Legislature(2007 - 2008)SENATE FINANCE 532
05/05/2007 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB53 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 104 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 72 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 53 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
MINUTES
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
May 5, 2007
1:43 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair Bert Stedman convened the meeting at approximately
1:43:11 PM.
PRESENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair
Senator Bert Stedman, Co-Chair
Senator Kim Elton
Senator Donny Olson
Senator Fred Dyson
Also Attending: Testifiers are listed in the body of the
minutes in the order and location from which they testified.
SUMMARY INFORMATION
SB 53-BUDGET: CAPITAL, SUPP. & OTHER APPROPS
The Committee took public testimony. The bill was held in
Committee.
SB 72-COMMUNITY REVENUE SHARING
This bill was scheduled but not heard.
1:44:23 PM
SENATE BILL NO. 53
"An Act making appropriations, including capital
appropriations, supplemental appropriations, and
appropriations to capitalize funds; and providing for an
effective date."
This was the sixth hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance
Committee.
JEFF JABUSCH, Manager, City of Wrangell, testified via
teleconference from Wrangell that he had no comment at this
time.
1:44:48 PM
GREGORY VICKERY, Director, Tongass Conservation Society,
testified via teleconference from Ketchikan thanking the
Committee for the inclusion of $46.2 million to complete the
Swan Lake-Tyee Intertie. He supported the decision to make the
appropriation unconditional to a link to Canada, which he deemed
extravagant and unnecessary for completion of the project. He
appreciated the appropriation of $5.7 million for a replacement
ferry to transport people and goods between Ketchikan and the
airport on Gravina Island. The $3.4 million appropriation to the
City of Ketchikan for the water treatment facility was also
appreciated. He continued listing Ketchikan area projects that
would be funded in the committee substitute.
1:46:59 PM
LOIS EPSON, Alaska Transportation Priorities Project, testified
via teleconference from Ketchikan that she had just received the
committee substitute and after review might submit comments.
1:47:29 PM
ED ZASTROW, AARP, testified via teleconference from Ketchikan in
appreciation of the inclusion of $100,000 for road access to the
proposed Ketchikan senior housing development. He considered it
a community project and detailed the volunteer efforts and
private and public contributions. He also thanked the Committee
for providing funding for the Swan Lake-Tyee Intertie project.
1:49:32 PM
STEVE HOWELL, Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council,
testified via teleconference from Anchorage about the
organization and thanked the Committee for including funding for
the Cook Inlet Marine Vessel Risk Assessment project. The
assessment would provide solid reference for spill prevention
and response efforts. He detailed the process in developing the
proposed project involving local residents, the US Coast Guard,
and State and federal regulators. This project is important for
the economy and environment of Cook Inlet.
1:52:54 PM
CHARLES FRANZ, Chief Executive Officer, South Peninsula Hospital
and member of the University of Alaska, Kachemak Bay campus
advisory council, testified via teleconference from an offnet
location to thank the Committee for its support of the
University of Alaska.
DAVID SOULAK, Manager, Bristol Bay Borough, testified via
teleconference from an offnet location on the topic of the Port
of Bristol Bay. Funding for Port improvements is not included in
the FY 08 Capital budget in its current form. The Port is 25
years old. In 2005 it was ranked second in its need for
improvement and ranked eighth in the United States for
commercial landing of seafood. The Port also handles 70 million
pounds of freight and serves as a link to Bristol Bay and Lake
Illiamna communities. Preliminary designs of Port improvement
projects are almost complete. The Borough currently has
approximately $800,000 available and has applied for additional
funding from the Bristol Bay Development Corporation, the Denali
Commission and has requested assistance from the Alaska
Congressional delegation. The project should be completed in a
"timely fashion" and construction started the spring of 2009.
