education service agency, to the                         
child care grant program; imposing a school tax in the                         
unorganized borough; and providing for an effective                            
date."                                                                         
                                                                               
                                                                               
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 146(HES)                                                
"An Act relating to the public school funding program;                         
relating to the definition of a school district, to the                        
transportation of students, to school district layoff                          
plans, to the special education service agency, and to                         
the child care grant program; imposing an employment                           
tax in the unorganized borough as a local contribution                         
to public schools; and providing for an effective                              
date."                                                                         
                                                                               
                                                                               
SENATE BILL NO. 193                                                            
"An Act relating to a limitation on administrative                             
expenditures of school districts; and providing for an                         
effective date."                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
Co-chair Sharp convened the meeting directly at 6:30 p.m.                      
The following individuals testified regarding the above-                       
listed bills:  LOU MATHESON, superintendent, Northwest                         
Arctic School District from KOTZEBUE; DON EVANS,                               
superintendent, Southwest Region School District, from                         
DILLINGHAM; KEN HALVERSON from DILLINGHAM; ANDREW BROWN from                   
MOUNTAIN VILLAGE; KATHI GILLESPIE, Anchorage School Board                      
from ANCHORAGE; GINGER JENKINSON, Anchorage PTA, from                          
ANCHORAGE; LISA FITZPATRICK from ANCHORAGE; JOHN DAHLGREN,                     
superintendent, Kenai Public School District, from KENAI;                      
DEBRA MULLINS, Kenai School Board, from KENAI; CYNTHIA                         
HENRY, legislative chair, Fairbanks School Board, from                         
FAIRBANKS; BONNIE WILLIAMS from FAIRBANKS; BETSY TURNER-                       
BOGREN, President, Alaska PTA, from FAIRBANKS; KATHLEEN                        
WIGHT-MURPHY, teacher, Mat-Su Valley School, from MAT-SU;                      
DARROLL HARGRAVES from TOK; GLEN MARUNDE from TOK; CAROLYN                     
FRYE, teacher, Ketchikan School, from KETCHIKAN; MIKE BROWN                    
from KETCHIKAN; SCOTT BRANDT-ERICKSON, parent, from                            
KETCHIKAN; BILL PFEIFER, parent, from KETCHIKAN; SAM TOWARAK                   
from UNALAKLEET; LAWRENCE COLSTON, Seward Teachers'                            
Association, from SEWARD; TERRY BENTLY, superintendent,                        
Nenana School District, from NENANA; JOHN KUNIK from COPPER                    
RIVER; JANE BROWN from COPPER RIVER; HARRY TURMAN from                         
COPPER RIVER; LELAND DISHMAN, superintendent, North Slope                      
School District, from BARROW; ROGER SAMPSON, superintendent,                   
Chugach School District, from ANCHORAGE; TOM FREEMAN,                          
retired from Anchorage School District, from ANCHORAGE; LUCY                   
HOPE from MAT-SU; LELA AYERS, President, Mat-Su Education                      
Association, from MAT-SU; DEB GERMANO from HOMER and RICHARD                   
MAUER from DELTA JUNCTION.  The following individuals                          
testified from JUNEAU:  AL WEINBERG, Single Site Consortium;                   
JOHN CYR, President NEA-Alaska and BOB DIETRICK,                               
Gifted/Talented Teacher.                                                       
                                                                               
                                                                               
At the end of hearing all testimony by the above-listed                        
individuals Co-chair Sharp advised that any and all comments                   
would also be accepted by fax or mail to the Senate Finance                    
Committee Secretary's office.                                                  
                                                                               
                                                                               
ADJOURNMENT                                                                    
                                                                               
Co-chair Sharp recessed the meeting at 9:10 p.m. until                         
tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m.                                                  
SFC-98 1 2/3/98                                                                

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