Legislature(2023 - 2024)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/20/2023 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Public Testimony: Fairbanks, Interior, and Copper River Valley | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 39 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 41 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 41 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
April 20, 2023
1:34 p.m.
1:34:22 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Stedman called the Senate Finance Committee
meeting to order at 1:34 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair
Senator Donny Olson, Co-Chair
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair
Senator Click Bishop
Senator Jesse Kiehl
Senator Kelly Merrick
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator David Wilson
ALSO PRESENT
David Pruhs, Mayor, City of Fairbanks, Juneau
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
Kara Carlson, Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent
Living, Fairbanks; Rachel Lebby, Interior Alaska Center for
Non-Violent Living, Fairbanks; Gretta Johnson, Interior
Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living, Fairbanks; Ana
Barbosa, Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living,
Fairbanks; Eric Troyer, Fairbanks Cycle Club, Interior
Trails Preservation Coalition, Fairbanks; Jeremey Johnson,
Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce, Fairbanks; Marsha
Thomason, Self, Fairbanks; Angel Stickman, Self, Fairbanks;
Jim Williams, Fairbanks North Star Borough, Fairbanks;
Bryant Wright, Self, Fairbanks; Leigh Bollin, Resource
Center for Parents and Children, Fairbanks; Katie
McClellan, Northern Alaska Environmental Center, Fairbanks;
Christin Swearingen, Self, Fairbanks; Ryan Hinton,
Transportation Director, Fairbanks North Star Borough
School District, Fairbanks; Brenda McFarland, City of
Fairbanks, Fairbanks; Sarah Lefebvre, Self, Fairbanks;
Howard Rixie, North Pole Community Chamber of Commerce,
North Pole; Lorali Simon, Usibelli Coal Mine, Healy; David
van den Berg Executive Director, Fairbanks Downtown
Association, Fairbanks; Bernie Karl, Self, Fairbanks;
Chandra Caffroy, Self, Anchor Point; Virginia Mckee, Self,
Two Rivers; Mary Callaway, Self, Two Rivers; Herman Morgan,
Self, Aniak; Gaye Wright, Self, Two Rivers
SUMMARY
SB 41
APPROP: CAPITAL/SUPPLEMENTAL
SB 41 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
CSHB 39(FIN) am(brf sup maj fld)(efd fld)
APPROP: OPERATING BUDGET/LOANS/FUND; SUPP
CSHB 39(FIN)) was HEARD and HELD in committee for
further consideration.
CSHB 41(FIN) am
APPROP: MENTAL HEALTH BUDGET
CSHB 41(FIN) am was HEARD and HELD in committee
for further consideration.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY: FAIRBANKS, INTERIOR, and COPPER RIVER
VALLEY
Co-Chair Stedman discussed the agenda. He relayed that the
committee would consider public testimony for the three
bills on the agenda simultaneously. He asked testifiers to
limit comments to two minutes in length. He requested that
testifiers confine comments to the subject matter of the
bills.
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 39(FIN) am(brf sup maj fld)(efd fld)
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and
loan program expenses of state government and for
certain programs; capitalizing funds; repealing
appropriations; amending appropriations; making
reappropriations; and making supplemental
appropriations."
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 41(FIN) am
"An Act making appropriations for the operating and
capital expenses of the state's integrated
comprehensive mental health program; and providing for
an effective date."
SENATE BILL NO. 41
"An Act making appropriations, including capital
appropriations and other appropriations; making
supplemental appropriations; making appropriations to
capitalize funds; and providing for an effective
date."
^PUBLIC TESTIMONY: FAIRBANKS, INTERIOR, and COPPER RIVER
VALLEY
1:36:15 PM
Co-Chair Stedman handed the gavel to Senator Bishop.
1:36:49 PM
DAVID PRUHS, MAYOR, CITY OF FAIRBANKS, JUNEAU, supported $3
million in funding for the demolition of the Polaris
Building. He recounted that in 2018 and Environmental
Protection Agency report had identified $2.3 million worth
of contamination in the building. The project had been
originally funded at $10 million; however, the original EPA
survey had not looked for PCB contaminates. He lamented
that the discovery of PCB contaminations in the paint used
on the structure had raised the expense of the project. He
said that the borough and the federal government had
invested in the project but that state dollars would also
be necessary. He relayed that plan for project execution
and reiterated his request for the additional funding.
