Legislature(2019 - 2020)BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

04/03/2019 06:00 PM Senate JUDICIARY

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06:03:18 PM Start
06:03:43 PM SJR4
06:42:36 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Please Note Time --
+= SJR 4 CONST. AM: STATE TAX; INTIATIVE TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Public Testimony <Time Limit May Be Set> --
+= SJR 5 CONST. AM.:PERMANENT FUND & DIVIDEND TELECONFERENCED
<Bill Hearing Canceled>
<Pending Referral>
-- Public Testimony <Time Limit May Be Set> --
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
             SJR  4-CONST. AM: STATE TAX; INTIATIVE                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
6:03:43 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES announced  that the only order of  business would be                                                               
SENATE  JOINT  RESOLUTION  NO. 4,  Proposing  amendments  to  the                                                               
Constitution   of   the   State   of   Alaska   prohibiting   the                                                               
establishment  of,  or  increase  to, a  state  tax  without  the                                                               
approval  of  the  voters  of  the state;  and  relating  to  the                                                               
initiative process.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
[CSSJR 4(STA) was before the committee.]                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:03:56 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES made opening remarks.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
6:04:33 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES opened public testimony on SJR 4.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
6:04:56 PM                                                                                                                    
LYNETTE CLARK,  representing herself,  Fox, testified  in support                                                               
of SJR 4. She stated that  Alaskans started to feel ignored a few                                                               
years  ago  and  their  trust   in  elected  officials  began  to                                                               
diminish. She  opined that SJR  4 will give Alaskans  more power,                                                               
which is what art  I, secs 1 and 2, Constitution  of the State of                                                               
Alaska  envisioned. It  is  the  people who  are  in charge.  She                                                               
emphasized   that  restoring   trust  in   both  bodies   of  the                                                               
legislature is important.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
6:07:49 PM                                                                                                                    
CHRISTINE  HUTCHISON, representing  herself, Kenai,  testified in                                                               
support and  echoed Ms.  Clark's testimony.  The people  can help                                                               
the legislature make the tough  decisions about cutting spending,                                                               
she said. She  stated support for what the governor  is doing and                                                               
thanked  Senator Micciche  and  the other  committee members  for                                                               
their work.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
6:09:08 PM                                                                                                                    
MARK  SESLER,   representing  himself,  Soldotna,   testified  in                                                               
support of  SJR 4 and agreed  with Ms. Clark. The  people need to                                                               
take back their state from  special interests, he said. He warned                                                               
that  2020 will  have consequences  for legislators  who are  not                                                               
abiding by their campaign promises.  The governor was elected for                                                               
a reason, he said.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
6:10:15 PM                                                                                                                    
NORIA  CLARK,  representing   herself,  Anchorage,  testified  in                                                               
support of SJR 4. She said  an egregious amount of money has been                                                               
and  continues  to  be  wasted   in  this  state,  especially  in                                                               
Anchorage. She said many people  became complacent after the last                                                               
election when  their candidate was  elected but there is  still a                                                               
fight ahead  to support  the governor. She  said she  is speaking                                                               
from experience when  she says that taxing people  is not useful.                                                               
The fight before us is boots on the ground, she concluded                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
6:11:49 PM                                                                                                                    
KAREN PERRY, representing herself,  Chugiak, testified in support                                                               
of SJR 4. She reported  that her family is "Dunleavy-strong." She                                                               
said we  are tired of wasteful  spending and taking from  many to                                                               
benefit a few.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
ROD PERRY, representing himself,  Chugiak, stated support for SJR
4.                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
6:12:58 PM                                                                                                                    
KEN BROWN,  representing himself, Soldotna, testified  in support                                                               
of SJR 4.  He echoed first caller's comments and  said he'd leave                                                               
it at that.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
6:13:34 PM                                                                                                                    
GAIL  LIMBAUGH-MOORE,  representing   herself,  Soldotna,  stated                                                               
support for SJR 4.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
6:14:22 PM}S                                                                                                                  
SHOSHANA  KUN,  representing  herself,  Fairbanks,  testified  in                                                               
opposition  to SJR  4. She  opined that  the resolution  will tie                                                               
officials' hands at  the city and borough  level from considering                                                               
a sales tax as a form of revenue.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
6:15:01 PM                                                                                                                    
SUZAN  DENZINE,  representing   herself,  Kasilof,  testified  in                                                               
support of SJR 4. She offered  her belief that the budgets in all                                                               
departments  need to  be  made more  efficient.  She also  stated                                                               
support for  increasing revenue  by drilling  for gas.  She urged                                                               
legislators to work  while they're in Juneau so  extra [per diem]                                                               
isn't necessary.  Otherwise, they'll be  hurt at the  ballot box,                                                               
she warned.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
6:15:58 PM                                                                                                                    
