FY2017-19 Requesting The Alaska Legislature And Governor Walker To Not Impose Any More Cuts To1 Introduced by: KIR Assembly
2 Requested by: KIB Assembly Members Crow and Skinner
3 Crafted by: Assembly Member Skinner
4 Introduced on: 11/03/2016
5 Adopted on: 11/03/2016
6 KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
7 RESOLUTION NO. FY 20117-19
8
9 A RESOLUTION OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND
10 BOROUGH REQUESTING THE ALASKA LEGISLATURE AND
11 GOVERNOR WALKER TO NOT IMPOSE ANY MORE CUTS TO THE
12 ADFG BUDGET AND PARTICULARLY TO THE DIVISION! OF
13 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES BUDGET AND ANY TAX REVENUE
1.4 GENERATED FROM NEW OR INCREASED STATE TAXES ON THE
15 COMMERCIAL SEAFOOD INDUSTRY BE USED TO FILL THE FUNDING
16 GAFF FOR ADFG AND PAY FOR CONTINUING EFFECTIVE
17 MANAGEMENT OF ALASKA'S COMMERCIAL FISHERIES
18 "WHEREAS, subsistence, sport and commercial harvests of Alaska's fish and game
19 resources are vital to the social, cultural, and economic health of the State of Alaska; and
20 WHEREAS, the Alaska seafood industry is the second largest contributor to Alaska
21 economy; and
22 WHEREAS, the Alaska seafood industry directly provides over 60,000 direct jobs and
23 thousands more indirectly, making it the largest private -sector employer in the state; and
24 WHEREAS, Alaska's commercial seafood industry pays over $250M annually in taxes and
25 fees which exceeds current State commercial fisheries management spending; and
26 WHEREAS,, Alaska's seafood industry pays business and landing taxes that directly
27 benefit over 65 communities and boroughs in Alaska and reduces community dependence
28 on State funds; and
2.9 WHEREAS, the seafood industry relies on strong State commercial fishery research and
30 management programs in order to provide that economic benefit; and
31 WHEREAS, the Commercial Fisheries Division budget has been reduced by more than
32 20% in the past 2 years, from $50M to $40M which includes offsets from CFEC funding, and
33 the unrestricted general fund has been reduced by 80%; and
34 WHEREAS, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) is preparing for additional
35 budget cuts of 10-14% in FY18 which could result in another $5.7M reduction to the Division
36 of Commercial Fisheries; and
37 WHEREAS, when the Division of Commercial Fisheries budget is reduced, the seafood
38 industry loses research and resource management programs that are necessary to allow for
39 harvest opportunity; and
Kodiak Island Borough Resolution No. FY2017-19
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40 WHEREAS, impacts of these budget cuts are already apparent in the recently released
41 Togiak herring fishery 2017 harvest forecast and harvest limits where inadequate funding
42 precluded sampling necessary for scientific modeling used to set harvest limits, resulting in
43 reliance on historical average catch and a 10% harvest reduction for an uncertainty buffer;
44 and
45 WHEREAS, reduced harvest opportunities in any fishery result in fewer jobs, less income
46 and decreased tax revenue for the state of Alaska and coastal communities; and
47 WHEREAS, Governor Walker's previous fiscal plan included raising taxes on the fishing
48 industry, up to 33% in some areas, and the future fiscal plan is as yet unknown.
49 NOW, THEREFORE, BE, IT RESOLVED that the Kodiak Island Borough Assembly strongly
50 requests the Alaska legislature and Governor Walker to not impose any more cuts to the
51 ADFG budget and particularly to the Division of Commercial Fisheries budget;
52 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any tax revenue generated from new or increased State
53 taxes on the commercial seafood industry be used to fill the funding gap for ADFG andpay
54 for continuing effective management of Alaska"s, commercial fisheries.
I
ME
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that upon adoption, this Resolution shalll be submitted to the
membership of the Alaska Municipal League for consideration and adoption.
ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGF
THISTHIRD DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2016
KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
Daniel A. Rohrer, Borough Mayor
Unanimous Vote: LeDoux, Skinner, Smiley, Symmons, Van Daele, Crow
One Assembly Vacant Seat
Resolution INo. FY2017-19
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