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Alerts Page "An Informed Voter Is The Best Defense Against Bad Government"
24th Legislature HOUSE BILLS
HB 1 Increase funding for student base allocation. Sponsored by Representatives GATTO, Chenault, Wilson, Lynn, Neuman, Thomas and Senator Wilken
HB 20 Separate spending bill for education funding. Sponsored by Representatives SEATON, Chenault, Wilson, Lynn, and Neuman
HB 23 Would begin the process to find willing "host" that will build a new legislative building to be leased by the state for $1/year. Sponsored by Representative Rokeberg.
HB 28 the municipal dividend program sponsored by Representative Carl Moses, Democrat from Unalaska. This bill would take $250 per person from the Permanent Fund earnings reserve account (source of PFD’s) and give it to municipalities. Minimum amount for smaller villages would be $40,000. This would help pay the high cost of local governments that were created or expanded during the oil money boom years. Many municipal governments do not have a sustainable tax base to support themselves and rather than face that reality insist they must be paid from the Permanent Fund. Leading that charge is the Alaska Municipal League, an organization using membership fees (our tax dollars) to lobby the legislature for bills like good old HB 28.
HB 38 dealing with the Amerada Hess portion of the Permanent Fund sponsored by Representatives Eric Croft and Harry Crawford, both Democrats from Anchorage. This bill would treat earnings of the Amerada Hess portion of the Permanent Fund like all other earnings, therefore available for distribution as a dividend. The way it is now, this money is a target for legislative spending. Governor Murkowski is leading the charge to spend this money for his new jet and a new multi-million dollar road from Juneau to Canada. Those interested in keeping state government boondoggle spending OUT of the Permanent Fund should embrace HB 38 as a good piece of legislation.
HB 48 Would require a public vote to approve full costs of building a new capitol building. Sponsored by Representatives Stoltze, Gatto, Neuman, and Lynn.
HB 52 is touted as a “long-range fiscal plan”. Sponsored by Representatives Gruenberg, Harris, Wilson, Anderson, Cissna, Foster, Guttenberg, Joule, Kapsner, Kott, Lynn, McGuire, Moses, Thomas, Salmon, a mixed bag of Democrats and Republicans from around Alaska. Take a closer look and you see a bill full of “wiggle words” that make people think something wonderful is going to happen, but in reality are nothing more than a carefully crafted way to say, “let’s spend the Permanent Fund earnings (source of PFD’s) whenever we need the money to cover our overspending policy”. Don’t get that warm and fuzzy feeling when thinking about HB 52 or you will be disappointed!
HB 63 This modification to the "ELF" would change oil tax laws to allow a higher severance tax be paid when prices are above $20/barrel and lower tax paid when prices are below $16/barrel. Sponsored by Representatives GARA, Kerttula, Croft, and Guttenberg
HB 67 Operating Budget spending bill. Introduced by the House Rules Committee by request of Governor Murkowski.
HB 71 Governor's tax break for oil company exploration on the AK Peninsula. Introduced by the House Rules Committee by request of Governor Murkowski.
HB 74 Removes limit for 911 tax charged by municipalities. Sponsored by Representative Holm.
HB 94 Governor and Legislature "tinker" with elections and initiative process. Introduced by the House Rules Committee by request of Governor Murkowski.
HB 103 Anyone filing claims against the state will no longer be allowed a trial by jury. Sponsored by Representatives KELLY, Elkins, McGuire, and Foster.
HB 119 This legislation extends the Alaska Regional Economic Development Organizations (ARDORs) through June 30, 2013. These ARDOR's will cost $650,000 in public dollars to finance government economic development. Everyone in the real world already knows that government doesn't know a thing about economic development, but they do know how to give away our money! Introduced by the House Community & Regional Affairs Committee.
HB 121 Takes power to abolish or consolidate service areas in second class boroughs away from the voters and gives it to the local assembly. Introduced by request of the Community & Regional Affairs Committee.
HB 143 was written as a revenue shortfall policy and introduced by the House Ways & Means Committee, Chaired by Representative Bruce Weyhrauch Republican from Juneau and members Representatives Rokeberg, Samuels, Seaton, Wilson, Gruenberg, and Moses. This bill would allow a 50/50 split between the Earnings Reserve Account (source of PFD’s) and the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund (legislator’s Permanent Fund) to balance the legislature’s future over-spending budgets. The legislature can see their Permanent Fund running out of money and now want ours! HB 143 gives them justification!
HB 144 Since the 1999 advisory vote most Legislator’s are nervous about raiding the Permanent Fund after 83% of Alaskans said “Don’t use the Permanent Fund for government spending without a vote of the people” for fear of losing their next election. HB 144 is the authorization requested in the 1999 election that will allow the legislature to spend up to $150 million in Permanent Fund earnings each year. This money would be distributed to every municipality or village with more than 25 residents. Incorporated municipalities would receive $50,000 each and unincorporated communities would receive $25,000 each. HB 144 was sponsored by Representative Bill Thomas, Republican from Haines.
HB 160 Prohibits use of public funds to influence elections or ballot propositions. Sponsored by Representatives STOLTZE and Neuman.
HB 163 Would allow three electrical co-ops to take over payments for state-owned electric power projects known as the Bradley Lake hydroelectric project, the Alaska intertie, and the Healy clean coal power project. Sponsored by Representative Kelly.
HB 164 Would GRANT $20,000,000 to Chugiak Electric for a WIND FARM ON FIRE ISLAND. Sponsored by Representative Crawford.
