Football has its two-minute drill. Baseball has the 7th inning stretch. The legislature has only 40 days in which to complete its work this session. Since the House passed over the operating budget to the Senate three weeks earlier than in the immediate past, there is talk of an early adjournment. The pace has definitely picked up, as most legislators would like to be home in time for Easter.

Operating Budget

Currently HB 312 is being debated in Senate Finance. An amendment adopted in this committee would increase funding for the Learning Opportunity Grants to school districts using $5.787 million of re-appropriated dollars from the current fiscal year's K-12 budget. If this amendment stays in the budget, a district is eligible to receive these grants not to exceed the ADM multiplied by $43.75. This would mean an additional $123,000 for Kodiak. A conference committee from both bodies will be convened shortly to work out the differences in the House and Senate versions.

Capital Budget

The House is considering SB 192, which embodies all of the statewide projects this year. Kodiak has about $15 million in projects scheduled for this next fiscal year, including $9.5 million for the Rocket Launch Range Safety System. All of this money is a federal pass through grant. Also included is $4.3 million for the Selief Lane water, sewer and reconstruction. Other smaller projects include $125,398 for various school district facilities repair and upgrades, St. Paul Harbor Spit Improvements, and numerous village projects.

Deferred Maintenance

I am also trying to insert some money into HB 281, an act that would provide for the issuance of general obligation bonds for the purposes of paying the costs of the renovation of public elementary and secondary schools. Specifically, we are trying to nail down funding for the Kodiak High School roof replacement. I have been working closely with the borough and the school district to identify all of the associated costs. The higher the dollar amount approved in this legislation, the greater the chances are that the school roof will be funded this year. I'll keep you posted on this bill's progress.

Supplemental Budgets

Each year the legislature submits these kinds of bills to adjust state spending to account for changes during the current fiscal year. $2.1 million was approved in this year's "fast-track" supplemental to cover the increases around the state for pupil transportation. In addition, $3.6 million was appropriated from the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority to make up some of the shortfall in the power cost equalization (PCE) program. This is the program that offsets high electric rates in the Bush.

Budget Cutting

The Legislative majority has been aiming at achieving a general fund (GF) reduction of $30 million dollars this year. I think we can reach that goal this session, but it needs to be acknowledged that one of the ways to do so, is to take self-supporting programs such as ASMI and Occupational Licensing out of the general fund category. Over $12 million from these areas could be designated to what is called "other funds." Through this method of shifting funds around, the majority can claim they have "cut" the budget. I will say it again here, I'm not in favor of cutting just for the sake of cutting a budget. I have fought long and hard to include new revenues into a long-range budget plan. I will continue to fight that battle as long as I'm down here. You can find all the budget recommendations at http://www.legfin.state.ak.us/HSubCloseout.html.

Fisheries

HB 363, the reporting requirements of salmon by processors, has moved out of House Finance and will be heard on the House Floor very soon. This bill, expands the Wholesale Case Price Report that processors report to the Department of Revenue, from reporting only thermally processed (canned) salmon products to include all salmon products, fresh, frozen, and roe. The existing statute requires processors that sell 240,000 pounds or more of canned salmon per year to report three times each year, the volume and price of cans sold. The new report, called the Alaska Salmon Price Report, would raise that reporting threshold to 1 million pounds for all salmon products and would also entail one production report per year.

HB 429, Rep. Bill Hudson's bill that would extend the vessel permit moratoria for the Bering Sea Korean hair crab fishery and the weathervane scallop fishery, has also moved to the House Floor. It is a direct outcome of the failure for a similar bill, HB 104, to be passed out of Senate Resources last year. HB 104 gave the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission the power to extend moratoria to fisheries in such a case as this, while HB 429 directly pertains to the extension of the hair crab and scallop fisheries moratoria, both of which terminate on June 30, 2000.

Set Net/Shore Fisheries bill, HB 360 and companion bill SB 258, create a registration system instead of a lease system for shore fisheries, as a result of cuts to the Dept. of Natural Resources budget. These two bills have been stalled in their respective committees due to overwhelming opposition. However, a new bill has been drafted by Senate Resources, SB 283, which would put revenues from shore based fisheries under statutory designated program receipts.

Survey

I appreciate the tremendous feedback to my year 2000 Constituent Survey. The ideas being brought forth are as diverse as our community. If you haven't mailed off a survey yet, please take the time to let me know how you feel. If you haven't received a survey and would like to fill one out, please call my office at 1-800-865-2487, and I will be happy to send you one. You may also fill out the survey online at http://www.akrepublicans.org/pastlegs/surveyausterman03072000.htm.

PFD Deadline!

Today - March 31st is the deadline for filing your PFD application. Last year there were several Kodiak residents who failed to file in a timely fashion. The PFD division will not accept any late applications! Be sure your application is postmarked by March 31st or you will not qualify!

Visitors

Those folks from Kodiak stopping by to visit and confer on a variety of topics were: Thia Falcone, City Mayor Carolyn Floyd, Judi Nielsen, Scott Arndt, Pat Branson, Borough Manager Dave Jensen, Charley Davidson, Patti Kirkpatrick, City Manager Bill Jones, Tom Walters, former school superintendent John Witteveen, Pete Squartsoff from Port Lions, Marty Shuravloff, Ed Mahoney, and Larry Amox.

Remember-my door is always open.