2008 Legislative Priorities
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Funding
SB 125 PERS/TRS Cost Sharing
The Joint Legislative Education Funding Task Force premised all of its recommendations on the assumption that the state would assume responsibility for required increases in PERS/TRS contributions as contemplated in SB 125, now before the 25th Alaska Legislature. The Anchorage School Board’s endorsement of the task force recommendations is based on the same premise. The Anchorage School Board fully supports SB 125 as it existed at the close of the last regular legislative session.
Revenue Sharing
Anchorage property owners—and indirectly, renters and business patrons—play a significant role in funding the Anchorage School District through municipal property taxes. State aid to municipalities helps meet community needs, including critical health and safety supports for our students and their families, without further burdening local taxpayers. The Anchorage School Board supports continuing the municipal revenue sharing program.
Forward Funding
For the Anchorage School District, budget development begins in the fall and continues until the Governor signs the education funding bill in the spring. Forward funding of the education budget would eliminate much wasted effort, provide greater stability, and permit more long-range planning. The Joint Legislative Education Funding Task Force Report takes a step in that direction by recommending advance adoption of statutory base student allocation amounts. With the money currently in the Education Fund, the Legislature has a unique opportunity to institute forward funding by actually allocating funds for both FY09 and FY10. In 2009, the Legislature should fund FY11 with funds deemed appropriate from current revenue. With forward funding, school districts would have a full year to prepare for any increase or decrease in funding levels.
Debt Reimbursement
The Anchorage School Board and Anchorage taxpayers are counting on the Alaska Legislature to continue partnering on capital improvement projects by fully honoring past commitments for partial reimbursement of debt service on bonded indebtedness. The Anchorage School Board also requests that the Legislature extend the school debt reimbursement program to help meet current and future school construction and major maintenance needs. One modification to this partnership is requested: allow allocation of matching grant funds, not just debt reimbursement, to the Anchorage School District for very high-need projects such as Sand Lake and Chester Valley elementary schools. While the board and district administration fully support the allocation of most grant funding dollars to rural districts, high-priority projects in Anchorage should also be eligible for partial grant funding.
Other Legislation
The Anchorage School Board looks forward to working with the Alaska Legislature as it addresses other bills affecting workforce development, compulsory age of attendance, and other education issues. Board members welcome questions and requests for information from legislators.
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