04/17/2009 04:54 PM House FIN

SENATE BILL NO. 165                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act authorizing the transfer  of two parcels of land                                                                   
     from   the   Alaska   Railroad    Corporation   to   the                                                                   
     Municipality   of  Anchorage;   and  providing   for  an                                                                   
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
7:05:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  NANCY  DAHLSTROM,  SPONSOR, stated  that  the                                                                   
land swap would benefit Government  Hill Elementary School by                                                                   
fixing a 22  year-old safety issue. The land  would allow for                                                                   
a  safer  entrance  to  the  school.  She  relayed  that  the                                                                   
railroad and the  community were in full  agreement regarding                                                                   
the issue.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
7:06:14 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JESSE CROSS-CALL,  STAFF, SENATOR  JOHNNY ELLIS,  stated that                                                                   
Page 1, Line 6, described the  land that would be transferred                                                                   
to the  Municipality of Anchorage.  The first parcel  of land                                                                   
was 1.93 acres,  and is railroad land that  will be developed                                                                   
into  residential sub-divisions.  The second  parcel of  land                                                                   
was less  than 1/5th of  an acre.   This was the  parcel that                                                                   
would  enable  the fix  of  the dangerous  elementary  school                                                                   
entrance.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
7:08:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Page  2, Line  6 of  the bill  described the  purpose of  the                                                                   
transfer; for  the development  on East Government  Hill, and                                                                   
the  safer  school  entrance  on  West  Government  Hill.  In                                                                   
exchange for  the two  plots of  land the municipality  would                                                                   
relinquish  a small  parcel of  land  to the  railroad for  a                                                                   
parking  lot. There  is  a $40,000  discrepancy  in the  land                                                                   
being exchanged  between the  municipality and the  railroad,                                                                   
which  the  municipality  believes   will  not  be  a  future                                                                   
concern.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
7:10:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze opened public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
RON  POLLOCK,   ANCHORAGE  COMMUNITY  DEVELOPMENT   AUTHORITY                                                                   
testified via  teleconference. He urged support  for the bill                                                                   
and offered to answer questions.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
PAT  GAMBLE,  PRESIDENT,  CEO,  ALASKA  RAILROAD  CORPORATION                                                                   
testified via  teleconference. He testified that  the project                                                                   
would  be beneficial  for the  city  and he  gave his  strong                                                                   
support for the bill.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
7:11:55 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze  implored Mr. Gamble to respond  to economic                                                                   
development  issues concerning  the  Mat-Su area,  and to  be                                                                   
careful of the  comments that he made in public  forums.  Mr.                                                                   
Gamble replied that he understood the message.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze closed public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
7:13:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Fairclough wondered  about the connection  on                                                                   
the land route coming off the  bridge at Point Mackenzie. She                                                                   
asked if any of the properties  under discussion were located                                                                   
in the area. Representative Dahlstrom replied no.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
7:13:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze pointed out the zero fiscal note.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Foster   MOVED  to  report  SB   165  out  of                                                                   
committee   with    individual   recommendations    and   the                                                                   
accompanying fiscal  note.  There being NO  OBJECTION, it was                                                                   
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SB  165  was REPORTED  out  of  Committee  with a  "do  pass"                                                                   
recommendation   and  with  zero   fiscal  note  #1   by  the                                                                   
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
7:15:00 PM