Dunleavy’s veto of a massive educational spending spree bill withstands veto override attempt
In order for lawmakers to override the governor’s veto, they needed 40 votes. That did not happen. After nearly two hours of floor debates, 39 legislators voted to override and 20 voted with the governor. One lawmaker was excused from the
Gov. Dunleavy vetoes massive education spending spree that lacks meaningful reforms
Due to the lack of meaningful reforms, Gov. Mike Dunleavy has vetoed an education bill that would have dumped an unprecedented amount of money into Alaska’s chronically underperforming government-run
OPINION: Governor plays education ‘hardball’ with AK lawmakers in effort to improve schools
Some legislators seem to be taken back by the governor’s strong stance that he will veto SB 140 if items to improve student outcomes aren’t moved through the legislative process by his veto deadline of March 14.
Fairbanks Assemblywoman says colleagues and school board are skirting Open Meetings Act to raise taxes
Conservative Fairbanks Borough Assemblywoman Barbara Haney is claiming that liberal members of the school board and assembly are using a largely unknown ad hoc education committee to hatch critical and far-reaching legislation outside of the public
AK senator derides critics of her plan to grow education budget as ‘white supremacy’ supporters
In a highly partisan and incendiary speech, Alaska State Sen. Löki Tobin (D-Anchorage) suggested that those who oppose massive funding increases for government schools are part of the legacy of white
Despite tanking enrollment, Fairbanks wants to raise taxes by $10M to benefit public schools
Sponsored by Borough Mayor Bryce Ward and Assembly members Savannah Fletcher and Brett Rotermund, the ordinance aims to ask borough residents if they would approve an increase to the tax cap so that the borough could tax residents an additional $10 million
10 basic facts to consider as Alaska lawmakers debate how to fund government schools
While left-leaning lawmakers consistently assert that Alaska’s dismal student academic achievement is related to lack of funding, there is amble evidence to suggest that more money is not the golden goose that most left-leaning politicians and educators
Americans for Prosperity-AK warns that legislative push to revive state retirement plan could cost $9B, require taxes, kill PFD
One of the leading conservative advocacy groups in Alaska is urging the State House to reject the Senate’s approval of legislation that would restore a state employee pension plan that it says would cost Alaska upwards of $9 billion
Gov. Dunleavy tells Legislature that Alaska is in dire need of more people
Barring more human beings - through increased births and more newly arrived residents - Alaska’s state slogan, “North to the Future,” will never be fulfilled. This was a key part of Gov. Dunleavy’s State of the State speech to the Alaska Legislature
Despite sharp decline in student population, Anchorage Assembly seeks $62M in new school bond debt
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