Education is a core, essential function of the state as established by the Alaska constitution. However, each year school districts must implore the Alaska Legislature for funds adequate to meet rising costs and increased mandates from the state and federal governments. The need to mount this yearly effort is disruptive, time-consuming, and wasteful, while leaving districts unable to do meaningful long-term planning due to uncertain funding.
| House District |
Candidate* |
Response |
| House District 16 |
Pat Chesbro |
Education endowment could provide a steady revenue base for long term funding. The adequacy study should be examined to determine the true baseline for costs. Finally, state requirements that distract schools/districts from their missions to promote student learning should be removed so human resources could be used more effectively. |
| House District 19 |
Bob Roses |
Had we developed the Education endowment program proposed during the Cowper administration this would be a mute point. Education endowment, POMV, etc are areas that we need to explore. |
| House District 21 |
Harry Crawford |
We need to automatically inflation-proof the foundation formula and address special expenses additionally as well as additional money for actual improvement programs. |
| House District 24 |
Berta Gardener |
Use gas/oil income to create educational endowment for stable, predictable education funding. |
| House District 27 |
Tom Moffatt |
Two-year budgeting. |
| House District 32 |
Mike Hawker |
Continue advocating sustainable long-range financial policy. Include use of some P Fund earnings in plan for stability/reliability. Establish a state endowment for future gas revenue to perpetually sustain states budget – see HJR 2 in 24th Legislature. |
| House District 32 |
Pat Abney |
I believe that an educational endowment fund with an inflation proof foundation formula would provide this and I will work towards such a fund. |
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| Senate District |
Candidate |
Response |
| Senate District J |
Earl Mayo |
Consider Educational Endowment Fund. |
| Senate District L |
Johnny Ellis |
I favor creation of an Educational Endowment using oil and gas revenues. |
| Senate District N |
Ray Utter |
I have no particular method in mind although I know there have been proposals in the past that would have lessened the dependence on last minute allocations. Again, we need to work on gaining agreement about what constitutes adequacy. Reliability will probably remain the effect of who is elected. |
| Senate District N |
Lesil McGuire |
As you know, we cannot dedicate funds by the Constitution, but we must continue to make K-12 funding our #1 priority in the budget each year. |
| Senate District P |
Con Bunde |
I think the current system at school districts presenting their needs and showing their accountability to the legislature will provide for adequate and reliable funding. |
| Senate District P |
Macon Roberts |
I plan to introduce a bill to guard against educational inflation. I would like to establish an endowment solely for “inflation proofing” the forward funded schools budget. |
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| *Click name to read all responses by that candidate (PDF files) |
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