Dunleavy vetoes mega-spending on education, but will Legislature override?

By
Suzanne Downing
-
66

Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Thursday evening vetoed Senate Bill 140, a bill that he might have supported had the Legislature kept in a couple of measures that he wanted, such as charter school authorizations.

Instead, it’s a bill that adds $680 per student to every school district, and asks nothing in return — not performance, not quality, just status quo.

The governor was left with approving a bill that turned into a spending bill, with no education reform or expectation. He said no.

“After a thorough analysis and careful consideration, I have decided to veto Senate Bill 140. SB 140 contains a record increase in the BSA. Although I SUPPORT an increase to the BSA – there were no new approaches, other than enhanced funding, to increase educational outcomes. SB 140 lacked sufficient changes in how charter schools are chartered in order to allow more students and families charter school possibilities,” he said in a statement.

“The lack of such reforms, given our success, with charter schools did not justify the passage of this bill that increases spending without needed reforms.

“There is still time in this session to address some of the issues such as increasing broadband speeds for our schools in Alaska. There is also still time in this session to enhance our charter school offerings and methods by which they are chartered.

“I will continue to work with legislators, as I have throughout my time as governor, to bring about educational reforms that put the needs of Alaskan families first – not the wants of special interest groups.

“Furthermore, I will review the appropriations bills following the legislative session to ensure schools are being adequately funded and the state’s limited resources are being spent appropriately,” the governor said.

Dunleavy will hold a brief press conference Friday morning at 11 a.m. in his Juneau cabinet room to further explain the veto.

It appears the Legislature has the votes to override his veto, with a handful of soft Republicans having told him they intend to override because they are running for reelection and believe this will help them get votes.

Dunleavy waited until the 11th hour on the final day when he’d either have to veto the bill or let it go into law. It was unclear what he planned to do, and during a press conference earlier in the day, House Speaker Cathy Tilton said she had no idea.

The Legislature is likely to meet on Monday in a joint session to vote on overriding the veto. That would need 40 legislators voting in favor of an override.

66 COMMENTS

  1. If my legislators vote to override the governor’s veto, they will lose the support of our family. Stick to your values and hold school districts accountable. Republican legislators have no business overwriting anything the governor vetos with time left in the session.

    • Well said and deservedly so. It seems there are a million reasons to appropriate more funding for schools. If we are going to, let’s be sure it’s for some of the good reasons out of the million and clearly articulate what they are. For Republicans to override a governor’s veto at this stage, this may gain votes at one front, but it may lose even more votes elsewhere.

    • We will also NOT VOTE for ANYONE that votes to override the governor.
      You are fooling yourselves thinking you will get reelected, you will not, you are proving yourself a traitor to us.
      Accountability, school choice, thats it, vote for we the parents of these future generations.

  3. Dunleavy’s impotence as a leader of change will be firmly established into the history of his two failed terms when this veto is overturned.

    • The REPUBLICAN TRAITORS in our legislature screwed Dunleavy!
      Pay attention to the demoncrats, they hold all power in this state, we do not.
      Their agenda is forming in front of our eyes, WAKE UP ALREADY!

      • I was at a meeting once and in walked Bryce Edgemon and after a little politicking, he said if Mike didn’t do what they said, they would fire him. That was 6 years ago.

    • Hahaha……another idiot comment. This is exactly why the majority of Alaskans voted for Dunleavy. Even with Democrat’s RCV, Dunleavy kicked the wacked-out Democrats asses.
      Go Big Mike!

      • If Dunleavy had the brains and guts, he would tell the soft legislators that he will campaign for their opponent and destroy their reelection chances.

        • Yes but most are too weak and do not have best interest of our children at heart. It is a sad situation. All the talk of Alaskans being independently minded is HogWash. Sheep is a better description.

  4. I assure you there are representatives in both Anchorage and Mat Su that need to be contacted. Call them and insinuate nicely they would never override the Governor’s veto, would they?
    Perhaps they are wanting NEA to fund their campaigns. Just a friendly “‘what if?”
    Call the Governor’s office and thank him! He did the right thing!!

