SB 45-PARKS & REC SERVICE AREA BOUNDARIES  3:30:00 PM CHAIR BISHOP announced the consideration of SB 45. 3:30:31 PM SENATOR CATHY GIESSEL, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, explained that SB 45 deals with an issue that is happening in the Municipality of Anchorage. She explained that there are sections in Anchorage that, over time, have been excluded from taxation for the parks in the Anchorage area. She said the areas in question have significant parks within them and residents are essentially not contributing to the upkeep of those parks. She specified that SB 45 is a request from the Anchorage municipality to correct the tax exclusion oversight in the tax structure. 3:31:54 PM JANE CONWAY, Staff, Senator Giessel, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided a sectional analysis on SB 45. Section 1 amends the statute to allow a borough or unified municipality to change boundaries of a Parks and Recreation Service Area (PRSA) to include a subdivision or parcel that is wholly or partially within the exterior boundaries of the service area without voter approval. She revealed that currently there needs to be voter approval in order to incorporate a service area that is not currently included for taxation. SENATOR MACKINNON asked if SB 45 requires an effective date or if just the day the bill is signed is sufficient. SENATOR GIESSEL replied that she will check on the need for an effective date. SENATOR STEDMAN stated that recognizing the dense population of Anchorage relative to everywhere else, does the structure of SB 45 effect Fairbanks or any other populated areas. SENATOR GIESSEL answered that Anchorage is the only municipality that is effected by SB 45. 3:33:50 PM SENATOR EGAN joined the committee meeting. SENATOR STEDMAN asked how Anchorage's parks and recreation boundary relates to the municipality's lines. He inquired if the municipality can change its boundaries. SENATOR GIESSEL replied that the municipality itself actually extends to Girdwood and Portage, moving eastward to include Eagle River and Chugiak as well. SENATOR MACKINNON added that there is more than one PRSA in the Municipality of Anchorage. She specified that Eagle River and Anchorage have separate PRSAs. She said Anchorage may choose to bond for an improvement and the folks that live in the geographic area benefit predominantly from those, folks in Eagle River have a PRSA and they tend to save their money and then invest in purchasing a park. She pointed out that Anchorage has at least two different PRSAs. 3:35:49 PM CHAIR BISHOP asked to confirm that the map provided to the committee shows where the current PRSA boundary is in addition to the areas outside of the boundary. SENATOR GIESSEL specified that the affected areas noted on the map of Anchorage indicate where parcels will be included in the PRSA should SB 45 be approved. She noted that the subdivision parcels include Stuckagain Heights and an area near Chugach State Park. 3:37:24 PM JOHN RODDA, Director, Parks and Recreation, Municipality of Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, specified that the map identifies the existing boundaries for the municipality of Anchorage. He confirmed that Chugach/Eagle River has its own PRSA. He specified that the PRSA boundary noted on the Anchorage map is the border from the unification of the city and the borough that occurred 40 years ago. He explained that the border has never been modified or adjusted. He surmised that nobody really thought at the time that Anchorage would grow beyond the border. He summarized that development has occurred over the years beyond the PRSA boundary and SB 45 moves the line to bring the exempt parcels into a more equitable relationship with the rest of Anchorage's taxpayers. 3:39:32 PM SENATOR STEDMAN confirmed that Anchorage's current PRSA map shows a dated municipal boundary that has become irrelevant due to expansion. He summarized that SB 45 essentially is borough- cleanup. SENATOR GIESSEL answered correct. She specified that the way the law is currently written, over 60 percent of the residents that live in the area have to vote to become part of the PRSA taxation structure. She revealed that areas that are not included in the PRSA have parks located in their area that nearby residents are not paying taxes for. She explained that approximately $168 million worth of tax-valued property is not contributing to the PRSA tax base. SENATOR MACKINNON asked if SB 45 impacts any other service areas in Alaska and noted that Fairbanks has fire service areas. She inquired what specifically SB 45 allows in regards to changing the existing boundary. 3:42:20 PM DENNIS WHEELER, Municipal Attorney, Municipality of Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, replied that the focus for SB 45 is solely on PRSA and the bill is not meant to address other kinds of services areas like fire or police services. He said he does not know whether other jurisdictions in the state have a PRSA, but other areas could take advantage of SB 45 if they had a PRSA. He noted that addressing what occurs with existing boundaries, SB 45 allows the local governing body to make an adjustment by ordinance through public hearing. He explained that the process entails the following: · Ordinance proposed to Anchorage Assembly. · Ordinance noticed. · Ordinance proceeds to the affected community councils. · Residents and councils weigh in on the proposal. · Assembly can make adjusts that it feels is in the best interest of the citizens. MR. WHEELER added that SB 45 also gets rid of the dual-vote requirement. He asserted that the dual-vote is inequitable and explained that even if all of the residents in Anchorage voted to include the properties to spread the tax burden, the specified property owners have special veto powers to override the measure. He summarized that the dual-vote is a governance concept that goes counter to what is normally thought of as the one person/one vote concept. CHAIR BISHOP commented that he would like to check with the Fairbanks North Star Borough. SENATOR EGAN added that he would like to check with the City of Juneau. 3:44:43 PM CHAIR BISHOP stated that seeing no additional testifiers, public testimony is closed. He announced that SB 45 will be held in committee.