1:40:11 PM
KARA CARLSON, INTERIOR ALASKA CENTER FOR NON-VIOLENT
LIVING, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), spoke in favor of
funding for the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual
Assault (CDVSA) in the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
She expressed appreciation for one-time funding but cited
increased costs of providing services to victims. She
supported increases in the Mental Health Budget for
beneficiaries and the increase in funding for the Homeless
Assistance Program and the Special Needs Housing Grants.
She discussed the need for additional work around violence
prevention and offender accountability programing.
1:42:15 PM
RACHEL LEBBY, INTERIOR ALASKA CENTER FOR NON-VIOLENT
LIVING, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), supported increased
funding for victim's services. She specifically sited
funding for prevention programs. She spoke of school
outreach programming and veteran outreach programs. She
stressed that prevention programs helped to decrease
violence overtime.
1:44:29 PM
GRETTA JOHNSON, INTERIOR ALASKA CENTER FOR NON-VIOLENT
LIVING, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), spoke in favor of
funding for victim's services in CDVSA. She discussed use
of resources and providing materials to people in Interior
Alaska. She supported an increase in funding for salary and
wages for people in the field. She encouraged the committee
to move the $3 million, one-time increment into the base
funding for the CDVSA grant fund. She thanked the committee
for the work to address the issues of prevention and victim
services.
1:47:14 PM
ANA BARBOSA, INTERIOR ALASKA CENTER FOR NON-VIOLENT LIVING,
FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), testified in support of
funding for victims' services in CDVSA. She addressed staff
retention and resources. She urged an increase in funds to
boost retention and morale in the agency. She reiterated
the need for additional funding for prevention programs.
She expressed support for the increases in HB 41.
1:49:23 PM
ERIC TROYER, FAIRBANKS CYCLE CLUB, INTERIOR TRAILS
PRESERVATION COALITION, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference),
spoke in support of funding for the Alaska Long Trail
Project in the Capital Budget. He shared that the trail
would connect Fairbanks and Seward and would attract
tourist while encouraging Alaskans to get outdoors.
1:51:53 PM
JEREMEY JOHNSON, GREATER FAIRBANKS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), testified in support of the
state assuming primacy over the 404 Program. He supported
the Department of Environmental Conservation assuming
control of the program. He asserted that the delay in
permitting had negatively affected the economic climate of
the state. He supported funding to help demolish the
Polaris building in Fairbanks.
1:53:07 PM
MARSHA THOMASON, SELF, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference),
spoke in support of HB 39 and HB 41 as written. She
supported an additional $2 million for Homeless Assistance
Grants and $750 thousand for Special Needs Housing Grants.
She mentioned the Crisis Now model and felt the Fairbanks
community was starting to feel like they had the resources
to provide quality care. She supported funding for the
demolition of the Polaris Building in Fairbanks.
1:55:06 PM
ANGEL STICKMAN, SELF, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference),
testified in opposition to the $5 million in proposed
funding for taking over the 404 Primacy Program. She
believed that the change would further damage water quality
and salmon stock.
1:56:29 PM
JIM WILLIAMS, FAIRBANKS NORTH STAR BOROUGH, FAIRBANKS (via
teleconference), spoke in favor of the proposed Operating
Budget. He spoke to several CAPSIS requests in the Capital
Budget that would provide resources for a newly formed
service area in the Fairbanks area. He relayed that the
Fairbanks North Star Borough was on the cusp of making
budget decisions that hinged on the increase to the base
student allocation (BSA).
1:58:42 PM
BRYANT WRIGHT, SELF, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference),
testified in support of funding for the Alaska Long Trail
project. He shared that the community supported the
project. He noted that the trail should be a priority and
had statewide, national, and international significance.
2:01:24 PM
LEIGH BOLLIN, RESOURCE CENTER FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN,
FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), spoke in support of funding
for CDVSA. She appreciated the one-time increment of $3
million in general funds and the $3.5 million in federal
appropriations and hoped that the one-time, $3 million
increment could be moved into the base funding for CDVSA
grants. She that the six staff members saw 400 children per
year. She requested additional funds to increase staffing.
2:03:00 PM
KATIE MCCLELLAN, NORTHERN ALASKA ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER,
FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), testified in opposition to
the proposed $5 million appropriation for 404 primacy. She
contended that DEC was already understaffed and did not
have the resources to effectively take over the program.