          • When was the last time you visited a plethora of Alaska’s schools to inform your comments? Our rural district is on a great path to encourage earlier learning and much needed family involvement. We are working very hard to give all our students the tools they need to succeed, even when their home life is rotten to the core. Our transportation, insurance, and food costs are eating us alive. Please do your homework. Charter schools are wonderful for the small number of kids (and committed families) that get accepted. The vast remainder of our state’s children don’t get that option.

    • It is NOT too much to ask for accountability where it OUR money is concerned.
      Accountability for teachers actually teaching our kids to read, write and do math at their grade levels.
      School choice to ensure parents decide which school is right for their kids and their families.
      .
      70% of our kids do NOT read or do math at their grade level. If the public schools that we fund through our homeowners taxes (and whatever other funds we get federally per student) are not used to educate, them we need new teachers and new management in our schools. We need to educate instead of indictrinate (climate cultists and gender madness as examples) our kids so they have a future to succeed.

  6. TOO MUCH money is being spent on an education with the lowest outcomes in the nation. And don’t tell me it’s the village schools that lower this. IT IS NOT! Right here in Anchorage our schools are absolutely pathetic. Stop adding dollars to a declining enrollment; too much other than reading, writing and arithmetic; and stop with all the new ideas that cause even more division than any person thought possible. I am ashamed to tell tourists from out of state the outcomes of our schools. Anchorage once had the highest outcomes and in two decades it has gone in the dust bin.

  9. We the people have spoken and we have told our legislative MISrepresentatives to NOT override the veto.
    Accountability: if there is an override, there will be people voted out ASAP, you will destroy your own career. We the people sent our representatives to represent US ALASKANS, stop the lying and deceitful voting. Vote for US and OUR future, LET THE VETO STAND.
    You have already done enough damage to us, UNCLE!

    • Yet we the people continue to re elect the same set of morons. At some point, long past due, we the people must take accountability for the people we elect.

      Constantly re electing people who screw us over is basically giving them permission to continue to do so.

      • Agree, there are three school board members here in anchorage we can replace and maybe get a chance at having four reasonable voices on the school board instead of just one.

        Get out and vote (ballots in the mail….)
        .
        Thank you Dave Donley, we appreciate you fighting the good fight for us.

  10. For many people who want the raises, have you ever thought they are using the EXTRA $$$$ for indoctrination this Transgender garbage. They have to buy more books and “toys” to indoctrinate their schools, WHILE the Charter schools are busy in TEACHING the BASIC school subjects.. I hope our legislatures WISE-UP to this extra money is being used for ENDOCTRINATION, not education.

  12. Dunleavy is entirely correct in this. Giving a record increase of funds to the education lobby without even any goals, and with no identified benchmarks to allow Alaskans to know if any goals were reached, is exactly why public school outcomes are so terrible in Alaska. So many of the legislators should know better, beginning with the Senate President who has an education industry background. Shame on any legislator who votes to override this veto!!

  13. “It appears the Legislature has the votes to override his veto, with a handful of soft Republicans having told him they intend to override because they are running for reelection and believe this will help them get votes.”

    Cough cough, Kelly Merrick, cough.

  14. Documentary of what teachers are teaching our little ones! Unbelievable crazy!

    ‘https://www.brighteon.com/6bd35d2b-697f-4d86-a94b-d88685ce0f9f

  15. Good job Dunleavy! Shoveling cash to a failed system is akin to giving swine diamond necklaces, their performance the last several years have been substandard to say the least.

  16. Why should we increase funding for schools to keep up with inflation?

    It’s not like the state has increased funding for other departments to keep pace with inflation.

    Oh wait, almost every department of the state has had a substantial increase in their budgets and spending since 2017 except for education.