1:57:22 PM
LUKE HOPKINS, Presiding Officer, Fairbanks North Star Borough
Assembly, and Vice-Chair, Fairbanks Metropolitan Planning
Organization, testified via teleconference from an offnet
location, that the road-planning Organization is similar to the
Anchorage Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS). He
appreciated the funding included for the Ester Volunteer Fire
Station, the Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center, and maintenance
of the Morris Thompson Cultural Center. He requested $12.5
million for the school kitchen location change from Eielson Air
Force Base. This facility must be moved due to security
restrictions at the Base. Additionally, $23.9 million was needed
to proceed for the next four years on major road projects. These
projects affect the entire transportation network of the Borough
and 107 road service areas levy taxes on its residents to
provide maintenance on these local roads.
2:00:58 PM
TIM BECK, Fairbanks North Star Borough, testified via
teleconference from an offnet location to reaffirm Mr. Hopkins
comments and to thank the Committee for its efforts.
2:01:33 PM
GRETCHEN KLEIN, Ketchikan General Hospital Foundation, testified
via teleconference from Ketchikan in appreciation of the
appropriation to replace a ten-year old piece of medical
equipment needed for the laboratory.
2:02:30 PM
PETE KELLY, Director, Governmental Relations, University of
Alaska, testified in Juneau, and thanked the Committee for
addressing "badly needed" items, in particular authority to
receive and expend federal funds. He drew attention to
increasing "major maintenance problems" of the entire State
system and the University of Alaska, which must be addressed.
The University owns over six million square feet of facility
space, 300 buildings and over $1.5 billion in facility assets.
Best practices required that 2.5 percent of the value of the
asset should be expended each year for regularly scheduled major
maintenance projects such as roof replacements to continue the
useful life. This calculates to $40 to $50 million per year. The
University expends approximately $23 million annually from its
operating budget for routine maintenance. This demonstrates
commitment. However, capital appropriations are necessary for
larger repairs and system upgrades and the legislature had only
provided an average of $7 to $12 million per year.
2:05:55 PM
Senator Olson asked the number of the 300 buildings, which were
owned by the University compared to the number leased.
Co-Chair Kelly responded that most of the facilities were owned,
a practice somewhat different than the State.
Senator Olson asked if the University was required to provide
maintenance on the buildings it did lease.
Co-Chair Kelly responded that the individual leases varied.
AT EASE 2:06:37 PM / 2:10:10 PM
CARL ROSE, Executive Director, Alaskan Association of School
Boards, testified in Juneau in support of funding for the second
year of the four-year Consortium on Digital Learning Project.
The previous fiscal year, $5 million was appropriated to start
the project. Many schools in several locations were implementing
digital learning programs and a comprehensive approach was
necessary to determine the best equipment, software and
professional development to utilize. Rather than only teaching
keyboarding and word processing, education must be focused on
all aspects of digital learning, as this is the future trend.
The intent of the project was to provide funding to offset two-
thirds of the cost of school purchases. Apple computers were
selected the previous year and negotiations were underway to add
Dell computers. The short term return on this investment would
be "huge" given the 2,700 users and teachers participating in
digital learning. He distributed a brochure highlighting the
program [copy on file.]
2:14:39 PM
Co-Chair Stedman indicated he would consider the request.
AT EASE 2:14:56 PM / 2:23:03 PM
2:23:12 PM
DAN DUNAWAY testified via teleconference from Fairbanks as an
avid supporter of public broadcasting. He previously resided in
Dutch Harbor and Sand Point and appreciated the benefits of
public broadcasting. He requested $400,000 for an engineering
services program to benefit small stations in various locations
statewide. Funding for public broadcasting had been "flat" for
some time, which amounts to a reduction over a ten-year period.
AT EASE 2:25:10 PM / 2:26:34 PM
BETTY WALTERS, Kodiak Island Borough School District, testified
via teleconference from Kodiak to thank the Committee for its
support of education and in support of future funding for
education.
Co-Chair Stedman indicated the issue was being addressed.
AT EASE 2:27:26 PM / 3:07:00 PM
Co-Chair Stedman announced public testimony on this bill was
closed.
The bill was HELD in Committee.
ADJOURNMENT
Co-Chair Bert Stedman adjourned the meeting at 3:07:36 PM
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