MEMORANDUM

TO: Pete Sprague, Assembly President

Members, Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly

FROM: Ron Long, Assembly Member

Betty Glick, Assembly Member

Dan Chay, Assembly Member

DATE: January 22, 2004

SUBJECT: Resolution 2004-015, supporting legislation mandating that fiscal notes considering impact on local taxpayers be required for all State of Alaska legislation and administrative actions that could have economic impacts on school districts and local governments

State legislation, policy decisions, and administrative actions have and will continue to have impacts on local government and school district budgets, and thereby affect local taxpayers. The State is charged with developing and presenting the fiscal impacts on the State's budget only, with no provision that the impacts of those actions on local governments and school districts be quantified, or that the local governments / districts are to be advised of the impacts the State's actions may have on them.

As the State seeks to restructure levels of support for essential shared services, the affected governments and districts need to be apprised of the impact of those changes in order to responsibly prepare their budgets. This Resolution asks the State to formalize and adopt a process that provides local governments and districts with the information necessary to prepare their budgets and evaluate the impacts that shifts in responsibility from State to local governments will have on local taxpayers.

Your consideration is appreciated.