    Dept of Corrections: FY17 $315,917,400 FY25 $450,652,700 an increase of $134,735,300 or 42.6%
    Governors Office: FY17 $25,880,400 FY25 $31,917,900 an increase of $6,037,500 or 23.3%
    Legislature: FY17 $65,549,200 FY25 $82,416,100 an increase of $16,866,900 or 25.7%
    Public Safety: FY17 $189,033,400 FY25 $321,332,400 an increase of $132,299,00 or 70%
    Fish and Game: FY17 $203,720,200 FY25 $248,279,100 an increase of $44,558,900 or 21.9%
    Natural Resources: FY17 $155,984,600 FY25 $209,100,500 an increase of $53,115,900 or 34.1%
    Education Dept: FY17 $1,614,209,100 FY25$1,635,793,300 an increase of $21,584,200 or 1.3%

    These numbers are from ‘https://omb.alaska.gov/fiscal-year-2017-enacted-budget/ and ‘https://omb.alaska.gov/fiscal-year-2025-amended-budget/

    Why should the Governor’s Office or Legislature get such large increases to their budget while education gets peanuts?

    • Because, education funding goes to a lost cause. Where is the return on investment? Where are the students ranking in the top 10 in the nation academically? Not from Alaska. So until education does their job, educating, not another red cent. Any increases are for Unions and Administration, not teachers and who really matter the most the students.

      • Frankly, why would or why does any Alaskan need to excel academically except to emigrate their talents?

        Alaskan land available for Alaskans to develop or to even live on is very finite.

        Without development of resources Alaska has very little to offer the exceptional students beyond a low-paying job in retail, government service, or tourism.

        Essentially, it doesn’t take a genius to bus your table, stock the widgets, or process your new driver’s license.

        • Because funding education is part of our state constitution.

          So by your reasoning, no one should study in school anywhere in Alaska unless they want to take their talents outside of Alaska. What a myopic world view.

          If this state ever wants a chance to escape the government dole, an educated populace that actively tries to improve the state is vitally important.

          This born and raised, no college degree having, ASD public school graduate, has a great job here in Anchorage, not government but private industry, and I plan on staying here until I die. My parents moved here in the ’80’s and instilled a work ethic in me and my brother to make where you live a better place for yourself and your neighbors.

          • You’re of limited vision. Exceedingly.

            So, I’ll make this simpler for you.

            The true existential crisis Alaska faces…oops, let me back up for you. Simpler.

            The really important thing is to provide opportunities for our best and brightest to remain in Alaska and grow it.

            Our best and brightest have no future here if Federal management and regulation limits Alaska to being little more than a National Park.

            Without development, all that we actually have to fund education and state government are internal taxes.

            That will rapidly become a downward spiral.

            Development is absolutely and irrevocably tied to funding.

            • Thanks Repeal, I think we are on the same page here.

              Our quarrel is with Denali and those who think like them that educating our youth is a bad idea

      • So our kids are a lost cause?

        I ask again, why should the Legislature & Governor’s office receive an increase in budget by 25% when they have done nothing for us, the citizens. What legislation has passed the House/Senate and Governor’s desk that has benefited you?

        And I think we should fund public safety, but do you feel any safer today than you did in 2017? I sure don’t see much of a meaningful change in terms of public safety considering their budget has increased by 70% since 2017.

        I am a proud product of the public schools here in Anchorage and know multiple teachers.

        This lack of increase in BSA does affect each and every teacher as well as the students in those schools.

        The news from KPB schools is that each class is going to increase in size by 5. They will have to cut teachers from every building. Yupiit will lose 11 reading & math instructors. ASD will have to increase class size and cut programs. Mat-Su cannot pay for scheduled maintenance. Northwest Borough Schools wont be able to pay for the increased cost in heating fuel.

        How are teachers supposed to teach the kids how to read, write and do math when there are 25-30 kids that need equal attention? When the building cannot be kept warm?

        Not funding education at the expense of legislative & commissioner salaries and a giant dept. of corrections does not make for a better future for our state.

        • The conflation is strong in this one. And full of typical tired talking points. Graduation from public school isn’t something to be proud of, it’s not an achievement. It’s like waiting on a bus. Hang in long enough, you’ll get a diploma.

          Hard, cold, brutal facts. Our kids are dumb and getting dumber. Public education has failed Alaska and needs to be shut down. Frankly, most teachers are not doing their jobs well enough to merit this kind of raise. We pay more for less than anywhere else in the nation.

