1999-02-18                     Senate Journal                      Page 0292
SB 83                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 83 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                               
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                          
                                                                               
An Act making and amending capital,                                           
supplemental, and other appropriations, and                                    
appropriations to capitalize funds; ratifying certain                          
expenditures; and providing for an effective date.                             
                                                                               
was read the first time and referred to the Finance Committee.                 
                                                                               
Governors transmittal letter dated February 17:                                

1999-02-18                     Senate Journal                      Page 0293
SB 83                                                                        
Dear President Pearce:                                                         
                                                                               
In recognition of oil revenues being substantially lower than                  
projected when the FY99 budget was passed last May, my                         
Administration has worked hard to cut the supplemental request as              
much as possible. Although last spring's budget plan included a                
$16.5 million "place holder" for supplementals, the expenditures for           
fires, flood and fisheries disasters alone exceed that amount by more          
than $3 million.                                                               
                                                                               
Other critical supplementals have been brought down to $901,700 by             
identifying cuts to offset short-funded areas and by requiring                 
agencies to absorb many other unexpected cost increases. The $6.3              
million in belt-tightening I announced two weeks ago for hiring,               
travel and purchasing can cover both this $901,700 and $5.3 million            
needed for Corrections to comply with court orders in the Cleary               
settlement.                                                                    
                                                                               
While this supplemental is $5 million more than the place holder in            
the budget plan it represents a concerted effort by state agencies to          
offset the financial impact of disasters, known short-funding, and             
unanticipated expenditures for FY99. Further budget reductions will            
be part of the work still ahead of us on the FY2000 budget.                    
                                                                               
					Sincerely,                                                                
					/s/                                                                       
					Tony Knowles                                                              
					Governor