Spotlight on Juneau

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"An Informed Voter Is The Best Defense Against Bad Government"

Hello Fellow Voters,

As of this date, the 23rd. Alaska State Legislature has introduced a total of 237 bills and resolutions for consideration, and there's no end in sight.  All of these will have a price tag in one form or another. 

Our volunteer research staff will continue to grind through this pile of legislation identifying whether the impact on our members will be positive of not.  As our research is completed the results will be posted on the Alerts page for everyone to examine.  Any legislation posted on the Alerts page will automatically trigger a permanent voting record on the Watchdog page.  We encourage everyone to examine this list periodically to see what's REALLY going on in Juneau.

The following is a partial (and unfortunately long) list of bills being heard in committee the week of February 24, 2003.  For a complete schedule of committee meetings click here, and the type appropriate dates in space provided.  Seriously consider using the tools on our Links page to contact the legislature with your opinion on these bills.

HB 101, Introduced by the House Finance Committee: (HARRIS / WILLIAMS / MEYERS, Foster, Hawker, Stevens, Stoltze, Whitaker, Croft, Joule, and Moses).  This special interest legislation GRANTS $3,100,000 to Arctic Power, so they may continue their failed lobbying efforts to open ANWR for oil and gas exploration.  Once again using PUBLIC (OUR) money to benefit a PRIVATE company!  Will be heard by the House Finance Committee on Monday at 1:30 PM.

SB 31, Sponsored by Senators COWDERY, and Wilken.  Will allow extending the Alaska Railroad to connect with other North American Railroads.  Includes provisions for the purchase of land in Canada for rail right of way.  Estimated construction cost is between $3 and $8 MILLION per MILE, and will some how be maintained with our already limited state resources!  Right of way purchase expense is unknown at this time.  Will be heard by the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday at 1:30 PM.

HB 57, Sponsored by Representatives Chenault and Whitaker:  This special interest legislation reduces State royalty payments for Agrium, a foreign corporation doing business in Alaska, which will make less money available for state government to provide basic services.  Will be heard by the House Oil & Gas Committee on Tuesday at 3:15 PM, and by the House Resources Committee on Wednesday at 1:00 PM .

HB 90, Sponsored by Representatives STEVENS and Wolf:  This special interest legislation gives additional tax credits for commercial fisherman.  Under this legislation fisherman may deduct up to 50% of their "landing tax", which could then be used to partial fund HB 89.  Commercial fisherman are currently only paying a miserly 1% royalty for the resource harvested.  Will be heard by the House Fisheries Special Committee on Wednesday at 8:30 AM.

SB 62, Sponsored by Senate Community & Regional Affairs Committee: (WAGONER, Austerman, Taylor, Elton, and Lincoln):  Extends termination date of the Alaska regional economic assistance program.  For the next six years, this give-a-way program GRANTS $47,700 to each of 13 communities, plus $30,000 a year for a state bureaucrat to administer the grants.  Total cost $3,900,000.  Will be heard by the Senate Community & Regional Affairs Committee on Wednesday at 1:30 PM.

HCR 2, Sponsored by Representatives LYNN, Chenault, Coghill, Foster, Gatto, Harris, Hawker, Kohring, Kott, Morgan, Rokeberg, Seaton, Stoltze, Whitaker, Wolf, Dahlstrom, Guttenberg, Fate, Gruenberg, Holm, Masek, Anderson, Meyer, and Wilson.  This resolution encourages Governor Murkowski to extend the Alaska Railroad from Eielson Air Force Base to Fort Greely, a distance of about 70 miles.  Part of Alaska Railroad's plan to extend into Canada.  See SB 31 for additional details.  Estimated construction cost is between $3 and $8 MILLION per MILE, and will be maintained with our already limited state resources!  Will be heard by the Community & Regional Affairs Committee on Wednesday at 1:30 PM.

SB 51, Introduced by the Senate Rules Committee: (COWDERY, Stevens B, Therriault, Ellis, and Guess), by request of Governor Murkowski.  Increases the municipal bond bank debt ceiling.  This allows, maybe even encourage additional borrowing by cities and boroughs during our shrinking economy.  Will higher municipal debt load be a cornerstone of Governor Murkowski's "economic development plan"?  Will be heard by the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday at 9:00 AM.

HB 112, Introduced by the Senate Rules Committee: (COWDERY, Stevens, Therriault, Ellis, and Guess) by request of Governor Murkowski.  Allows the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) to authorize bonds in excess of $10,000,000 until 2007, but only with legislative approval.  Most people know AIDEA because it provided financial support for enterprises such as the failed fish processing plant in Anchorage and MarkAir, among many others!  Another cornerstone of Governor Murkowski's "economic development plan" for Alaska?  Will be heard by the House Finance Committee on Thursday at 1:30 PM.

SB 73, Introduced by the Senate Rules Committee: (COWDERY, Stevens, Therriault, Ellis, and Guess), by request of Governor Murkowski is the companion bill to HB 112 above.  Will be heard  by the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee on Thursday at 1:30 PM.

HB 61, Sponsored by Representatives Chenault, Kohring, and Wolf:  Special interest legislation gives additional tax credits for oil and gas exploration/development.  If approved, out of state oil companies will contribute less taxes to the general fund, which will cause additional burden for state to provide essential services.  Will be heard by the House Oil & Gas Committee on Thursday at 3:15 PM.

HB 49, Sponsored by Representatives Anderson and Hawker:  This special interest legislation requires anyone convicted of a misdemeanor or felony, whether adult or juvenile to provide samples for their DNA identification registration system.  Some in the legislature will not be happy until EVERYONE (except them) is in this data base.  "Big Brother" encourages this kind of nonsense!  Will be heard by the Judiciary Committee on Friday at 1:00 PM.  Be there to testify, or at least submit your sample!

Survey Questions of the Week:

1.  Do you think the Alaska Public School system has enough money to educate our kids?

 

2.  Do you think the School Administrations do a good job of managing our schools?

 

3.  Do you think State funding of schools should be “per student", or  by “formula”?

 

Click here to take the survey.  If you have suggestions for future survey questions, feel free to email them to us. 

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