1990-06 Urging the Legislature to Fund an Oil Spill Impacted Raw Fish Tax Program.By: Mayor Selby
Lonnie White
Introduced: 01/04/90
Adopted: 01/04/90
KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
RESOLUTION NO. 90-06
A RESOLUTION URGING THE LEGISLATURE TO FUND AN
OIL SPILL IMPACTED RAW FISH TAX PROGRAM
WHEREAS, under the provision of AS 43.75.130, the Kodiak
Island Borough and several of the cities within the borough
annually receive a significant return of raw fish tax revenues; and
WHEREAS, the amount of these revenues, as provided in the
statute, is based on the actual raw fish taxes collected from local
processors; and
WHEREAS, the Exxon Valdez oil spill prevented most of the
Kodiak Island Borough salmon season from opening; and
WHEREAS, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has
confirmed that the return of salmon and herring would have provided
a Kodiak Island catch in excess of $100 million if there had been
no oil spill; and
WHEREAS, this catch would have provided in excess of
$1,500,000 of fish tax to Kodiak Island communities; and
WHEREAS, communities throughout the spill area were
affected in a similar manner; and
WHEREAS, the resulting shortfall of raw fish tax funds
to the cities and boroughs in the oil spill impact area will be
devastating to the operating revenue of these communities; and
WHEREAS, the amount of shortfall is in the range of 2.5
Rasalution No. 90-06
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to 3 full mills of property tax assessment to the people of the
Kodiak Island Borough; and
WHEREAS, funds should be recoverable by the State of
Alaska from Exxon through claims or legal action to cover the cost
of this program; and
WHEREAS, the State of Alaska can relieve these
financially and economically hard-hit communities of the burden of
possibly waiting several years to receive these funds;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Kodiak Island
Borough Assembly urges the Alaska Legislature to fund an oil spill
impacted raw fish tax program which would provide funds to each
community equal to the raw fish tax which would have been received
if the oil spill had not occurred and that the state then recover
these funds from Exxon through claims or legal action; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that should Exxon decide to fund
these shortfalls to each community after the Legislature has acted,
these funds would be returned to the State of Alaska.
PASSED AND APPROVED THIS 4th DAY OF JANUARY, 1990.
ATTEST,:
Bor h Cler
KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH
ough Mayor'
Gt/.4
Ptdsiding Officer
Resolution No. 90-06
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