(Anchorage) - Leaders of the Senate Majority said today they will give strong consideration in the upcoming legislative session to Governor Frank Murkowski’s concept of creating a Community Dividend Plan utilizing Amerada Hess funds.

''I think the governor is on the right track. The state does need to find a way to help local governments provide basic government services. The mechanics of how we achieve that will be one of our top priorities when we return to Juneau. We are examining several options on grant amounts to boroughs, municipalities and the unorganized communities,'' said Senate Majority Leader Gary Stevens (R – Kodiak).

Sen. Gary Stevens also chairs the Advisory Commission on Local Governments. Its mission is to find creative solutions to creating and maintaining strong, sustainable local governments in rural areas. The commission will forward its recommendations to the entire Legislature in January.

One of the proposals the commission is endorsing is an administrative borough. It is a new classification of borough that will be voluntary, not mandatory. Administrative boroughs will not be responsible for education within them because REAAs will continue to exist. However, there are incentives envisioned that would when economic conditions allow encourage stepping up towards becoming a second class or other borough with responsibility for education.

The Alaska Constitution mandates the state be divided into boroughs. It implies they can be organized or unorganized.

Senate President Ben Stevens (R - Anchorage) said, ''I support both the advisory commission and the governor’s call to help unorganized areas help themselves through new borough formation and providing some state revenue may be the answer. Any legislation to bring back state financial aid to local communities must be sustainable and not subject to the ups and downs of the global oil market and the state’s annual budget allocations.''

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