Daily Sitka Sentinel from Sitka, Alaska • Page 6

Page 6, Daily Sitka Sentinel, Sitka, Alaska, Monday, January 22,1996 Legislators, Aides Gripe About Juneau Housing JUNEAU (AP) Filthy rooms splintered windows, broken furnaces jacked-up rents. Those were among tenants' tales of woe at an informal meeting between state legislative leaders and city officials about Juneau's spotty housing market. The stories of bad housing drew an apology Thursday from Mayor Dennis Egan, who said the city would set up an inspection service for out-of-town- ers renting homes in Juneau for the four-month Legislature session. Egan came to the meeting at the request of House Speaker Gail Phillips to help answer questions from legislators and their staff who are having housing problems. "My wife would be here, but she's waiting for repairmen to come," said Anchorage Republican Rep.

Con Bunde, who rented an unfinished apartment with a broken furnace. For a month, I thought, perhaps, would be finished." Bunde is co-sponsor of a House bill that would move the legislative session to Anchorage, where housing is cheaper and easier to find than in Juneau's crowded market. Egan and other city officials testified against the move at a House committee meeting this week, asking lawmakers to give Juneau more time to make the town a better place to live and work. The State Affairs Committee ap- at other House panels for review. Com- lembers said no matter what improvements Juneau makes city always will be hard to reach of its mountainous terrain and weather.

The housing problem, though, was the top of the list at Thursday's meeting, where legislators and staff i om lai ned that Juneau andlords charge high rents and often lease dirty dwellings. "The feeling we get from landlords here is that they just don't care, said legislative aide Tim Sulli- Ted Popbely said he and another legislative aide rented a Juneau apartment sight unseen and arrived to find the previous tenants' property still there, including a sink full of dirty dishes. Part of the home was unheated, he said. The men and another roommate found a different place but had to come up with $3,500 for first and last month's rent and a deposit, Johnson said. Rep.

Caren Robinson, D-Juneau the only State Affairs Committee member who opposed the bill to move the Legislature, said Juneau's housing woes are a year-round problem. She said she supports Egan's plan to set up an inspection program for out-of- town renters. Lawmakers Plan Revival Buchanan Returns to Of PermaFund Deposit Sta te Pushes iro-Life legllau JUNEAU (AP) leaders and Gov. want lo make a heny deposit into the Alaska Permanent Fund. The question is when.

House Republicans said Friday they plan to revive a proposal from last year that would shuffle nearly all of me Si.2 billion in the Permanent tund. reserve account into the fund principal, where it would be virtually impossible to tap for state spending Rep Mark Hanley, R-Anchorage said Republicans who control the Legislature want to make the transfer quickly, rather than waiting until uV fiscal year that starts July 1 as Knowles has proposed in his budget plan. "We're worried if it's in the budget he might veto it because of other considerations," Hanley told the Juneau fcmpire Hanley said the proposal would be put forth again next week. said it would be unwise to make the transfer without knowing how the state will spend the rest of its money during the upcoming year. "If you piecemeal, easy pieces will oe done and the difficult ones will be set aside," said Rep.

Kim Elton, D- Juneau. Senate President Drue Pearce, R- Anchorage, said her party will not ic- nore difficult decisions in this yearns budget. "We'll wait and see who wants to vote for the budget cuts when we put them on the table," she said. The timing of the deposit into the Permanent Fund has been a subject of debate because of the flexibility it might provide in spending a budget reserve account A three-fourths vote of the Legisla- cs By The Associated Press Republican presidential hopeful Pat Buchanan was back in Alaska over the weekend, stumping for support in the state GOP's upcoming straw poll. md Monday.

It's not binding on the Alaska party's 19 national convention delegates, but the nation will be watching to see which presidential candidate prevails. Buchanan stepped up to the pulpit of the Anchorage Baptist Temple on Sunday and said he was the strongest opponent against abortion among all of the Republicans running for president. standing ovation from "the several hundred church members in attendance before delivering his 10-minute speech. giving minority ture is needed to spend money from His appearance came a day before tne budget reserve, 'erage imple total amount of money woman's privacy. The decision legalized abortion nationwide.

Fresh (rom a national gathering of Christian-conservatives in Tennessee courting the religious' right. It's a faction of the Republican Party that rnay be up for grabs, since front-runner'Sen. Bob Dole appeared on a recent NBC "Meet the Press" interview and.wavered on an earlier commitment to support a constitutional amendment banning abortion. Buchanan, a 'television talk show commentator and former speech writer for former presidents Nixon and Reagan, continued his pro-life message while speaking to about 230 supporters in Kenai. He said he would name a pro-life running mate if nominated and would appoint pro-life jus tices to the U.S.

