Dave Donaldson  ---->  ---->  ---->  ---->  ---->  ---->  ---->  ---->Wed, Jan 15, 1997 / Juneau
For APRN: State of State - ANN VERSION

Host Wrap:  Governor Tony Knowles delivered a positive message to Alaska industry last night during his State of the State address.  Although much of his agenda for this yearís session was similar to goals the legislature has already agreed to. 
Saying ìour future is brightî, the governor credited a favorable business climate for a renewed interest in Alaska by developers during the past year.  He cited increased investment by the oil industry, progress toward construction of a natural gas pipeline, and a boom in the mining industry.  And, he reassured lawmakers that along with the encouraging development, heís making demands on businesses. 
# Tony
Knowles announced some of his priorities for the coming year -- A package of business incentives,  steps to recapture the international salmon market, and a focus on value-added processing for the timber industry. 
Legislative majorities have set budget control as their top priority -- but they also found several Knowles priorities are on their own agenda -- such as reduction of juvenile crime, higher education standards and a fight against federal control of state affairs.
Today, however, a senior member of the House majority found disagreement with the governorís speech.  Anchorage Republican Ramona Barnes -- speaking during todayís session, reminded legislators that much of the success included in the governorís annual report was due to work that began in the legislature.  For example, she said,  the final version of last yearís bill providing incentives to develop the Northstar oil field was the result of a letter extracted by the House in which British Petroleum promised to hire Alaskans.  And the most recent push for a natural gas pipeline, she said, came from a proposal a year ago by Valdez Democrat Gene Kubina. 
# Ramona180	:35	Nobody gave us ... walk away
Barnes claimed the legislature has taken the lead in developing jobs and developing resources, calling the governor only a ìcontributorî. 
Minority Leader Gene Kubina, meanwhile, pointed to similarities between the speech and the Republican legislative agenda.  He said he was encouraged that both branches of government seem -- at the moment -- to be heading in the same direction. 
# Kubina220		:28	We have watched ... so similar

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