LINN  MCCABE,  representing  herself,   Big  Lake,  testified  in                                                               
support of SJR  4. She pointed out that Alaska  is supposed to be                                                               
a  representative  government  and   input  from  the  people  is                                                               
essential. She opined that giving  the public the ability to vote                                                               
on  implementing taxes  means legislators  will have  to convince                                                               
the public  of the need for  more money. More people  will become                                                               
in the process, she said.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
6:17:06 PM                                                                                                                    
WILLY  KEPPEL,  representing  himself,  Quinhagak,  testified  in                                                               
support of  SJR 4. He  also stated support for  Governor Dunleavy                                                               
and  reminded the  committee that  [the  colonies] rejected  King                                                               
George   in   1776   over   the   issue   of   taxation   without                                                               
representation. "I'm for cut, cut, cut," he said.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
6:17:43 PM                                                                                                                    
JULIE  SMITH,  representing   herself,  Fairbanks,  testified  in                                                               
opposition of SJR  4. She said a system already  exists for local                                                               
governments to impose taxes.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
6:18:31 PM                                                                                                                    
JAMES SQUYERS, representing himself,  Rural Deltana, testified in                                                               
support of SJR 4.  He said he was also speaking  for his wife Pam                                                               
Good. He related that he  listened to the House Finance Committee                                                               
as amendments were  offered to the budget and  that convinced him                                                               
of the need for this resolution.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
6:19:11 PM                                                                                                                    
MITCHEL  SHARMAN,  representing  himself,  Juneau,  testified  in                                                               
support of SJR 4.  He opined that the budget should  be cut a lot                                                               
and  that  there  are  other  ways to  get  prisons  to  pay  for                                                               
themselves.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
6:20:14 PM                                                                                                                    
MARSHA  MUELLER-SHARMAN,  representing  herself,  Juneau,  stated                                                               
support for SJR 4.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
6:20:46 PM                                                                                                                    
ALEX   KOPLIN,   representing   himself,  Homer,   testified   in                                                               
opposition to  SJR 4 because  the state needs  additional sources                                                               
of revenue. Many people come to  Alaska to work and revenue could                                                               
be generated  from that  through a  fair tax  system. He  said he                                                               
doesn't always  agree with legislators  but he does  support them                                                               
in  their efforts  to make  Alaska healthy.  He said  cutting the                                                               
budget  is not  working and  he believes  that taxing  is healthy                                                               
because everyone  has skin in the  game. We need to  address this                                                               
issue sooner rather  than later because the  problem escalates as                                                               
time goes on, he said.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
6:22:33 PM                                                                                                                    
JOHN  LAMBORN,   representing  himself,  Wasilla,   testified  in                                                               
support of SJR 4. He said he  and his wife would like Alaskans to                                                               
have more say  in what goes on in government.  He added that they                                                               
also support the governor's plan.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
6:23:10 PM                                                                                                                    
KATHY  SWANSON,   representing  herself,  Juneau,   testified  in                                                               
support of  SJR 4. She said  she does not believe  taxpayers have                                                               
enough say on taxes.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
6:23:50 PM                                                                                                                    
BOB SWANSON,  representing himself, Juneau, testified  in support                                                               
of SJR 4.  He offered his belief  that it is not  possible to tax                                                               
one's way into prosperity. He said  it has not worked in the past                                                               
and will not  work in the future. He pointed  out that Alaska has                                                               
plenty  of natural  resources to  offset the  budget deficit.  He                                                               
stated agreement with the governor  that throwing more money at a                                                               
problem  doesn't   necessarily  solve   the  problem.   He  cited                                                               
education as an example. He reiterated his support for SJR 4.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
6:25:33 PM                                                                                                                    
CHRISTINA SINCLAIR,  representing herself, North  Pole, testified                                                               
in opposition  to SJR 4.  She said elected officials  should make                                                               
these sorts of decisions for the people.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:26:14 PM                                                                                                                    
SABRINA  MARTINO, representing  herself, Anchorage,  testified in                                                               
support of  SJR 4. She said  she believes that the  people should                                                               
have  a voice  in whether  or not  they will  be taxed.  "I don't                                                               
think  the legislative  body  has listened  to  the people,"  she                                                               
said. She also voiced support for the governor's budget plan.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
6:27:04 PM                                                                                                                    
LINDSAY  WYATT,  representing  herself, Fairbanks,  testified  in                                                               
support of SJR 4. She said there  should not be any kind of state                                                               
tax without a vote of  the people because the legislature doesn't                                                               
