HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE April 1, 2010 9:07 a.m. 9:07:35 AM CALL TO ORDER Co-Chair Stoltze called the House Finance Committee meeting to order at 9:07 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Bill Stoltze, Co-Chair Representative Bill Thomas Jr., Vice-Chair Representative Allan Austerman Representative Mike Doogan Representative Anna Fairclough Representative Neal Foster Representative Les Gara Representative Reggie Joule Representative Mike Kelly Representative Woodie Salmon MEMBERS ABSENT Representative Mike Hawker, Co-Chair ALSO PRESENT Representative Wes Keller; Mary Siroky, Special Assistant to the Commissioner, Department of Transportation PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE Yukon Tanner, Talkeetna; Dallas Massie, Susitna American Legion Post 35, Wasilla SUMMARY HB 226 NAMING VETERANS' WAY IN MAT-SU CS HB 226 (TRA) was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with a new Department of Transportation fiscal note. 9:07:41 AM HOUSE BILL NO. 226 "An Act renaming Seldon Road and that portion of Bogard Road that extends between Palmer and Meadow Lakes, as Veterans' Way." 9:08:12 AM REPRESENTATIVE WES KELLER, the bill's sponsor, depicted the bill as a tribute to the veterans of Alaska for their service and sacrifice. He expressed the importance of remembering that the freedom for self determination is paid for with the sacrifice of veterans who serve this country. He reported on the variety of names that presently exit along the roadway. He referred to the Wasilla map (copy on file). Representative Keller reported that he knocked on doors along the corridor and encountered no problems or resistance with Wasilla locals in changing the name of the corridor to honor the veterans. 9:11:05 AM Co-Chair Stoltze clarified that the name change would follow the same procedure as other veteran corridors in Alaska in that it does not change the names of the local roads, but has an overlap name assigned to the roadway. Representative Keller agreed. He expressed again the local enthusiasm for the process. Co-Chair Stoltze reiterated that renaming roads can be more complicated, but this bill only renames the entire corridor to honor the veterans. 9:12:17 AM Representative Gara asked if there was any community opposition to this bill. Representative Keller replied that the community has given this bill its enthusiastic support. Representative Foster agreed the bill is good idea. He wondered if there was any negative comments, and, if so, what they might have been. Representative Keller responded that there was no negative response within the community. 9:13:30 AM YUKON TANNER, TALKEETNA (via teleconference) announced that he proposed to change the corridor to Veterans Way years ago, but met with a political obstacle at that time which delayed the process. Last year several hundred signatures were gathered in support of naming the corridor in honor of veterans (copy on file). He revealed that after accumulating hundreds of signatures, only two people initially refused to sign, but after further explanation they were more agreeable. He found zero resistance to changing the name. Mr. Tanner expounded on the history of his family's military service and reiterated that the name honors veterans and is the respectful thing to do. Co-Chair Stoltze acknowledged that the committee had copies of the letter signed by the Mat-Su Valley delegation. 9:16:10 AM DALLAS MASSIE, SUSITNA AMERICAN LEGION POST 35, WASILLA (via teleconference) spoke on behalf of the 500 members in the legion. He expounded of his family's military service. He supported the bill on behalf of his family and the members of the American Legion Post in Susitna. Co-Chair Stoltze asked for any further public testimony. Co-Chair Stoltze closed public testimony. 9:17:48 AM MARY SIROKY, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION communicated the changes in the revised fiscal note. The department initially understood that the section of road was to be entirely renamed and the original fiscal note for $34,000 reflected the necessary changes. After further explanation the department revised the fiscal note to a lower number with a reduction for only ten signs. The new fiscal note is for $8,500. Co-Chair Stoltze honored Private First Class James Miller from Chugiak who was killed in action in Afghanistan. He acknowledged other veterans in the room 9:20:11 AM Vice-Chair Thomas MOVED to report CS HB 226 (TRA) out of Committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. CS HB 226 (TRA) was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with a new Department of Transportation fiscal note. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 9:21 AM