MINUTES SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE 3 February 1998 6:30 P.M. TAPES SFC-98, Tape #17, Sides A and B CALL TO ORDER Senator Bert Sharp, Co-chair, convened the meeting at approximately 6:30 p.m. PRESENT In addition to Co-chair Sharp, Senators Phillips, Torgerson and Parnell were present when the meeting convened. Senator Donley arrived shortly thereafter. Also present: Senator Gary Wilken, Committee Chairman for Health and Social Services; Dave Tonkovich, Fiscal Analyst, Division of Legislative Finance; Al Weinberg, Single Site School Districts; John Cyr, President, NEA-Alaska; Bob Deitrick, Gifted/Talented Teacher; aides to committee members and other members of the Legislature. Via teleconference: The following cities participated in teleconference or call-in public testimony: Kotzebue, Dillingham, Mountain Village, Anchorage, Kenai, Fairbanks, Mat-Su, Tok, Ketchikan, Unalakleet, Seward, Nenana, Copper River, Barrow, Homer and Delta Junction. SUMMARY INFORMATION SENATE BILL NO. 36 "An Act relating to transportation of public school students; relating to school construction grants; relating to the public school foundation program and to local aid for education; and providing for an effective date." SENATE BILL NO. 142 "An Act relating to formation of and taxation in regional educational attendance areas; and providing for an effective date." SENATE BILL NO. 146 "An Act relating to the public school funding program; relating to the definition of a school district, to the transportation of students, to school district layoff plans, to the special education service agency, to the child care grant program; imposing a school tax in the unorganized borough; and providing for an effective date." CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 146(HES) "An Act relating to the public school funding program; relating to the definition of a school district, to the transportation of students, to school district layoff plans, to the special education service agency, and to the child care grant program; imposing an employment tax in the unorganized borough as a local contribution to public schools; and providing for an effective date." SENATE BILL NO. 193 "An Act relating to a limitation on administrative expenditures of school districts; and providing for an effective date." Co-chair Sharp convened the meeting directly at 6:30 p.m. The following individuals testified regarding the above- listed bills: LOU MATHESON, superintendent, Northwest Arctic School District from KOTZEBUE; DON EVANS, superintendent, Southwest Region School District, from DILLINGHAM; KEN HALVERSON from DILLINGHAM; ANDREW BROWN from MOUNTAIN VILLAGE; KATHI GILLESPIE, Anchorage School Board from ANCHORAGE; GINGER JENKINSON, Anchorage PTA, from ANCHORAGE; LISA FITZPATRICK from ANCHORAGE; JOHN DAHLGREN, superintendent, Kenai Public School District, from KENAI; DEBRA MULLINS, Kenai School Board, from KENAI; CYNTHIA HENRY, legislative chair, Fairbanks School Board, from FAIRBANKS; BONNIE WILLIAMS from FAIRBANKS; BETSY TURNER- BOGREN, President, Alaska PTA, from FAIRBANKS; KATHLEEN WIGHT-MURPHY, teacher, Mat-Su Valley School, from MAT-SU; DARROLL HARGRAVES from TOK; GLEN MARUNDE from TOK; CAROLYN FRYE, teacher, Ketchikan School, from KETCHIKAN; MIKE BROWN from KETCHIKAN; SCOTT BRANDT-ERICKSON, parent, from KETCHIKAN; BILL PFEIFER, parent, from KETCHIKAN; SAM TOWARAK from UNALAKLEET; LAWRENCE COLSTON, Seward Teachers' Association, from SEWARD; TERRY BENTLY, superintendent, Nenana School District, from NENANA; JOHN KUNIK from COPPER RIVER; JANE BROWN from COPPER RIVER; HARRY TURMAN from COPPER RIVER; LELAND DISHMAN, superintendent, North Slope School District, from BARROW; ROGER SAMPSON, superintendent, Chugach School District, from ANCHORAGE; TOM FREEMAN, retired from Anchorage School District, from ANCHORAGE; LUCY HOPE from MAT-SU; LELA AYERS, President, Mat-Su Education Association, from MAT-SU; DEB GERMANO from HOMER and RICHARD MAUER from DELTA JUNCTION. The following individuals testified from JUNEAU: AL WEINBERG, Single Site Consortium; JOHN CYR, President NEA-Alaska and BOB DIETRICK, Gifted/Talented Teacher. At the end of hearing all testimony by the above-listed individuals Co-chair Sharp advised that any and all comments would also be accepted by fax or mail to the Senate Finance Committee Secretary's office. ADJOURNMENT Co-chair Sharp recessed the meeting at 9:10 p.m. until tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. SFC-98 1 2/3/98