02/01/2011 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

                  SJR 4-HONORING RONALD REAGAN                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
9:49:46 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI announced  SJR  4  to be  the  next order  of                                                               
business.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR CHARLIE  HUGGINS, sponsor  of SJR  4, explained  that the                                                               
resolution  should  not  require   much  evaluation,  but  it  is                                                               
important.  SJR 4  recognizes  the  accomplishments of  President                                                               
Ronald Regan on the 100th  anniversary of his birthday. He stated                                                               
that  President Regan  had  a  profound impact  on  the state  of                                                               
Alaska, which many people don't recognize.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                              
9:51:30 AM                                                                                                                    
JOHN  MANLY,  staff to  Senator  Charlie  Huggins, gave  a  brief                                                               
summary  of   SJR  4,   which  recognizes   the  accomplishments,                                                               
leadership, and vision of Ronald  Regan. Mr. Manly noted that, as                                                               
listed in SJR 4, President  Regan was involved in several Alaska-                                                               
specific events,  including advocating  for very  limited federal                                                               
control of  Alaska lands, state  control of the  Alaska railroad,                                                               
meeting with Pope John Paul  II in Fairbanks, signing reparations                                                               
payments  for   Aleuts  displaced   in  World  War   II,  signing                                                               
provisions  of  the  small   business  development  program,  and                                                               
funding village health clinics.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:54:38 AM                                                                                                                    
JERRY MCCUTCHEON, Anchorage, said he  opposes SJR 4, and feels it                                                               
is a political  resolution. He stated that Ronald  Regan left the                                                               
country  trillions of  dollars  in  debt, and  there  was even  a                                                               
question as  to whether he  was really in  charge; as far  as the                                                               
Aleut  reparations, they  only received  a fraction  of what  the                                                               
Japanese  received,  and  the   Japanese  internment  camps  were                                                               
luxurious compared to  the conditions endured by  the Aleuts. Mr.                                                               
McCutcheon   disputed  every   positive  point   listed  in   the                                                               
resolution.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:57:30 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGGINS replied  that in general people  should not speak                                                               
ill  of the  dead; further,  if you  can't be  positive, just  be                                                               
quiet. He  noted that  does not necessarily  apply in  this case,                                                               
and  while  he  appreciated Mr.  McCutcheon's  testimony,  Ronald                                                               
Regan does have a positive legacy in most people's minds.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:58:23 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI closed public testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  PASKVAN asked  if any  standard  applies to  recognizing                                                               
presidential  legacies;  for  instance,  should  the  legislature                                                               
recognize the 100th birthday anniversary of each president?                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS responded it is  fair to say the legislature does                                                               
not have a system.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI  stated that  was a good  question. It  can be                                                               
difficult to choose which president to honor.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PASKVAN  asked if  SJR 4  accomplishes anything,  such as                                                               
naming a  mountain after Ronald Regan,  or is it just  a piece of                                                               
paper.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGGINS  responded that it is  not just a piece  of paper                                                               
but a spirit, and it doesn't lead to any action.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:59:15 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MEYER  moved  to  report   SJR  4  from  committee  with                                                               
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s).                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI announced that  without objection, SJR 4 moved                                                               
from the Senate State Affairs Standing Committee.