Legislature(1999 - 2000)
03/22/2000 05:10 PM House CRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HOUSE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS
STANDING COMMITTEE
March 22, 2000
5:10 p.m.
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
Impacts of proposed 10-mil tax cap initiative
TAPES
00-18, SIDES A & B
00-19, SIDE A
CALL TO ORDER
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN HARRIS, Co-chair, convened the House
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting at
5:10 p.m.
PRESENT
Committee members present were Representatives Harris,
Morgan, Halcro, Murkowski and Joule.
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION
STEVE VAN SANT, State Assessor, Anchorage, gave an overview
of the possible impacts if the initiative passes in
November.
LEO RASMUSSEN, Mayor of Nome, discussed possible impacts to
the Nome area.
MICHAEL LAMB, Chief Finance Officer, North Slope Borough,
testified as to the impacts on the North Slope Borough.
ED ZEINE, Mayor of Cordova, discussed impacts in Cordova and
Prince William Sound.
DAVE COBB, Mayor of Valdez, discussed impacts in Valdez and
on Prince William Sound Community College.
JOHN WILLIAMS, Mayor of Kenai, testified that he did not
believe the initiative was legal, in that it would allow one
community to dictate what other communities could do.
HENRY GUINOTTE, Mayor of Palmer, testified that Palmer would
not be directly impacted because its revenue sources include
a 3-mil tax and a 3 percent sales tax. However, the
Matanuska-Susitna Borough would be impacted and thus Palmer
would indirectly be impacted because of that.
MIKE SCOTT, Manager, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, testified as
to the impacts on the borough and discussed the "fatal flaw"
of putting bonded indebtedness under the cap. He said the
initiative petition has already affected the borough's bond
rating.
DOYLE HOLMES, Assemblyman, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, spoke
in favor of the initiative, saying the impacts won't be as
serious as presumed. He cautioned against overreacting
negatively.
CINDY BENNER, Fairbanks citizen, testified that she will be
working to obtain a resolution from her local PTAs [parent-
teacher associations] in opposition to the initiative.
KATHY WASSERMAN, Mayor of Pelican, said her town would not
be directly impacted because it taxes at less than 10 mils,
but small towns would not get the help they need from the
state if the state is having to save the bigger cities.
DARIO NOTTI, Vice Mayor of Bethel, spoke in opposition to
the tax cap and echoed the same reasoning as Ms. Wasserman,
Mayor of Pelican.
JOHN MIELKE, Mayor of Skagway, spoke in opposition to the
tax cap.
DARCIE SALMON, Mayor of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough,
testified in favor of reform and change, but believes the
initiative is flawed.
PAT ABNEY, Anchorage Assembly member, testified against the
tax cap, saying the cities have enough trouble attracting
businesses and keeping young people from moving "Outside."
CAROLYN FLOYD, Mayor of Kodiak, testified against the tax
cap.
DAN KELLY, Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assemblyman from
Wasilla, discussed development and infrastructure, services,
and so forth.
COMMITTEE ACTION
The committee took no action.
ADJOURNMENT
CHAIRMAN HARRIS adjourned the meeting at 7:02 p.m.
NOTE:
The meeting was recorded and handwritten log notes were
taken. A copy of the tape(s) and log notes may be obtained
by contacting the House Records Office at 129 6th Street,
Suite 229, Juneau, Alaska 99801-2197, (907) 465-2214, and
after adjournment of the second session of the Twenty-first
Alaska State Legislature this information may be obtained by
contacting the Legislative Reference Library at 129 6th
Street, Suite 102, Juneau, Alaska 99801, (907) 465-3808.
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