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1992-39 Urging the Passage of Legislation Requiring the State of Alaska to Reimburse Municipalities for the Cost of Any New State-mandated Programs.KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH RESOLUTION NO. 92 -39 Introduced by: Assemblymember Fitzjearl Requested by: Assemblymember Fitzjearl Drafted by: Alaska Municipal League Introduced: 09/03/92 Adopted: 09/03/92 A RESOLUTION URGING THE PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION REQUIRING THE STATE OF ALASKA TO REIMBURSE MUNICIPALITIES FOR THE COST OF ANY NEW STATE - MANDATED PROGRAMS WHEREAS, "the Alaska Municipal League urges passage of legislation that would require a government agency unilaterally transferring responsibility for a program to a municipality or imposing regulations on a municipality to reimburse the municipality for the costs of the transferred responsibility or regulations" (Alaska Municipal League Policy Statement 1992, Part 1 Taxation and Finance, F.2 Reimbursement for Responsibilities Transferred from State); and WHEREAS, state aid to municipalities in the form of Municipal Assistance and Revenue Sharing has been reduced by over 45 percent since FY 86, while during the same period the overall state general fund budget has been reduced by only ten percent; and WHEREAS, along with the reduction in state financial assistance, there have been increases in state - mandated programs that take the form of increased costs, new programs, and funding shortfalls for existing programs that are costly for municipalities to administer and implement; and WHEREAS, legislation affecting municipalities is considered and passed by the Alaska State Legislature without the benefit of knowing its fiscal impact on local governments; and WHEREAS, these mandated programs, funding shortfalls, and shifts in responsibilities have required municipalities to increase local taxes and reduce services in order to balance their budgets and at the same time, the Legislature has ignored deficit spending while boasting that the state has no income or sales taxes and that operating budgets have been reduced; and Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska Resolution No. 92 -39 Page 1 of 2 WHEREAS, costly state - mandated programs provide a significant additional disincentive for communities to incorporate; and WHEREAS, the National Conference of State Legislatures in 1987 recommended that state legislatures consider relaxing or eliminating costly requirements on local governments or assuming the cost of complying with the requirements; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH THAT: Section 1: The Alaska Municipal League urge the Alaska Legislature and the Governor to pass legislation requiring the State of reimburse municipalities for the costs of any new state - mandated programs or regulations that increase the costs of local government operations. Section 2: This resolution be submitted to the Alaska Municipal League membership by the governing body of the Kodiak Island Borough. ATTEST: ADOPTED BY THE KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH ASSEMBLY THIS 3rd DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 1992 4 Donna F. Smith, Borough Clerk Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH A Jero & M. Selby, Borough M McFarlan., Pres' ing Officer Resolution No. 92 -39 Page 2 of 2