Category: Finance - Page 5 - Alaska Watchman

Alaska lawmakers to hear testimony on bills that restrict homeschool allotment spending

EducationApril 29, 2024

In response to the April 12 ruling by Anchorage Superior Court Judge Adolf Zeman, which effectively gutted Alaska’s unique correspondence/homeschool programs for roughly 24,000 students, state lawmakers are considering two bills aimed at preserving parts

OPINION: 33 Alaska House members fail to grasp that grand juries are independent

CrimeApril 22, 2024

Alaska Grand Juries are separate from are separate other branches of government and so should not be limited in their selection of a special prosecutor to someone that is employed by or hired by another branch of

Dunleavy’s veto of a massive educational spending spree bill withstands veto override attempt

EducationMarch 18, 2024

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

EducationMarch 14, 2024

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

EducationMarch 11, 2024

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

FeaturedFebruary 13, 2024

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

EducationFebruary 13, 2024

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

EducationFebruary 8, 2024

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

EducationFebruary 7, 2024

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

Alaska Permanent Fund DividendFebruary 1, 2024

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

Finance