The minority caucus of Alaska House Republicans are frustrated that the Democrat Majority has refused to take up public debate on their bill to drastically increase funding for government-run schools.
After blindsiding Republicans earlier in the week, by discharging House Bill 69 from the House Education Committee without a formal vote from committee members, Democrats then rushed the bill out of its Finance Committee on Feb. 20 with little to no debate. Now Republicans want to have a debate, on live TV, before the full House votes on the controversial legislation.
The bill aims to flood hundreds of millions of public dollars into the state education budget, without requiring any reforms to a chronically failing government-run school system. Sponsored by nearly a dozen far-left lawmakers, the NEA-Alaska teachers’ union and educational bureaucrats are pushing the bill.
If passed, HB 69 would increase the Base Student Allocation (BSA) – per-pupil funding – from $5,960 to $8,510 over three years. That’s a $1,800 jump (or 43% increase), with the added cost to the state being nearly $1.5 billion over that time span.
On Feb. 21, House Republicans made a motion to bring the legislation to the House floor for debate and discussion. In a vote of 20 to 18, the Democrat House Majority rejected the motion, refusing to take up their own bill.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
“My problem with HB 69 is that the House Democrat Majority has not offered any way to pay for it,” Stated Rep. Will Stapp (R-Fairbanks). “The truth is that there is no way they can pay for this without instituting a tax or eliminating the permanent fund dividend, but they want the public to believe they can. It is disingenuous and irresponsible.”
House Republican Leader Mia Costello, of Anchorage, agreed.
“House Republicans should be part of the education discussion – we owe it to Alaskans to have a real conversation about how to improve our schools,” she said. “Our caucus includes members with deep experience in education, and we are committed to improving outcomes for students, teachers, and families. This is a critical issue, and we will continue to push for the opportunity to discuss meaningful solutions to both funding and policy.”
While some Republicans have signaled a willingness to increase the education budget, so long as it comes with meaningful educational reforms, Democrats have been adamant, that the historically-high bill should be free of any accountability measures. At the same time, some of Alaska’s leading voices on educational choice and parental rights have written letters to Alaska lawmakers urging them to oppose House Bill 69.
TAKING ACTION
— Click here to contact members of the Alaska State House.
18 Comments
It has nothing to do with improving education or educational outcomes. It is all power and control and most voters are so checked out they don’t even notice. If money were the answer our state would be near the top in academic success.
I agree with Elizabeth Henry.Alaska has legislators and a governor with extensive educational experience and yet they are not listened to at all. The first step should be to look at the present BSA and where it is actually spent. And then force the democrats to come clean on this bill. Money is not the answer. Finding better ways to teach the kids and adjust the curriculum back to the core subjects that will prepare them for adulthood and further education is the answer. Anything else fails the kids.
Here we go again! Why is it Juneau is run by democrats half thought throw unintelligent ideas? What about the rest of the States people? What about our opinions? Why is it your way and not a joint effort anylonger? This has to stop. This needs Trump to shut you all down and fire all of you. We sure cant do any worse starting over with all new faces!
Once again, I say.. Move them out of their semi isolated, distant playground, and make access to their assembly much easier.
Trump can’t shut down a state agency; however, he can shut down the Federal Department of Education & award EDUCATION GRANTS to the states; Governor has already put together a “Choice” education plan that will work well w/state granted vouchers. We need to voice our support of governor Dunleavy’s plan & support his veto of the HB69
I agree with Neil. We have got to clean house. Start with Juneau. Juneau hasn’t done a damned thing right in years. Kind of makes sense, Murkowski has done nothing right in D.C ! Its truly amazing the people of this state allow for such incompetent people to remain in these positions failure after failure. Folks we have a second chance to make Alaska TRULY great but before this can happen we have to fire some folks.
Juneau seems to be a elite social club; lets get something on the ballet to cancel in-person legislative meetings & join the 21st century w/ZOOM legislative conferences where every word exchanged will have a permanent accurate record; no more behind ‘closed-doors’ agreements, or per diem… where all meetings will be from our representatives own homes; no more excuses to “dress-up” & figure out ways to spend our PFDs. The elites will be reminded that they are our represenatives & instead of being in it for there own agrandizements, they are doing a job for the voters; no more “party time”! Those who need the ‘party time’ will drop out & make room for honest, sincere supporters of policy that works for the voters!
