05/04/2004 09:21 AM House FIN

HOUSE BILL NO. 561                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     An  Act providing for  and relating  to the  issuance of                                                                   
     general  obligation bonds in  a principal amount  of not                                                                   
     more than $1,000,000  for the purpose of paying the cost                                                                   
     of state  transportation projects; and  providing for an                                                                   
     effective date.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
JAMES   ARMSTRONG,  STAFF,   REPRESENTATIVE  BILL   WILLIAMS,                                                                   
addressed Amendment 1.  (Copy  on File).  The amendment would                                                                   
authorize $90.18 million  dollars of State general obligation                                                                   
bond  (G.O.) dollars for  transportation projects  statewide.                                                                   
He provided project details:                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Federal Earmark Match                          $15,000,000                                                                      
Anchorage - Abbott Loop Road Upgrade           $15,000,000                                                                      
Anchorage - Lake Otis & Tudor  Intersection    $ 8,500,000                                                                      
Chugiak Birchwood Eagle River  Road Service    $   700,000                                                                      
Glenn Highway Lighting                         $   330,000                                                                      
Mat-Su - Bogard Road Extension East            $ 6,600,000                                                                      
Mat-Su - Trunk Road Hospital Access            $ 1,000,000                                                                      
Kenai - Sterling Hwy Kasilof River Area        $ 4,000,000                                                                      
Kenai - Kenai Borough Road Improvements        $ 2,000,000                                                                      
Kenai - City of Kenai Road Improvements        $ 1,000,000                                                                      
Fairbanks - Steese Corridor Safety             $ 7,500,000                                                                      
Fairbanks - Cowles Road Upgrade                $ 1,200,000                                                                      
Sitka - Old Thomsen Harbor renovation          $ 2,500,000                                                                      
Juneau - Areawide Transportation  Improvements $ 2,300,000                                                                      
Ketchikan - Thomas Basin Harbor, Ryus Float, Bar Harbor                                                                         
North, Hole-in-the-Wall Harbor, Kundson Cove Harbor                                                                             
renovations                                    $ 2,650,000                                                                      
Ketchikan Gateway Borough                      $   500,000                                                                      
City of Ketchikan - Road Improvements          $   500,000                                                                      
Kodiak - Airport Terminal Renovation           $ 1,000,000                                                                      
Port Lions - Public Dock Replacement           $   500,000                                                                      
Nome - City Streets Improvements               $ 1,650,000                                                                      
Kotzebue Area wide Road Maintenance            $ 1,400,000                                                                      
Petersburg - Middle Harbor Renovation          $ 1,200,000                                                                      
Wrangell - Heritage Harbor Renovation          $ 1,400,000                                                                      
Valdez - Harbor Deferred Maintenance           $ 1,000,000                                                                      
Homer - Deep Water Dock Corrison               $   450,000                                                                      
Chignik - Public Dock Project                  $ 1,000,000                                                                      
Adak - Small Boat Harbor Expansion             $ 3,000,000                                                                      
Skagway - Harbor Deferred Maintenance          $ 1,300,000                                                                      
Whittier - Harbor Renovation                   $ 1,500,000                                                                      
Statewide Harbor Deferred Maintenance          $ 3,500,000                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Williams MOVED to ADOPT Amendment 1.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stoltze  noted a spelling and  syntax error in                                                                   
a project listed in his area.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Vice Chair  Meyer OBJECTED  to the  amendment.  He  mentioned                                                                   
the earlier list  indicating the road bonds  Anchorage needs.                                                                   
He  voiced his  concern for  the  lost federal  match in  the                                                                   
amount  of $15  million  dollars.   He  asked which  projects                                                                   
those funds  were earmarked for.   Mr. Armstrong  recommended                                                                   
consulting   with   the   Commissioner   of   Department   of                                                                   
Transportation & Public Facilities  regarding those concerns.                                                                   
Vice Chair Meyer WITHDREW his OBJECTION.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Williams  interjected that the information  would be                                                                   
distributed  to Committee  members.   There being NO  further                                                                   
OBJECTION, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster MOVED to  report CS HB 561 (FIN) out of                                                                   
Committee  with  individual  recommendations   and  with  the                                                                   
accompanying fiscal  note.  There being NO  OBJECTION, it was                                                                   
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CS HB  561 (FIN)  was reported  out of  Committee with  a "do                                                                   
pass"  recommendation  and with  a  new  fiscal note  by  the                                                                   
Department of Revenue.