JUNEAU DAILY NEWS MINUTE
Tuesday, January 28, 1997 (c) Alaska Juneau Communications
*Fire gutted a 40 foot long wooden boat moored at the UAS dock
just before noon today. It took 15 minutes to get the fire
onboard the Lady Lee under control, and 45 minutes to extinguish
it. Fire chief Charles Lundfelt says a possible cause for the
fire is an electrical heater left too close to combustible
materials. A broken line to an oil stove aggravated the fire.
The boat is owned by David Abel. The fire is under
investigation.
*A busy night for the CBJ Assembly. They met first as the
Committee of the Whole, and accepted recommendations from the
Juneau Economic Development Council on three proposals that would
utilize money from the Southeast Alaska Economic Fund. A
$400,000 loan to Silver Bay Logging's Aviation Division for
hanger construction, $20,000 in grant form to Channel Landfill
for a feasibility study, and a $100,000 grant to the Bartlett
Regional Hospital Foundation for construction of Bartlett House
were accepted by the Assembly. Also the Committee of the Whole
granted a 60 day extension to the Legislative Housing Partnership
for construction of the Behrends Building project.
*After the Committee of the Whole meeting, the Assembly Finance
Committee met to discuss pull tab taxes. Operators would like a
change in the way pull tabs are taxed, from 5 percent on gross
receipts to 5 percent on the ideal net, after payouts. This
would increase revenue to the operators, but would reduce the
amount of revenue to the city from pull tabs by 80 percent. It
was decided that the issue would be returned to the Sales Tax
Sub-Committee for further discussion. The Sub-Committee will
meet next Tuesday at 7 in the morning to take the issue up
again.
*The House Rules Committee postponed an ethics hearing last night
for Anchorage Representative Jerry Sanders -- who was out sick.
The hearing is intended to look into accusations that Sanders
used state resources and staff to mail a letter to constituents
who participated in a Presidential straw poll. The panel hopes
to reschedule the hearing for tonight, provided Sanders is
well.
*Two tobacco tax increase bills will be examined today by the
House State Affairs Committee. One bill is sponsored by
committee chairwoman Jeannette James, a North Pole Republican,
the other by Anchorage Republican Representative Con Bundee.
Bundee's bill had been submitted last year, and passed the
Senate, but failed in the House. Lawmakers say the tax has a
better chance of passing this year.