Greetings and Salutations Friends, Neighbors, and Alaskans!
We are now officially halfway through the 120-day first session of the 33rd legislature! Unfortunately, as with most years the legislature will not be completing it's work within the statutory 90-day limit passed by voters (I recently cosponsored legislation aimed at amending the constitutional limit to 90 days). To read about that legislation (click here).
Similar to last year, there has been little to no progress made towards establishing a meaningful fiscal plan within the Senate. While there are grumblings of a PFD formula reduction bill (SB 107) and a tax bill from the Senate Majority; most of the political oxygen has been taken up by the debate regarding the BSA and defined benefits programs. While I acknowledge the concerns regarding public employee retention and education cuts, I still have strong reservations regarding SB 88 RETIREMENT SYSTEMS; DEFINED BENEFIT OPT and SB 52 INCREASE BASE STUDENT ALLOCATION. For me these large-scale spending programs are triage measures that do not address the most pressing issue our state faces which is the lack of a stable fiscal structure and overall fiscal plan. Why would any person or business want to invest here and provide the jobs that our residents need to plan for the future if they never know if the state will be coming after them the next time our revenue drops? Or the next time we decide that there is some other service we can’t live without? By focusing on education funding and retirement packages without a fiscal plan we’re putting the cart before the horse.
From my position I will continue to advocate for the legislature to move past its short-term mindset when it comes to spending in our state. We established patterns of behavior in the 1970s and 80s where we solve our problems by throwing money at them. That doesn’t work anymore. First, at some point money alone stops being effective. We have to talk about real solutions to our problems and how to fund them, not talk about funding as the solution alone. Second, we are out of money. At the rate at which we are talking about spending, the PFD will be completely gone by about 2028. Since the spending pattern hasn’t been interrupted, we will then be asking for more taxes of some kind to continue the pattern. We have to break out of the patterns of the past and start asking what we want our state to look like for our kids and figure out how we get there. We have to get a long-term, sustainable fiscal plan, not short-term patches to a fiscal model that doesn’t work anymore.
Always advocating on your behalf,
Robb
|
|
|
|
|
***NEW LEGISLATION*** SB 102 REFUSE UTILITY REGULATIONS - SB 102 would allow refuse utilities to use the SRF (Simplified Rate Filing) provided by the RCA (Regulatory Commission of Alaska). The SRF is a process in which applicants are able to adjust their rates as frequently as quarterly but may not exceed a cumulative 20 percent in any three-year period or a cumulative eight percent in a 12-month period. Rate adjustments under SRF regulations are in addition to purchased and fuel cost rate adjustments (AS 42.05.381(e) and 3 AAC 48.700).
The goal of the legislation is to help the RCA deal with refuse utility filling backlogs and provide flexibility for service area expansion, especially in the Interior. SB 102 is currently in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee, and we look forward to a hearing soon.
SB 13 UNIVERSITY: TEXTBOOKS/MATERIALS COST - SB 13 The Textbook Cost Transparency act provides students with vital information about their textbook and course materials while they are registering for classes, allowing them to make informed choices and financially plan. The goal of this legislation is to provide students with as much information regarding cost as early as possible in the registration process clearly defined definitions integrated into the University of Alaska’s shared online course catalog (UAOnline). By allowing students to see which classes come at “zero-cost” or “low-cost” they will be able to make more informed financial decisions more easily.
We previously introduced this legislation last session, and it received bipartisan support from the then Senate President, Majority Leader, Minority Leader, and Rules Chair (now presiding officer) who cosponsored the legislation. We have also received overwhelming support from students, student advocacy groups, and some faculty. A companion bill HB 10 has been submitted by Representative Ashley Carrick.
***On 3/13/23 the Senate Education Committee heard SB 13 for the first time. On 3/20/23 the committee will be taking public testimony and hopefully move the bill for a vote on the Senate floor.***
SJR 3 CONST. AM: APPROP LIMIT - SJR 3 is a proposed amendment to the constitution that establishes and defines annual appropriation limits on state government. During the third special session of 2021 my office submitted SJR 301 as a companion to then Representative Kaufman's HJR 301 and worked with the recommendations of the Alaska Comprehensive Fiscal Plan Working Group which advocated that the legislature evaluate state spending limit reform.
SJR 3 is an exact copy of the version of SJR 301 that was amended by the Senate Judiciary Committee to be based instead on a five-year average of individual personal income in the state minus the PFD and the income of state and local employees. The resolution also provides exceptions for certain large scale capitol projects in the future. SJR 3 is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and we look forward to a hearing.
|
|
Staff Highlight
|
|
|
|
In this edition of Robb’s report, I wanted to spotlight my legislative researcher, Theresa Woldstad. Theresa is a resident of the North Pole community. Theresa’s love of research inspired her to continue her higher education to earn a Master of Science in Wildlife Biology and a Master of Fine Arts in Native Arts. Her summer hobbies include gardening and raising turkeys. She is looking forward to a new gardening season and trying a few new heritage tomato varieties in her greenhouse.
|
|
|
Transportation: The Senate Transportation Committee has been relatively quiet this session with limited bills being referred to the committee. On 3/8/23 the committee moved out a committee substitute for SB 62 ELECTRIC-ASSISTED BICYCLES which adds the definition of electric-assisted bicycles to statute; and clarifies that they are not considered a motor vehicle, which means the DMV would not register these bicycles. The bill also clarifies that an electrically assisted bicycle is not a type of motor-driven cycle, which included motorcycles, motor scooters, and motorized bicycles.
The committee has also introduced a committee bill SB 105 RAILROAD CORP. FINANCING. This bill raises the maximum principal amount of bonds that the Alaska Railroad Corporation may issue to $150,000,000 from $60,000,000, an increase of $90,000,000. ARRC has its own bonding powers. It does not need state money for the $90 million project. Revenue bond debt will be repaid from dock user fees, and existing dock fees and ARRC capital funds will cover the remaining costs.
For information on past and present bills in Senate Transportation Committee click here.
|
|
|
|
The Voice of Common Sense
The Alaska Senate Minority website is live! Check out our priorities, proposed solutions, viewpoints, video clips, press releases and more by clicking here. You can also follow us on Facebook at Alaska Senate Minority | Facebook
|
|
|
Meet My Awesome Staff!
For further information, responses and feedback please contact my office anytime. Below you can find contact info and committee/bill assignments for each member of team Myers.
|
|
About Me
Senator Robert Myers was born in Fairbanks, Alaska. He spent much of his young childhood at the Salchaket Roadhouse which his parents owned. Growing up, Robb developed a passion for Alaska. He attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks where he studied philosophy, political science, and history. During college he drove for a tour company where he was able to share Alaska with countless people. He currently drives truck and travels the Haul Road frequently. He ran for office because he wants an Alaska his children will choose to make their home down the road. When Robb isn’t working, he enjoys reading, history, board games, and spending time with his wife Dawna and his five kids.
|
|
|
Follow me on Facebook for regular legislative and community updates.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