HB 173 Education Cost Differential by School District. Introduced by the House rules Committee by Request of the Legislative Budget & Audit committee.
HB 186 will give anyone eligible to receive a Permanent Fund dividend the option of quarterly payments. The first payment in October of the current dividend year and January, April and July of the next. HB 186 is sponsored by Representative Jay Ramras a Republican from Fairbanks.
HB 187 which would withdraw $424,399,000 from Permanent Fund earnings and deposit that money plus all future earnings of the Amerada Hess settlement into a new capital projects slush fund. Requested by Republican Governor Frank Murkowski, HB 187 is another end run on the public that would allow construction of expensive capital projects without first obtaining voter approval as required by the Alaska State Constitution.
HB 188 Creates financing mechanism for new capital projects, without public vote, using Permanent Fund money generated as a result of passing HB 187. Introduced by the House Rules Committee by request of Governor Murkowski.
HB 191 A defined contribution retirement system for teachers of the state. Sponsored by Representative Kelly.
HB 255 would withdraw $30 million from the Permanent Fund should the Amerada Hess earnings become available as a result of changes made by HB 187 above, to build, repair, and maintain sport fish hatcheries in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Sponsored by Representative Jay Ramras, Republican from Fairbanks.
HB 275 Is a new twist in "creative financing" for transportation bonds that clearly is attempting to elude Alaska State Constitution Article IX; Section 8, but no one in Juneau will probably notice that little problem. Introduced by the House Finance Committee.
HJR 2, is a major PFD raid. HJR 2 would allow creation of a new Permanent Fund for all new gas revenues. This new gas Permanent Fund specifically does NOT pay a dividend to residents of Alaska. Fortunately HJR 2 is a constitutional amendment that will require a public vote to approve. Sponsored by Representative Mike Hawker, Republican from Anchorage
HJR 11 is Republican Governor Frank Murkowski’s favorite POMV scheme. Adoption of the POMV scheme would remove the current constitutional protection of the Permanent Fund’s principal and makes no reference to how earnings will be distributed. If HJR 11 is adopted by the legislature, the public will get to vote on this stinker and future legislative elections too! We know how to vote on PFD raid schemes even if the legislature doesn’t!
SENATE BILLS
SB 27 is the X – Y = Z Permanent Fund raid formula. This bill would transfer all earnings in excess of $250 million after inflation proofing of the fund’s principal from the earnings reserve account (source of PFD’s) to the CBR for legislative spending. If SB 27 is adopted, future PFD’s would split a maximum of $250 million pot, not the almost $1 Billion today! Easy choice for the public, much tougher for the legislature to figure out. Sponsored by Senator Ben Stevens, Republican from Anchorage
SB 46 Capital Budget Spending Bill. Introduced by the Senate Rules Committee by request of Governor Murkowski.
SB 50 This modification to the "ELF" would change oil tax laws to allow a higher severance tax be paid when prices are above $20/barrel and lower tax paid when prices are below $16/barrel. Sponsored by Senator French.
SB 87 This bill will allow State Troopers and other police to initiate a traffic stop without probable cause under the guise of checking drivers for seat belt use. This compulsory action will increase the number of traffic stops and therefore increase the time devoted to traffic stops by State Troopers and number of tickets issued. This should not be considered a public safety issue, but called what it really is, a further erosion of citizen civil rights. Introduced again this year by Republican Senator Con Bunde. Bunde was joined by fellow Republican Senators Wilken, Seekins, Wagoner, and Cowdery in co-sponsoring this pro-Gestapo measure.
SB 88 is the senate version of HB 143 described above. SB 88 would allow a 50/50 split between the Earnings Reserve Account (source of PFD’s) and the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund (legislator’s Permanent Fund) to balance the legislature’s future over-spending budgets. Sponsored by Senators Gary Wilken, Republican from Fairbanks and Con Bunde, Republican from Anchorage.
SB 98 Fast Track Supplemental Spending Bill. Introduced by the Senate Rules Committee by request of Governor Murkowski.
SB 104 is the senate version of HB 187 which would withdraw $424,399,000 from Permanent Fund earnings and deposit that money plus all future earnings of the Amerada Hess settlement into a new capital projects slush fund. This raid was requested by Governor Frank Murkowski.
SB 155 is an excellent example of using Permanent Fund earnings for “goodies” that should be paid out of the windfall oil cash rich general fund. Real boondoggles gobbling most of that pot of money and not enough left for things like education? If this $337 million spending spree is really needed, then it should come from the general fund! SB 155 is sponsored by Republican Senators Ben Stevens, Gary Wilken, John Cowdery, Ralph Seekins, Lyda Green, Con Bunde, Gary Stevens and Tom Wagoner.
SJR 4 would make it easier for the legislature to spend the constitutional budget reserve (CBR) and better yet, remove constitutional re-payment requirements. SJR 4 will be an easy one for the public to figure out. Fool us once shame on you, fool us twice, shame on us! Sponsored by Senator Fred Dyson, Republican from Eagle River,
SJR 8 is the senate version of HJR 11. SJR 8 is Republican Governor Frank Murkowski’s favorite POMV scheme. Adoption of the POMV scheme would remove the current constitutional protection of the Permanent Fund’s principal and makes no reference to how earnings will be distributed. It will not take a rocket scientist to figure out how the public will vote if this measure makes it past the legislature! Introduced by the Senate Rules Committee by request of the Legislative Budget & Audit Committee. Once again.... no finger prints! |
