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Session State Capitol, Room 418 Juneau, AK 99801-1182 Phone: (907) 465-4939 Fax: (907) 465-2418 Send E-Mail Interim 716 W 4th Avenue Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: (907) 269-0244 Fax: (907) 269-0248 |
For Immediate Release: April 9, 1999
Contact: Representative Andrew Halcro, at (907) 465-4939.
Juneau -- On March 20, 1999, the State Legislature reached the halfway point of its 121-day session. I have introduced three important pieces of legislation and co-sponsored six others.
As Co-Chairman of the House Committee on Community and Regional Affairs, I have also conducted a number of oversight hearings. Additionally, as the Vice-Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, I also participated in oversight hearings involving the improvements at the Anchorage International Airport.
The Community and Regional Affairs Committee approved legislation I authored to allow local governments to use tax incentives to encourage the redevelopment of deteriorated property such as the McKay building in downtown Anchorage. The Anchorage Assembly unanimously passed a resolution in support of this legislation, HB 76.
The Community and Regional Affairs Committee is also scheduled to consider my legislation prohibiting the removal of gravel from residential neighborhoods. HB 63 would allow local governments to impose fines for the removal of gravel from residential property. The Sand Lake gavel pits have long been an area of concern for the surrounding neighborhoods.
I am also an original cosponsor of HB 108. This legislation would establish a State Boating Safety Program. Presently, Alaskans pay boat registration fees to the US Coast Guard. These fees are then used to fund local boating safety programs. Because Alaska does not have such a program, these funds are turned over to other states for their boating safety programs. This legislation would provide an avenue for the registration fees and marine fuel taxes that Alaskans pay to stay in Alaska and be utilized for our own boating safety program.
These are only a few of the many issues that I am working on in Juneau. If anyone has concerns about these or other matters, I can be reached by telephone at 1-800-465-4939, by fax at 1-907-465-2418, by e-mail at Representative_Andrew_Halcro@legis.state.ak.us, or by mail at State Capitol Building, Room 418, Juneau, Alaska 99801.