know whether the people have the ability to pay.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
6:28:00 PM                                                                                                                    
ROBBI  DOUGLAS, representing  herself, North  Pole, testified  in                                                               
support of  SJR 4. She said  it's obvious to her  that the people                                                               
cannot  trust  elected officials  to  pay  attention to  "we  the                                                               
people."                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:29:03 PM                                                                                                                    
HAYDEN  NEVILL,  representing  himself, Fairbanks,  testified  in                                                               
opposition  to SJR  4. He  said the  people elect  legislators to                                                               
make difficult  decisions on their  behalf about  maintaining the                                                               
health of  the state. They  are qualified  to make the  myriad of                                                               
complex decisions about  whether or not to impose  taxes to raise                                                               
revenue.  He opined  that the  people who  can't afford  it won't                                                               
necessarily be taxed.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
6:30:08 PM                                                                                                                    
VERT HOUGHTALING,  representing himself,  Big Lake,  testified in                                                               
support of SJR  4. He said the state needs  to get spending under                                                               
control  and SJR  4  will  give power  to  the  people to  decide                                                               
whether or not new taxes are necessary.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
6:31:03 PM                                                                                                                    
ABIGAIL  STESSEN, representing  herself, Fairbanks,  testified in                                                               
opposition to SJR 4. She said  she believes that the people elect                                                               
officials  to represent  them and  this  amendment doesn't  allow                                                               
that.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
6:31:34 PM                                                                                                                    
At-ease.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
6:31:39 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES reconvened the meeting.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
6:36:32 PM                                                                                                                    
JAMES  SANTORO,  representing  himself, Anchorage,  testified  in                                                               
opposition to  SJR 4. He said  everyone has to pay  taxes even if                                                               
they don't like  it. He described the resolution as  a divide and                                                               
conquer  measure that  will split  Alaskans. He  said the  people                                                               
elect  their   legislators  to  make   these  hard   choices.  He                                                               
reiterated  his opposition  to  the resolution  and  most of  the                                                               
proposals Governor Dunleavy has put forward.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
6:37:38 PM                                                                                                                    
TRISTAN  GLOWA,  representing  himself, Fairbanks,  testified  in                                                               
opposition to  SJR 4. He said  he has not heard  much support for                                                               
constraining the  legislature's flexibility to solve  the state's                                                               
fiscal problems. Imposing  barriers  to solve the fiscal problems                                                               
is not appropriate, he said.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
6:38:40 PM                                                                                                                    
TRAVIS  COLE,  representing   himself,  Fairbanks,  testified  in                                                               
opposition to SJR  4. He said elected officials are  the voice of                                                               
the  people and  they  should make  these  decisions. He  further                                                               
stated his  objection to  the governor's  approach to  take power                                                               
away from the legislature.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
6:39:37 PM                                                                                                                    
TRISTAN SINCLAIR, representing himself,  North Pole, testified in                                                               
opposition  to  SJR  4.  He  said the  state  was  created  as  a                                                               
constitutional republic for a reason.  Legislators are elected to                                                               
educate themselves and  make informed decisions on  behalf of the                                                               
people.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
6:40:22 PM                                                                                                                    
ERIC  MUEHLING,  representing  himself, Fairbanks,  testified  in                                                               
opposition  to  SJR  4.  He   said  this  resolution  will  limit                                                               
legislative  power  and  restrict the  legislature's  ability  to                                                               
raise and spend  money. That is their role, he  said. Let them do                                                               
their job.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
6:40:55 PM                                                                                                                    
RONALD HOWARD JR., representing  himself, Ketchikan, testified in                                                               
support of SJR 4 to give people an up or down vote on new taxes.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
6:41:41 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR HUGHES closed public testimony on SJR 4.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
6:41:56 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MICCICHE expressed appreciation for the testimony.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
[SJR 4 was held in committee.]                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
SJR4 Version U.pdf SJUD 4/1/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJUD 4/3/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJUD 4/3/2019 6:00:00 PM
SJUD 4/15/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJUD 4/17/2019 6:00:00 PM
SJUD 4/19/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJR 4
SJR4 Transmittal Letter.pdf SJUD 4/1/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJUD 4/3/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJUD 4/3/2019 6:00:00 PM
SJUD 4/17/2019 6:00:00 PM
SJUD 4/19/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJR 4
SJR4 Sectional Analysis Version U.pdf SJUD 4/1/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJUD 4/3/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJUD 4/3/2019 6:00:00 PM
SJUD 4/15/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJUD 4/17/2019 6:00:00 PM
SJR 4
SJR4 Explanation of Changes Version U.pdf SJUD 4/1/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJUD 4/3/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJUD 4/3/2019 6:00:00 PM
SJUD 4/17/2019 6:00:00 PM
SJUD 4/19/2019 1:30:00 PM
SJR 4