          Public education gave up on our kids decades ago. Wanna keep the heat on (drama alert)? Start dumping the top heavy administrators. Stop spending money on social engineering programs. Consolidation of schools and removal of non productive faculty.
          The list is endless.

          I know how this sausage is made. I also know public education teachers statewide.

  17. Dunleavy has a long history in education, low standards and lining his own pocket and the leaving early. Test scores, cheat if you need to and when your buddy gets caught and has his certificate suspended give him a job that doesn’t require one at the same pay. You can’t make this crap up, look at his time in NWASD. Dunleavy is about grand standing and being a blow hard not about improving anything other than his own pocketbook.

  18. The school children are the losers in this selfish vote grab by feckless republicans following lame democrats over the cliff in search of possible votes.
    We will record their names and put targets on their names when they show up on ballots.
    They must be voted out!

    The governor is facing the same corruption our mayor is facing in Anchorage with a ruthless lame ASSembly hellbent on destruction.

  19. Soft Republicans = Dems in a pachyderm suit. Make them a household name and toss them out with the trash in November.

  20. Once Again Good Job Governor, but get the appropriate “PUBLIC OFFICIAL BONDS by Alaska State Statute ” for your appointed Staff! Also enforce those statutes on the other branches of our state government. it’s your duty under oath ART. III Section 16. We will talk about other failures in your administration after that. Liberty Ed

  21. Oh , by law in definition this should be adopted into law in Alaska : Nonfeasance in public office; classification

    A public officer or person holding a position of public trust or employment who knowingly omits to perform any duty the performance of which is required of him by law is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor unless special provision has been made for punishment of such omission.

    It doesn’t necessary apply to his veto because he did something but to other failed actions he should do YES! Execute the Law Governor , Statutory Bonding on the books currently for public officials ….Period

  23. So sick of hearing about the “poor teachers”. At a recent legislative meeting in Anchorage on Sat. (3-9), it was 90% ASD employees whining about their jobs. What about everyone else that lives and works in the state that don’t have unions lobbying for them. So they will cut the PFD for low wage workers and seniors to fund this nonsense. Somehow less students in the district requires more money?

  24. Not sure why I don’t see the comment I posted. I posted: So sick of hearing about the “poor teachers”. Attended a legislature event on Sat. 3-9 which was 90% employees of the ASD whining about their jobs. So let’s cut the PFD to low wage workers and seniors to fund this nonsense. Somehow less students require more money?

  25. 3rd time a charm? So sick of hearing about the “poor teachers”. Attended a legislature event on Sat. 3-9. 90% were ASD employees whining about their jobs and pension system. So we should cut the PFD for low wage workers and seniors to fund this nonsense. Somehow less students=more money?

    • Absolutely! This one bill is trying to pull the residents into a thinking there is more than enough and then some. The matching bill is coming up with the Revenue stream to be channeled from the Permanent Dividend to the Department of Revenue for use, instead of Permanent Dividend Corp. doing the all around work to paying out the PFD. It will make it easier and less noticeable for the public to see what is happening with the PFD monies by making it law. Dunleavy is a crook and the sooner the residents of the state recognize that and do something about it, the better. What isn’t talked about to the public is the remaining covid money in each district to be used for education and has been sitting in accounts for each district to use. The legislature has a lot to get done but this bill needs to be stopped and the legislature needs to override the veto. The reform that is advertised is not needed and this bill pork barrels all pots with an overload of money into it and gives Dunleavy the excuse to push for the PFD monies to be mainstreamed to the Department of Revenue. I’m sure that Dunleavy’s Democratic background politics gives him a thinking of creating this ponzi scheme for education to the public but his game is much different than this particular bill. The legislature sees that and is doing its job.

  27. My brother graduated from Wasilla high school, Magna Cum Laude; national honor society and got second highest in national on entrance exam to college. He graduated from Stanford University; Phi Beta Kappa; in a doctorate.
    This was a long time ago! 1969 to 78

  28. Let’s see which of the 56 that voted for SB140 has the spine to override the Governor’s veto. Remember folks it’s an election year and we all will be watching.

  29. Common sense! The unions have run out of money. It’s not for better education, sports, They need the money to keep the pensions, insurance and other programs funded for their benefit.

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