Supreme Court. But Buchanan said he isn't a one- note candidate. said he's dead-set against one-world govern- the anniversary of the Supreme Court SMMSSS.SS: The the At an SLiTM md favors a "flat tax" Legislature last year did clll for a SI billion transfer into the Permanent but Knowles vetoed half of the deposit, saying the state needed the money to provide leeway in makino plans to close a huge fiscal gap. Minority Democratic lawmakers available to the state including the cash the Permanent Fund earnings reserve less than the previous year. Hanley said that possibility is slim even with the early transfer, because there would still be more money available next year than this year At an Alaska Right to Life rally Buchanan said he will overturn the Roe vs.

Wade decision and will carry a pro-life agenda into the White House. Abortion opponents want the procedure Republican Steve Forbes. It was Buchanan's second trip to Alaska over the past three months Forbes also has visited 'the -state So has Texas Senator Phil cetoe outlawed. They believe life teTk hos Keves Z'S CATERING TO THE CAPITOL'S CAFFEINE NEEDS Dei Stewart may be one of the few people in town eagerly awaiting crunch time in the Legislature, when long hours and late nights become common. Stewart opened up an expresso cart this session on the second floor of the Capitol.

While business has been steady the early goings, Stewart expects it to get better when lawmakers start putting in longer and longer hours toward the end of the session. During the opening weeks, Stewart's Thanks ALatte stand has been open until mid-afternoon. That will change as the session goes on. "If there's a need, a need for caffeine, I'll be open," Stewart said. A portion of Stewart's gross earnings from the expresso stand go into a revolving fund that helps support the blind vendors program in Alaska REPORTER IS TUNED INTO THE TUBE One of the most consistent watchers of public broadcasting's "Gavel to Gavel" coverage of the legislative session may be Alaska Public Radio Network reporter Dave Donaldson.

Donaldson slipped on the ice during the session's first week and is now laid up at home while his broken ankle heals. But that hasn't stopped him from reporting on lawmakers. Donaldson has been keeping up with legislative action by watching UNEAU (AP) Former state lee- the session on television and keeping lsiat Bette Cato has died, tou with sources by telephone. tearf farewells on the House fioo? i Sai 5 lled several stories nday Iaw makers remembered her planned Friday to appear on a weekly TM a tough leader who loved the lee- I I i that reviews tne Legislature actions. Gov.

Tony Knowles awarded Donaldson a certificate Friday for having the best excuse for missing the State of the State speech. Donaldson took the cliche "break a leg" a little too literally, the governor said. Not too worry, Knowles said he would send Donaldson a videotape of the speech. sue. "She was very disciplined," said Grussendorf, who was House speaker dunng part of Gate's tenure.

"If I told her politically, 'You have to break one of your she'd say, 'Fine She'd say, 'OK, give me my black eye. But abortion rights advocates are equally united in the belief that the Roe vs. Wade decision is one of the most important on behalf of women. The high court, ruling in the case of a Texas woman, declared a constitutional right to abortion based on a band. The Republican presidential hopefuls are hoping a good showing in Alaska's straw polls can propel them to a strong finish in Iowa and the New Hampshire primary UD- stagingDole.

Alaska Travel Agency May Owe $50 Million islative process. Cato was 71. Cato died Thursday night of complications from cancer at Phoenix Memorial Hospital. Since resigning Rep. Gene Kubina 6 Vo fo Sl Ure of 00 in to replace So in 'saM ng ad 'r SPend JTM and his vSfe up'foTa and attracted for winters Arizona and summers week at her home rhTM fat profits promised them may now be FAIRBANKS (AP) A travel agency that dealt in frequent flier Knowles held a luncheon Friday for reporters who cover state government and the Legislature, the second year in a row the.

mansion-has-been'-opened tor a media meal. On the menu were scallops 'salad nee and rolls. Knowles joked that the seafood had come from a scallop boat that made the news last year when it exploited a loophole in federal and state laws to fish in an area closed to other boats The waters were later closed by a federal order. "Are you telling us we ate the evidence?" asked public radio reporter John Greeley. Status of Key Legislation: By The Associated Press JUNEAU (AP) Here is a status list of key state Legislature issues by bill number, subject, what they would do, fiscal note if any, principal sponsor and status.

