03/11/1998 08:25 AM Senate FIN

                                                                               
     CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 255(STA)                                           
     "An Act establishing the Joint Committee on Military                      
     Bases in Alaska; and providing for an effective date."                    
                                                                               
                                                                               
TIM BENINTENDI,  staff to Senator  Tim Kelly, spoke  to this                   
bill.  His statement was as follows:                                           
                                                                               
"SB 255  would establish a  joint House, Senate  and citizen                   
committee to  take up issues strictly  dealing with military                   
base closures  in Alaska.  It  would focus upon, but  not be                   
limited to,  activities of the Base  Realignment and Closure                   
Commission,  the  so-called  BRAC  Commission,  which  is  a                   
federal  entity  that   periodically  reviews  all  military                   
facilities  in the  United States.   The  attention by  BRAC                   
given to Alaskan  bases in the past  presents a considerable                   
challenge and  necessitates a  strong and  vigilant response                   
from  the Legislature.   As  it  now stands,  a formal  BRAC                   
reactivation is  being debated in  Washington DC.   However,                   
Defense  Department  officials  have said  that  they  would                   
perform  a base  review and  closure exercise  even if  BRAC                   
isn't reinstituted later in the year."                                         
                                                                               
"The   military  establishment   in   Alaska  accounts   for                   
approximately $1.7 billion  annually throughout our economy.                   
In addition, the base closures  experienced to date, that is                   
Adak Naval Air Facility and  Fort Greely have shown that the                   
process  requires considerable  amount of  attention on  the                   
part of state government to  monitor the economic impact and                   
reuse  potential   of  such  base  closures.     This  joint                   
committee would provide that critical focus."                                  
                                                                               
"We have included public members  in this joint committee to                   
draw  the  participation  of individuals  from  the  state's                   
primary military  base localities, Anchorage  and Fairbanks.                   
We have invited participation  from the state's Commissioner                   
of Military and Veteran's Affairs department."                                 
                                                                               
"The  bill before  you  reflects a  correction  made in  the                   
Senate State Affairs Committee to  more clearly indicate the                   
inclusion of  three public,  non-legislative members  of the                   
committee.                                                                     
                                                                               
"The  amendment you  also have  would  change the  indicated                   
amount of value  the military presence hold  for Alaska from                   
$2.7  billion to  $1.7 billion.   This  revision comes  from                   
Institution for Social and  Economic Research, which updated                   
that value  for us.   It modifies  the higher  number, which                   
was previously  used by our  congressional delegation.   The                   
revised figure  reflects past troop reductions  and previous                   
base  closures and  does not  include the  value of  retired                   
military personal."                                                            
                                                                               
"We ask your  support for that amendment.   I understand the                   
teleconference won't take place,  so Mr. Chris Nelson, who's                   
had experience with  this in the past, won't  be joining us,                   
but I  would be happy to  take any questions or  discuss the                   
fiscal note."                                                                  
                                                                               
Senator   Adams  noted   the  fiscal   note  added   another                   
Legislative  assistant.    Senators Hoffman  and  Adams  had                   
volunteered their  staff for  this.   Senator Adams  felt it                   
would be  more objective to have  representation coming from                   
a rural  area rather  than hiring  a new  staff member.   He                   
said this  would save $73,600,  by eliminating  the personal                   
services.                                                                      
                                                                               
Senator Pearce said  her intention had been to  zero out the                   
fiscal note  with the exception  of the travel and  per diem                   
for  the public  members, which  she felt  they did  have to                   
pay.   She  thanked Senator  Adams for  the offer  his staff                   
support.                                                                       
                                                                               
She added  that she had  been supportive of  earlier efforts                   
on BRAC commissions.   She noted they had  tried this before                   
and enjoyed success.   Alaska occupies a  unique position on                   
the globe  that makes it  a top priority for  the Department                   
of  Defense, she  observed.   She  still felt  the need  for                   
concern about losses perhaps of  some of their armed forces,                   
particularly in Anchorage and Fairbanks.                                       
                                                                               
She was  troubled, because she  felt it was time  for others                   
to  step  forward.   It  shouldn't  always  have to  be  the                   
Legislature that  brings forward the support  and the effort                   
to stop these  closures.  She would have  expected some sort                   
of  commitment   from  the  Governor  and   from  the  local                   
communities.  She didn't see  any money contributed from the                   
local communities who would be  affected.  She did see where                   
they were  recommending people to  serve on the  task force,                   
but thought they should also contribute money.                                 
                                                                               
She felt  the approach should  be broader than just  a small                   
Legislative committee.   She also  thought there  was plenty                   
of staff available  during the interim to  support the group                   
and  that no  new positions  should be  funded.   She stated                   
that she casts a dim view  of staff travel as a general rule                   
and  particularly to  staff traveling  to  Washington DC  to                   
represent the Legislature of the  State Of Alaska.  She felt                   
that only Legislatures  could do an adequate  job of meeting                   
with the appropriate people and making that effort count.                      
                                                                               
She then  moved to adopt  a Senate Finance Fiscal  Note that                   
would not  fund staff  especially for this  task force.   It                   
also would  not fund  travel for  the legislators  or staff.                   
It would  fund travel and  per diem  for the members  of the                   
public who  would serve on the  task force.  She  added they                   
could look  at contracting supplies, but  would need funding                   
for advertising.                                                               
                                                                               
She  asked  that  the  bill  be  held  until  the  afternoon                   
meeting, while the  new fiscal note was prepared.   She said                   
this would  only hold up  the bill  one day, and  there were                   
adequate votes to pass the legislation.                                        
                                                                               
Senator Adams  asked about the  Legislator travel  costs for                   
this task force.   Would the funds come  from the Leadership                   
funds for  each body, House  and Senate, he asked.   Senator                   
Pearce affirmed  that.   He then asked  about the  sunset of                   
the task force and if it would be a three-year committee.                      
                                                                               
Mr.  Benintendi  told  the committee  they  had  no  problem                   
removing the provision  for new staff.  The  intent had been                   
just  to show  what the  cost  would be  if the  Legislature                   
decided to add a special position.                                             
                                                                               
There was further discussion  about different military sites                   
in the state.                                                                  
                                                                               
Senator  Phillips  moved  Amendment #1,  which  updates  the                   
economic  value  to the  state,  deleting  $2.7 billion  and                   
inserting  $1.7 billion.   The  sponsor  concurred with  the                   
amendment.   There was  no objection  and the  amendment was                   
adopted.                                                                       
                                                                               
There was  no further discussion  on the bill at  this time.                   
Co-Chair  Sharp ordered  the bill  held  in committee  until                   
4:30pm when a new fiscal note would be presented.                              
                                                                               
He  announced  the committee  would  re-convene  at 4:30  to                   
address SB 255  and the Results Based  Budget Worksession on                   
the Alaska State Troopers.