This state legislators are trying to bankrupt this state spending so much time on education and keep taking more of the dividend. How about the ones that don’t have kids in the school system that have been paying from the PFD for years. Its like there isn’t nothing else matters. You can’t keep throwing money when the kids are doing so bad. No more money to the education department until there is big results doesn’t makes any since there is just so many students not in the schools.
You know what pisses me off to no end? It’s MAGA Republicans that accuse any democrat or community-minded do-gooder that they are Marxist, a Socialist or a tool of Satan, yet when the most blatant socialist program ever, the PFD, is threatened, they haul out the excuses: Its OUR money! or what about the families?
You want good education outcomes? Pay teachers a wage that recognizes their education and value to your community. Eliminate the PFD.
There is nothing socialist about the PFD. By the State Constitution, the mineral wealth of Alaska belongs to the citizens of Alaska, not the government, and not private companies. Therefore, the proceeds of purchasing the minerals belongs likewise to the citizens of Alaska, not the government. The fact that the current government is stealing the PFD from the citizens says more about the crooks in Juneau than the political state of the citizens. Or did you forget to read the facts before you spouted a load of nonsense?
Manny has some mental issues, let him/her/it deal with it.
And I would add, Manny, that teachers are paid handsomely for 8 months of work where they have consistently failed to teach most kids, and their pay includes an amazing benefits package, and they are supported by a corrupt, socialist union to do so. If you want to pay them more, then you are the proverbial fool parted from his money.
When the parents have “choices” of which teacher their children is taught by, we’ll get rid of teachers who can’t teach & reward teachers who love to teach & have success at teaching; successful teachers will be sought out & probably get paid by how many students are in their classrooms … the kids will know which teachers are great & tell their parents which teacher is best! Bad teachers won’t get chosen therefore won’t get paid enough to live on & will have to look for another avenue of work! COMMON SENSE
when you have kids weekly climbing on jets to fly to opposite ends of Alaska, or weekly $8-12,000 charters for basketball, wrestling or native Olympics…. the district’s are not short of money, quite the opposite actually…
flat fund the schools and toss the defined benefits package in the garbage can to.
Manny Mullen, your a mindless troll. Climb back under your dark rock. The PFD conquest by the Dem’s has been the target all along. Started with the taking of the senior Alaskans longevity bonus. Wouldn’t bother me in the least to see a tsunami take out Juneau completely. Looks like it will take such a force of nature to actually and finely get it moved to a place that will be economical and accessible to the Alaskan citizen. Not a place to hide for the lying traitors who look out only for themselves neglecting the honest representing of the people. We do have some very upstanding republicans in the minority, representatives that work hard at turning this boat but without the Alaskan citizen behind them have their hands tied in large part. Thank you Mike, George and Shelley. We know who you are and the good you stand for!
So the education of Alaska’s children goes downhill. Great job, Republicans.
Alaskan citizens voted in two different elections to move the capital to the mainland. The legislators would not allocate the money. We want access to our legislators. The ones who can fly to Juneau are union and other lobbyists. Our legislator Maxine Dibert was elected with DC money outspokenly decided that we should have never had a PFD. She is on this House Education Committee.
Instead of voting for moving the legislators to another city, let’s move them to a ZOOM SYSTEM —> based in their home districts….( otherwise call LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION OFFICES)…many communities already have them; many were closed because of budget challanges. All communities could have LIOs … If we cancel the in-person legislative centralized system, we could afford LIOs… no more Lobiest dominated committees! Wouldn’t that solve a lot of problem legislation?
The original reason the system was centralized to a specific location was because of distance & no faster way to communicate; now we have ZOOM so no logical reason to continiue w/an antiqutated 1776 system. Once our representatives use ZOOM system, we can watch/listen live & comment (just like we are commenting now). Wouldn’t that be an eye-opener & great? Think about it … sooo cool!