04/18/2002 02:05 PM House FIN

HOUSE BILL NO. 337                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An    Act    making    capital    appropriations    and                                                                   
     reappropriations,   and   capitalizing   funds;   making                                                                   
     appropriations  under art. IX, sec.  17(c), Constitution                                                                   
     of the State  of Alaska, from the  constitutional budget                                                                   
    reserve fund; and providing for an effective date."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
ROB  CARPENTER,   ANAYLIST,  LEGISLATIVE  FINANCE   DIVISION,                                                                   
provided information  regarding the legislation.  He provided                                                                   
members  with  a  pie  chart   representation  of  the  major                                                                   
programs in  the capital appropriations legislation  (copy on                                                                   
file).  The   legislation  is  primarily  broken   down  into                                                                   
Department of  Transportation and Public  Facilities, Surface                                                                   
Transportation   and  Airport   Improvement;  Department   of                                                                   
Environmental Conservation, Village  Safe Water and Municipal                                                                   
Matching  Grants;  Department   of  Revenue,  Alaska  Housing                                                                   
Finance  Corporation   (AHFC)  Construction   Program;  state                                                                   
matching  funds;  and  other   non-program  agency  projects.                                                                   
Federal Funds make up the majority of the capital request.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Representative John Davies questioned  why the state matching                                                                   
funds were  listed as a  program. Mr. Carpenter  acknowledged                                                                   
that they do not represent a program  but explained that they                                                                   
were separated  because it  is a  significant portion  of the                                                                   
budget. The total state match  for all funds is $85.9 million                                                                   
dollars. There is $50 million  for surface transportation and                                                                   
$10 million for  airport improvement. The remaining  is split                                                                   
between  the  Village  Safe  Water   and  Municipal  Matching                                                                   
Grants,  with   $5  million  dollars  throughout   the  other                                                                   
agencies.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hudson questioned  if state matching funds are                                                                   
general  funds.  Mr.  Carpenter   noted  that  AHFC  dividend                                                                   
funding is used  in the safe water-drinking  program to match                                                                   
federal  funds.  He explained  that  the general  fund  match                                                                   
component   is  approximately   $60   million:  $50   surface                                                                   
transportation  and  $10 airport  improvements.  He  observed                                                                   
that AFHC funding and other smaller funds are also used.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
HB  337  was   heard  and  HELD  in  Committee   for  further                                                                   
consideration.