HB 400, SB 206, Welfare Reform- Would seek to bump 10 percent of adults off welfare and into jobs within five years; At request of Gov. Tony Knowles; House and Senate Community and Regional Affairs committees HB 398, SB 204, Teacher Tenure- Would increase the amount of time it takes teachers to gain tenure to three years; At request of Gov Tony Knowles; HB 398 in House Health Education and Social Services Committee, SB 204 in Senate State Affairs Committee. HB 317, HB 368, SB 191, Campaign Finance Reform: Would curtail the influence of special interest money Meatiest Mightiest in Sitka, McDonald's Mighty Wings! in election campaigns; Sponsored by Reps. David Finkelstein, D-Anchorage, Jeannette James, R-North Pole and Sen. Tim Kelly, R-Anchorage-' House and Senate State Affairs committees.

HB 71, Legislature Move: Would move annual sessions of the Legislature to Anchorage; Sponsored Joe Green, R-Anchorage; House Judiciary Committee. SB 183, Lobbying Spouses: Would prohibit the spouses and spousal equivalents of legislators from lobbying the Legislature; Sponsored by Sen. Robin Taylor, R-Wransell- Senate Stale Affairs. HB 325, Heavy Oil: Would grant petroleum companies a five-year holiday on paying state royalties forgoing after certain low-grade, hard-to-drill oil reserves; Sponsored by Rep. Joe Green, R-Anchorage; House Oil and Gas Committee.

I58 Civil Liability Limits: Would set limits on awards in certain civil lawsuits; Sponsored by Rep. Brian Porter, R-Anchorage; Senate Judiciary Committee. Congratulations Congratulations are extended to the following persons listed on the Sitka High School Team calendar. Ryan Lane and Tom" McGraw listed with birthdays for today. in Bellingham, Wash.

Legislators held a moment of silence for Cato during the House session. Lawmakers recalled Cato as a quiet tiger" and "old-school politician, as well as a "ferry godmother to the Alaska Marine Highway System because of her devotion to state ferry service. Rep. Eidon Mulder, R-Anchorage -whose 1 Wendy; -'worked- on -feato staff, wept as he" told House members that his family had lost a mend and his daughters had lost their godmother. After the session, Mulder said he and his family had spent Christmas with Cato in recent years and he had seen her just last weekend.

Cato felt certain then she would recover and be able to return to Alaska to visit her former colleagues, Mulder said "In large part, the Legislature was Bette family," Mulder said of the gruff-voiced Cato. "She had a ferocious bark which intimidated many a state bureaucrat, but for those who knew Bette, her kindness was unmatched. She had a huge heart." Rep. Ben Grussendorf, D-Sitka who entered the Legislature in 1981 at the same time as Cato, recalled the former lawmaker as a tough, old- school politician who never shied away from political fallout on an is- horne when they first moved to Valdez. That first day at Cato's home, Kubina said, he met Gov.

Bill Egan and other key state leaders at a party. "Believe it or not, she had half the state, really, in her house that day It seemed like everybody to me that was important," Kubina said. "We were important enough, and she made sure that we were taken care of even though she had all this goine on around her." Gov. Tony Knowles ordered state flags to be flown at half-staff through Wednesday in Cato's honor. Bom in Erby, in 1924, Cato spent her early years in a Michigan orphanage.

She worked as a shipyard mechanic and served as an aviation machinist in the Navy during World War II. Cato moved to Alaska in 1957 earned an education degree and took a teaching job in Kenai, where she met her husband, the late Jack Cato. She is survived by her son Peter Duane Weber, his wife, Barbara, and three grandchildren. Funeral services have not been announced. A memorial service is planned Wednesday at Juneau's Bara- S50 million in the red.

A trustee appointed by the Bankruptcy Court said in filings that he has uncovered business records for World Plus Inc. that indicate the company owed about 1,000 investors as much as $50 million in principal and interest. Larry Comptom, the trustee, on Thursday petitioned the court to convert the case from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to Chapter 7 a move that would to shut down World Plus and sell its assets World Plus owner RaeJean "Jean- me" Bonham has argued that she can pay off her investors if she's allowed to sell frequent flier miles she has already purchased. But Compton told the court Bonham's business practices are illegal violating a court order that blocks her from reselling miles from Delta Air Lines, the carrier that represented the vast majority of her business. Delta last year obtained a court injunction barring her from selling its tickets, and state securities regulators have prohibited her from new investments.

Included in the court documents tween frequent fliers and airlines. Allowing Bonham to continue the practice under the court's supervision wouldn't be proper, he said. Roughly 1,192 people in Alaska, 42 other states, and Puerto Rico entered into investment contracts with World Plus over the past four to five years according to Compton. The business -was bankrolled by private, short-term loans that promised up to 50 percent interest in six months. of the were to be paid in June of, 1995 Bqnh'am began ''issuing" contracts that promised a 50 percent return in as little as 10 days, according to court documents.