2:04:54 PM
CHRISTIN SWEARINGEN, SELF, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference),
spoke in opposition of funding for DEC's plan to take over
the Clean Water Act 404 permitting program from the federal
government. She recounted work on beluga whale population
in Cook Inlet. She feared that if the state took
responsibility for the program the beluga population would
not be prioritized over the fast-tracking of development
projects.
2:06:26 PM
RYAN HINTON, TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR, FAIRBANKS NORTH STAR
BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference),
testified in support of funding for school transportation.
He discussed the driver shortage in his district. He
thought state funding for transportation had not been
adjusted for inflation in over 8 years. He feared that
reducing drivers and spending due to lack of resources
would negatively affect student transportation in the
district.
Senator Bishop asked Mr. Hinton to contact his office to
set up a time for discussion.
2:08:30 PM
BRENDA MCFARLAND, CITY OF FAIRBANKS, FAIRBANKS (via
teleconference), testified in support of mental health
funding in both the Operating and Mental Health Budgets.
She cited that Fairbanks needed the funds to support the
behavioral health crisis in Fairbanks.
2:09:43 PM
SARAH LEFEBVRE, SELF, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), spoke
in support of DEC taking over the 404 Primacy program. She
was a member of Associated General Contractors. She was a
holder of a 404 permit in the Fairbanks area. She had
extensive interactions with DEC. She cited that the current
404 permit process was incredibly time-consuming and
cumbersome and was an impediment to development. She
expressed full support for funding for the state to take
over the program.
2:11:31 PM
HOWARD RIXIE, NORTH POLE COMMUNITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
NORTH POLE (via teleconference), spoke in support of a
capital project for a new welcome center in North Pole. He
noted the growing military communities in his area. He
believed the new center would empower the community and
help welcome new residents while growing the labor force
and supporting business. He estimated that the project
would cost $1 million and hoped the state would contribute
to the project.
2:13:58 PM
LORALI SIMON, USIBELLI COAL MINE, HEALY (via
teleconference), testified in support of DEC assuming the
Section 404 Primacy program. She believed that assumption
would bring stability and predictability to the program.
She thought that the state had a good track record in
managing its resources. She believed that the change would
help with development in the state.
2:15:55 PM
2:16:05 PM
DAVID VAN DEN BERG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FAIRBANKS DOWNTOWN
ASSOCIATION, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), spoke in
support of funding for the demolition of the Polaris House
in downtown Fairbanks. He stressed that the building was
having a negative affect on the economic climate of
downtown Fairbanks.
2:17:16 PM
RECESSED
2:33:16 PM
RECONVENED
BERNIE KARL, SELF, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference),
supported the state taking primacy over 404 permitting. He
understood that the change would cost the state money but
that it would be worth it to developers. He said that he
would be happy to pay for it. He voiced his disregard for
the federal government.
2:36:04 PM
RECESSED
2:53:31 PM
RECONVENED
CHANDRA CAFFROY, SELF, ANCHOR POINT (via teleconference),
spoke in opposition to a sales tax and an income tax. She
supported a full statutory PFD. She supported cutting
government.
2:54:57 PM
VIRGINIA MCKEE, SELF, TWO RIVERS (via teleconference),
testified in support of the Two Rivers/Pleasant Valley Fire
Service Area. She contended that the $2.8 million that was
applied for would be squandered in the community. She cited
that there was a petition to dissolve the fire service
area. She emphasized that the fire service area
concentrated on prevention and education, including fire
extinguisher, carbon monoxide alarms, and the like.
2:57:51 PM
MARY CALLAWAY, SELF, TWO RIVERS (via teleconference), spoke
in opposition to $2.8 million in grant funding for the Two
Rivers/Pleasant Valley Fire Service Area. She said that the
plan had been created without proper community input. She
believed that the funds could be used more wisely by the
state.
2:59:52 PM
HERMAN MORGAN, SELF, ANIAK (via teleconference), discussed
an expectation of increased inflation. He was concerned
about overspending. He thought that legislators had a
conflict of interest. He emphasized the importance of
prayer.
3:02:27 PM
GAYE WRIGHT, SELF, TWO RIVERS (via teleconference), spoke
in opposition to the proposed funding for the Two
Rivers/Pleasant Valley Fire Service Area. She thought the
funds would be wasted on the project. She did not support
an income tax. She supported a full statutory PFD. She
asserted that PFDs were used for important expenses. She
criticized excessive spending.
ADJOURNMENT
3:05:16 PM
The meeting was adjourned at 3:05 p.m.
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