While Anchorage has lost more than 6,000 students over the past two decades, the Anchorage Assembly wants area taxpayers to approve a $62-million-dollar bond package to construct, renovate, and plan new school building projects.
At the Dec. 19 Assembly meeting, the issue will be introduced, with the aim of getting the question on the ballot for the April 2 municipal election.
Proceeds from the general obligation bonds would be set aside to pay for constructing, renovating, installing, planning, designing, acquiring and equipping educational capital projects at Alpenglow Elementary School, Central Middle School and Chugiak High School, as well as construction of security vestibules and security improvements at Kasuun, Lake Hood and Klatt Elementary Schools. Money would also be used for renovation design of Romig Middle School, replacement of Inlet View Elementary School and planning and design for future projects.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
If approved the bond debt would be paid from increased property taxes levied and collected areawide in Anchorage. The city would also pledge its full faith and credit for the bonds, which means it guarantees bondholders that it will use taxation powers for necessary payouts.
Asking Anchorage taxpayers to approve $62 million in new bonds might be a difficult sell considering the school district’s enrollment has steadily declined from a high of 49,767 in 2002, to just 43,763 in 2023. Based on the average school enrollment at Anchorage’s 95 schools, that’s the equivalent of losing every single student at 13 separate schools.
9 Comments
High-level robbery from the people of this state.
Defund it and let it die!
Let the schools go under, why should I have to pay for schools or kids being able to read. I’d rather fund another decades long war in Iraq.
Incapable of understanding!
Pointed questions should be directed to the ANC School Board/Assembly on the ASD’s fund balance if it is greater than 10 percent of its expenditures for this fiscal year.
ALASKA Statute (AS) 14.17.505. Fund Balance in School Operating Fund.
(a) A district MAY NOT accumulate in a fiscal year an unreserved portion of its year-end fund balance in its school operating fund, as defined by department regulations, that is greater than 10 percent of its expenditures for that fiscal year.
(b) The department shall review each district’s annual audit under AS 14.14.050 for the preceding fiscal year to ascertain its year-end operating fund balance. The amount by which the unreserved portion of that balance exceeds the amount permitted in (a) of this section shall be deducted from the state aid that would otherwise be paid to the district in the current fiscal year.
ANY EXCESS fund balance above 10% expeditures for the fiscal year (e.g. FY 2022 since 2023 is not completed- $59 to $62 million ASD depending on which spreadsheet/PPt slide you choose) should go towards current maintenance, remodeling, security upgrades, wish list items etc,
Grifters that indoctrinate grifting,,, Momma always said if you want a dollar you have to earn a dollar…. TEACH NOT INDOCTRINATE…
It was a six-to-one vote to adopt this bond proposal. I voted against it. The total cost of Inlet View is over $50 million. I moved an amendment to ensure the full cost of this project was shown on the ballot. It failed without a second.
Dave Donley
Obviously speaking very much only for myself and not the ASD or School Board – I am required by Board policy to say that.
God love ya David! Surely your wasting your time!
There must be a better way to stop the tiereny! This ugly scene has been occurring for far too long! Dissolve the board immediately! The students need to file a class action lawsuit against the board and sue them for the real damages they have endured! In the process of restoring anchorage, do the same thing to your assembly! What are you waiting for!
Merry Christmas
The reduction in public school attendance is a direct reaction to our AK public school curriculum, teaching ideology set by the ASB, and test score rankings in our country. In short, bad curriculum, bad teaching ideology, and bad test scores equals caring and pro-active parents saying “kiss off” to the ASD! Where did they go? The answer is clear: homeschooling and private school attendance since the pandemic skyrocketed! I hope more parents come to realize how gifted and capable they really are to take over and improve the education experience of their children.