I sincerely regret that my word choice caused offense to Maureen Hall, a hard-working school nurse. Ms. Hall wrote an op-ed column expressing concern regarding education funding.
I very much appreciate all the teachers, staff, and administration that work every day to make our schools safe learning environments. I’ve seen firsthand the Title I teacher whose kindergartners quietly look at books for the first 15 minutes of class every morning because they need some settling time after the anguish some of these children suffer in their homes. My mother left home early every day to work as a teacher in the Anchorage School District for more than 25 years and I have a strong sense of the hard work and commitment that takes.
I chose not to include an increase to the Base Student Allocation (BSA) in the budget because I felt it was time for us to ask a common-sense question. Will the State of Alaska be like the federal government and automatically grow our programs, or will we budget more responsibly?
The $125 increase in the BSA that passed the state Senate will guarantee increased funding of about half a billion dollars in just six fiscal years. The increased BSA for this year gets added into the budget for the next year, while another BSA increase gets layered on top of that, and built into the following years on an ever-increasing basis.
Rather than automatically enlarging budgets with little ongoing scrutiny, I support funding annually justified education increases. For example, if energy costs are estimated to go up by $19.1 million in the next year, then let’s write a check for that amount. That way, the increasing expenditures are scrutinized every year, weighed in the balance with other appropriations, and we don’t leave a debt for our children and grandchildren to pay like our federal government.
Education spending has increased from $1.5 billion in 2005 to a projected $2.4 billion in 2013. These numbers do not include increases for debt service, school construction, major maintenance or the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development’s agency budget. And, my proposed budget includes $329 million for school districts’ retirement systems unfunded liability, a $76 million increase from the current year. This amount, that local taxpayers do not have to pay, is equivalent to more than a $300 BSA increase.
We may disagree on the means, but we all want the best education we can deliver for Alaska’s children. For that reason, I have supported increasing education funding at record levels across the years; sponsoring and passing Alaska Performance Scholarships and increasing amounts available for needs-based scholarships; funding escalating payments under the Teachers Retirement System; advocating for equity in rural and urban school construction; and resolving two long-standing pieces of education litigation to better deliver K-12 education.
Each year, Alaskans deserve to have a public discussion about cost increases and what their money is buying. The budget I proposed in December is the starting point for a discussion that continues until the budget is passed by the Legislature and signed into law.
• Parnell is the governor of Alaska.
Comments (15)
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What's good for the goose is good for the gander
To justify no school funding increase, Parnell raises the the federal government bogeyman by asking: "Will the State of Alaska be like the federal government and automatically grow our programs, or will we budget more responsibly?"
Fair question, except he does not apply it to the rest of the executive branch, which under the Palin/Parnell/Treadwell regime has been growing at an annualized rate of 7.8%- more than federal government-like. In an effort to explain and justify the budget proposal for the non-education parts of state government, his budget director testified the other day that state government salaries and benefits are increasing by something like $66 million.
Well, gee, Parnell, how about applying that logic to education? Are teachers, aides, nurses, and custodians entitled to salary and benefit increases like you negotiated with state employees? Or should their salaries be frozen and/or jobs cut because of your participation in the war on public education?
"public discussion"?
Parnell says in regard to school funding, "Each year, Alaskans deserve to have a public discussion about cost increases and what their money is buying." Gee, how come we dont get those same public discussions about $2 bill per year tax give-aways to your prior employers, the oil companies?
Schools across our state are scarmbling to come up with ways to cut funding by getting rid of nurses, teachers, latest technoligies, sports travel budgets, you name it, when in reality what they need to continue is a fraction of what he proposes to give away to oil companies that supposedly dont have enough money but yet are reporting billion dollars in profits? Its pure craziness. His idea of being a fiscally minded Gov is a joke.
Parnell
RECALL RECALL
His lips are moving
And we all know what THAT means!
A little misleading
Using the gross amount paid to school districts in 2005 in comparison to the projected amount in 2013 does not provide full disclosure. For example what was the number of students in 2005 compared to the projected 2013 number. I find several other items that similar disclosures would most assuredly affect the use of gross amounts in those two years as being rather misleading.
So what about discussing the numbers
Looks like about 60% increase in educating funding over the last 6 years.
Maybe we should be having a realistic discussion over not being able to afford continued increases at that level and what solutions there are for meeting needs.
I will start...
School tax comes right to mind. How about all those wanting an increase propose supporting a school tax at a level that matches any new state funding? Take it off pay checks. Put your personal money where your support is.
numbers
I agree with islander re 2005 figures vs 2013. And lets not forget this is for the whole State. Don't expenses/costs increase each year for everyone? They do for me. Im all for realistic discussions and while I dont object to taxes to pay for schools, etc in theory, I have a serious problem with taxing Alaskans while at the same time giving tax breaks to oil companies that are reporting billions in profit. Should the schools always be looking for ways to save money? Absolutely, I know I do in my own budget. Should the teachers forego raises in the next contract? Probably. But rather than always asking what the schools should be doing to help kids, shouldnt there also be that same question asked of the kids families? Im not intending to imply all parents dont help their kids but in today's busy society, are parents doing as much as they can to help their kids with homework, etc in order to in turn help the schools? I know its easy to point fingers at the schools if kids arent succeeding but I firmly believe that success starts at home. If people view the schools as a drop-off point for their kids, a sort of daycare, and dont pitch in and get involved, the schools costs will continue to rise due to the increased expectations they have to provide. Unfortunately, not every kid has a family that can or will help them, therefore we expect the schools to step in and do what they can. Funding is not just about BSA's.
Recall Parnell
As a concerned parent and loyal Alaskan, I think its time to get this man out of government!
not to mention
Parnell says "The $125 increase in the BSA that passed the state Senate will guarantee increased funding of about half a billion dollars in just six fiscal years." Ye gads, a half billion over 6 (thats SIX) fiscal years? Uh, what about the indefinate $2 bill PER YEAR tax give-away for the oil companies?
I wonder how much those commercials cost that Conocco is running saying how much they need those tax breaks in order to operate? If they are so broke, maybe a place to start is to stop running expensive TV ads? I can think of alot of things the schools could do with the money its costing to run those ads.
Dear Governor Parnell...
Governor Parnell,
Sir, you are constantly talking about how you "chose respect" however in the same breath you openly blackmail the state senate and hold the state hostage in the name of a massive give away to your buddies at Connoco.
My request to you sir is that you step down from your position as Governor and go sit back at your desk at Connoco....You cannot have two masters and we know Alaska is not your priority.
You sir are a disgrace to even Alaskan politics!
RECALL!
Show me the petition and I will sign....
Need to consider your priorities
Hey, how about we cut oil tax proportional to the increase in BSA. Cut oil tax by 1 billion, increase education by 1 billion, it's a wash. Bet we will not need an increase in BSA for a few years then!
I do NOT get this reluctance to invest in K-12. I admit, the scholarship is great, but not at the cost of K-12. The unfunded liability is not the fault of school districts, in fact the teachers retirement system was in good shape, so it got folded into PERS to float the state liability, so don't tell us you are giving a gift. Not like schools are oil companies and really need the money.
RECALL!
Regardless of the governor's
Regardless of the governor's giveaway to big oil, his points are valid on unchecked growth of the educational industry
funding
His points become invalid when he expects Alaskans and in this case our kids to make sacrifices while huge tax-breaks can be given to an industry that reports billion dollar profits. If it were true there was unchecked growth in our States school budgets, that would be one thing, but they go through legislative approval for their funding so I hardly think it can be called "unchecked".
Recall
Sean "Little Napoleon" Parnell.