We know that our supporters value the information our Conference provides, but also understand that your ability to contribute is valued. Stakeholders (Members vote, Non-Members inform, but no vote) have three dedicated opportunities to inform organization priorities. On Wednesday, we will collect audience feedback and break into sub-regions for a facilitated review of energy systems - this is your opportunity to inform us on energy priorities. On Thursday, we host a broad assessment of our organization's strategic positions - this is your opportunity to inform community and industry priorities SWAMC will focus on, to include goal setting and identifying actionable tasks. On Friday, we host our Membership Meeting, where we will vote on the Board, policy positions and resolutions, receive the annual report and hear the Voice of Membership.  

IMPORTANT: Approving our positions is a fundamental role of the Membership Meeting. SWAMC accepts Resolutions from members in good standing, that will be voted on by Membership at the Meeting. Any Resolutions submitted late, after March 1st will not be heard by membership, and will instead be addressed by the Board.    

Send to: eobrien@swamc.org 

SWAMC advocates strategies and partnerships for Southwest Alaska's businesses and communities, to provide opportunities for improved quality of life. The following aim to be inclusive and follow broadly approved regional priorities, which sets the stage for individual Resolutions supported by Membership. During our upcoming CEDS Update, SWAMC reviews policies, such that they provide direction on overarching Goals and Objective, which Members can advise at the upcoming meeting.  

• Community Access to Resources- SWAMC supports regional access to fisheries resources for people and business reliant on access for the well being of communities.
• Local Access to Fisheries Regulators - SWAMC supports holding fisheries regulatory meetings closest to affected stakeholders, and otherwise increasing opportunity for input from affected parties.
• Fully Funded Agencies ­- SWAMC supports fully funded agencies, which strive to efficiently manage the fisheries ecosystem, in-line with other policy objectives.
• Investment in Fisheries Infrastructure - SWAMC supports investment in fisheries infrastructure that improves the unit value of fisheries resources.
• Local Investment Incentives - SWAMC supports incentives that promote community investment for stronger regional competitiveness, in all downstream activity.
• Mariculture Development - SWAMC supports studying mariculture feasibility to expands local opportunity for communities.

Infrastructure

• Strategic Investment - SWAMC supports infrastructure that increases the competitive advantage of the region.
• Critical Infrastructure - SWAMC supports increased attention to strategic areas: energy, fisheries, transportation, communication and quality of life; which are critical components, and necessary for life in the region.
• Air and Sea Infrastructure - SWAMC supports harbors, docks, airfields and all associated infrastructure critical to the transportation needs of the region.
• Local Input - SWAMC supports full involvement from local stakeholders for feedback that informs regional infrastructure projects.
• Land Transfer to Local Control - SWAMC supports land transfers from non-local landowners, including federal and state governments, to local interests where development positively benefits stakeholders.
• National Incentive Programs for Infrastructure Investment - SWAMC supports national programs that incentivize infrastructure investment, where solely market driven decisions could lead to decay of critical infrastructure.
• Funding Programs - SWAMC supports funding programs that facilitate local investment.
• Infrastructure Planning - SWAMC supports updates to regional and long-term planning documents that better inform future infrastructure investment.

Economic Development

• Human Capital Development - SWAMC supports programs that advance our human capital potential, through educations, training and workforce development, with a focus on attaining life and career goals for local stakeholders.
• Local Training Institutions - SWAMC supports local training institutions that provide development opportunity in the region or community of residency.
• Business Retention and Expansion - SWAMC supports activates that promote private sector operations in the region.
• Tourism Marketing - SWAMC supports promotional material and public initiatives that improve visibility critical to marketing and promoting tourism investment in our region.
• Safety and Justice - SWAMC supports institutions with the capacity to provide security, such that communities are safe and social ills are addressed.
• Non-Fisheries Resources - SWAMC supports full utilization of parallel resources that have been systematic analyzed to determine the long-term benefits to the region.

Revenue and Finance

• Sound Fiscal Plan - SWAMC supports a long-range state-local fiscal plan by promoting adequate state and local services, while maintaining the lowest practical tax burden.
• State Revenue Sharing - SWAMC supports a stable and predictable revenue sharing relationship between local governments and the State of Alaska, allowing decisions to be made and paid locally.
• Local Resource Taxes - SWAMC supports a fair tax-sharing plan for state Fishery Resource Landing Tax revenues between the State and municipalities by reducing the State's share by 50 percent and allocating remaining funds to the municipality where the product is landed.
• Tax-Levying Authority- SWAMC supports broad municipal authority to levy taxes, and opposes any efforts that would reduce the local tax bases.
• Municipal Bond Bank - SWAMC supports the Municipal Bond Bank as an independent entity to help municipalities meet public facility construction needs at the lowest possible bonding cost.
• Municipal Bond Tax Exemption - SWAMC supports tax exemption for municipal bonds and federal legislation to remove restrictions placed on municipal bonds.
• School Funding- SWAMC supports full funding for school debt reimbursement programs.
• Federal Transfers­- SWAMC supports federal transfers for rural Alaska to bridge the development gap between regions.

Local Government Powers

• Intergovernmental Relations - SWAMC supports improved Government-to-Government relations, including tribal, municipal, state and federal.
• Agencies- SWAMC supports public agencies that help meet the organization's mission.

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• BoF Upper Cook Inlet Finfish, Anchorage, January 31-February 13
• Alaska Forum on the Environment, Anchorage, February 3-7
• North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, Seattle, February 3 -10
• Alaska Marine Gala, Anchorage, February 15