whoever gave, in our Constitution, the right for the Federal Gov- 

 ernment to own land? I asked these questions in my legislation. I 

 have read through the testimony of those that will testify saying 

 this bill has not got a chance. I ask this question: When is it wrong 

 to discuss a different concept? When should we always be stuck 

 with what we have today? Is it right that the Federal Government 

 can tell us what to do? Not under my interpretation of the Con- 

 stitution, nor my interpretation of what America is about. I believe 

 we have the right, as a State, to control our own destiny, not some- 

 body from Washington, D.C. — especially not a political appointee. 

 As I walked in today, I noticed people outside with picket signs, 

 and all I can say is they spelled my name correctly, and for that 

 I am proud. 



With that, we will open the first witnesses. The first witness is 

 the Honorable Pete Hallgren, Mayor of the City and Borough of 

 Sitka; Mr. Keith, Perkins, son of my good friend Ray Perkins, and 

 may he be resting well; Mr. Stan Filler, Sitka, Alaska. 



Gentlemen, I know this is the day before the 4th of July, but we 

 are and will limit the time, but it is at my discretion. The lights 

 will be green, and you will have approximately five minutes to 

 make your oral testimony, and then at that time if I see, in discre- 

 tion, you are doing a great job, I may not rap the gavel, but ordi- 

 narily we keep this to a short period of time. 



At the end of everybody's testimony in one panel, there will be 

 questions asked each individual, and we will go in the order which 

 I identified the witnesses. The Mayor, Mr. Pete Hallgren, you are 

 up first. 



STATEMENT OF PETE HALLGREN, MAYOR, CITY AND 

 BOROUGH OF SITKA, ALASKA 



Mr. Hallgren. Thank you. As Mayor of the City and Borough 

 of Sitka, I wish to officially welcome Congressman Don Young and 

 the Committee on Resources to Sitka, and I hope that you will join 

 me tomorrow in our 4th of July festivities to celebrate the 220th 

 anniversary of our nation's independence from unresponsive, ab- 

 sentee government. 



I appreciate this opportunity to comment on H.R. 2413. Since our 

 Municipal Assembly has not yet discussed this bill, the following 

 thoughts are my personal ideas. It is my belief that Sitka public 

 opinion is overwhelmingly in favor of the reestablishment of a 

 much smaller forest products industry in Sitka. Of course, the devil 

 is in the details, such as what type of industry, employment num- 

 bers, amount of timber to be used annually, and also where and 

 how it is cut. Inherent in these timber questions are Sitka's desire 

 to maintain its rural lifestyle, including subsistence gathering, pro- 

 tection of the ecology, protection of the commercial and sport fish- 

 ing, sport hunting, and questions concerning tourism. 



The timber issues are thus items of great importance to Sitkans, 

 and yet Sitkans have no decisional say in any of them. Therefore, 

 I applaud your bill as an attempt to bring power back to those 

 most concerned and affected by the decision. 



These are questions that are best answered on the most local 

 level attainable. I have witnessed the power struggle between the 

 various factions of big timber and big ecology as they duke it out 