Bonham told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner she is prepared to fight to keep her business alive. "I'm not going to bow down. I'm not going to let them walk all over she said She already has beaten back one attempt by unpaid investors to dissolve the company on Jan. 8, when Bankruptcy Judge Herbert Ross granted her request for Chapter 11 protection. i Compton shut down World 1 Plus on Uec 21 and has since tried to get a handle on its finances.

Compton said in Thursday's filin nnf Saay aUuneausBara mciuoea tne court documents Compton said in Thursday's npf Hotel, where Cato lived during wa sheet that Bonham apparently that he still has not found evfdena of legislative sessmns 5 save her m.roTM,, nor proof to claim that she owns 8 million airline miles that can be sold as individual tickets. Injunction to Block Bond Issues Denied FAIRBANKS (AP) A judge has denied an injunction request that are State of Alaska Offers For Sale Removal The Petersburg Seaplane Float Facility Public Inspection: January 29 through February i Between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.r All bids must be submitted by 1:30 p.m., February 13, 1996 To obtain a sales brochure contact State of Alaska General Services 2400 Viking Drive Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 279-0596 NATIONALLY KNOWN COMWtNNS Family Show 2 p.m. Adult Show Showtime: 8:30 p.m. Door Opens at 5:00 p.m.

for dinner. For Dinner Reservations call 747-3285. Show tickets available at the door. 1615 Sawmill Creek Rd. islative sessions.

Juneau Teachers May Take Pay Cut JUNEAU (AP) The Jun eau school district has asked its teachers to take a six percent pay cut and work more hours. Schools superintendent Mary Rubadeau said Friday it was with great regret that the district was asking teachers to make salary concessions. The district says it will have to make 5675,000 in cuts to balance the school budget next year. The teachers' union is seeking raises of up to two percent. The two sides are negotiating a new contract through February 24th.

The current contract expires at the end of gave her customers explaining the proper way to use the frequent flier tickets she sold. Airlines don't allow the mileage awards to be resold or issued to people who aren't relatives. The court documents indicate Bonham gave customers the names of the people the miles were purchased from as well as a fictitious relationship that had been established when the ticket was first awarded. Include on the bottom of the instruction sheet was the warning: "Do not show this paper to the airlines!" Compton said Bonham still has not come up with records showing where millions in investors' dollars have gone, nor has she demonstrated how World Plus could operate without new would have kept the Fairbanks North Mar Borough from issuing bonds a way governments borrow money Superior Court Judge Ralph Beist- Ime on Fnday turned back a move by supporters of a proposed North Pole Borough, who claimed their efforts for independence would be threatened rtnthe current Fairbanks borouoh were capital and without the Delta coupons all to take on any more debt HIVIW Ihe business, Compton argued, is But lhe Judge said in his ruline-that based upon a breach of contract be- the 2 rou failed to prove it would be Tk i irreparably harmed. And Beistline PameWebber to Pay Fines JUNEAU (AP) PaincWcbber day 194 Alaska residents put a total of S1.3 million in the Paine Webber investments between 1986 and 1992 Most of the limited partnerships involved oil, gas and real estate.

Group will pay nearly in fines to the state as part of a nationwide settlement of complaints that it misled investors in the sale of limited partnerships. On Thursday, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced a settlement with PaineWebber, the nation's fourth-largest brokerage firm that included S292.5 million for investors and S10 million in payments to regulators. The state Department of Commerce and Economic Development said Fri- DeiSur said the North Pole backers failed to convince him that their petition for a home rule borough will succeed before the state Local Boundary Commission, the panel that rules on municipal boundary changes. Willis Kirkpatrick, who heads the department's division of banking, securities and corporations, PaineWebber agents had misrepresented the investments as low-risk. Kirkpatrick said the settlement ends the case against PaineWebber but that the state still might pursue penalties against individual brokers in Alaska.

Come celebrate Tent City Days with us Feb. 2 -5 plus tax per night single rate (907) 874-3388 Wran ell for reservations. Workers Seek Second Union KETCHIKAN (AP) Saying the union has failed to represent their interests, unlicensed engine room employees of the Alaska Marine way System have asked to leave Ihe Inlandboatmen's Union of the Pacific and form their own union. The request involves about 72 junior engineers, oilers and wipers It was filed Jan. 12 with the Alaska Labor Relations Agency.

If the state and IBUP have no objections, engine room workers could soon vote to leave the union. But if objections exist state officials. said there will be a hearing process to settle the issue. The Inlandboatmen's Union now represents about 550 nonlicensed workers in the ferry system's deck, steward and engine room departments..