By DAVID BOYLE
A circular funding mechanism has the National Education Association NEA-AK and its affiliates using public money to lobby the Legislature for even more funding.
Let’s zero in on the Anchorage Education Association, which is the Anchorage School District’s teachers’ union. AEA is part of NEA-AK. Its members include teachers, nurses, librarians, psychologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, and audiologists.
How does this circular funding work?
Teachers are paid using public funds and those who are union members must pay their union dues. For the AEA members, the dues are deducted from their paychecks the following amounts for these annual totals:
NEA-National dues: $208
NEA-Alaska dues: $753
Local AEA dues: $182.60
NEA-AK PACE dues: $15 (political action dues used for lobbying, campaigning)
This year every Anchorage teacher who is a union member has $1,158.60 deducted from his/her paycheck to pay for lobbying, campaigning on the national level, and for negotiating even larger salaries and benefits from the school district.
Most members don’t realize that their dues also fund national candidates and policies with which they may disagree. These policies may include open borders, males participating in girls’ sports, transgender bathroom policies, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and that slippery term, “restorative justice.”
NEA-Alaska proudly states that it has more than 13,000 members. The Anchorage teachers’ union says it has more than 3,000 members. Those 3,000 Anchorage members would equate to more than $546,000 annually in just the local portion of the dues.
The NEA-AK PACE dues ($15 each member) would total $195,000 for all Alaska members, which the union would use to lobby for more K-12 education funding. This money would also be used to fund legislators’ campaigns. That is a lot of power, and we all know that money speaks, especially in Juneau.
The circular funding process works like this:
School districts get funding from the State, mostly in the form of the Base Student Allocation. When the BSA increases, school districts get more funding; when school districts get more funding, the teachers’ union can negotiate for more salary; when union members salaries increase, the union can extract more union dues; when union dues increase, the union has more power to lobby for more funding, especially in the form of the BSA.
This is a self-sustaining funding machine.
The AEA collected $3,130,286 in dues from its Anchorage members in 2023. Since 2019 the AEA has extracted more than $16,640,226 in dues in Anchorage.
Each member of the Anchorage teachers’ union paid $1,138 in dues that year, an amount that increased to the current $1,158.60. That is money that teachers and other union members could have used to pay for rent, mortgage, food and utilities.
But wait … There’s more!
There are seven unions in the Anchorage School District and each one requires its members to pay dues, some of which can be used for political purposes such as lobbying for more funding. Here are the other ASD unions:
| UNION | 2023 DUES | 5 YEAR TOTAL DUES |
| ACE | $238,144 | $1,257,257 |
| BUS (TEAMSTERS) | $88,464 | $381,719 |
| CUSTODIANS | $278,772 | $1,481,399 |
| FOOD SERVICE | $90,631 | $491,929 |
| MAINTENANCE | $229,460 | $1,357,620 |
| TOTEM | $372,821 | $2,350,717 |
The total for all ASD union dues was $4,525,384 for 2023. Since 2019 the total union dues extracted from members was $24,458,704. That’s a lot of power to use in Juneau to get even more funding and dues extraction money.
If the Base Student Allocation is increased this year by $700, which is in the current House Bill 57, how much more union dues will the unions be able to extract for the money machine unions?
What’s more, some legislators benefit from this money machine because if they vote for an increase in K-12 funding, the NEA-AK PACE and the other K-12 education unions will pour money into their campaigns.
One does not have to join a government union to keep his/her job due to the US Supreme Court Janus v AFSCME decision of 2018. To keep more money for you and your family, go here to opt out.
It’s always a matter of following the money. In this case, the money flows freely and as the unions negotiate for more money, that money just feeds into the system. Feeding the machine provides more fungible money to spend as the unions see fit.
David Boyle is an education writer for Must Read Alaska.
The NEA and all teachers unions are America’s Trojan horse. No good for any student comes from this gang. None.
Agree. A good read – NEA: Trojan Horse in American Education by Samuel Blumenfeld
Every BSA increase is more $$ in the (D) politicians’ pocket. A sane society would ban public employee unions.
Agreed slabhsnd
The nea is a force for evil in Alaska.
They use children as shields to cover their grasping for power.
The union ought to be outlawed, as it steals money from taxpayers and education from children.
Gentle readers who are ready to experience the freedom of not paying union dues and the extreme causes they support, check out this resource online:
Optoutotday(dot com)
Do before the end of the month to save a bunch on our last paychecks. It’s super easy to print out the form and drop off at the friendly payroll window at the head shed. I think the gal was glad to see a hard-working teacher keep more of her funds.
Groups you can join that give you professional advice and legal help include Christian Educators and Association of American Educators. There’s much more affordable help out there!
The indoctrination machine needs constant feeding.
Think of all the great things they could have done with those Millions to improve things in their schools that would directly positively impact the schools and students they are working in and with.
Of course they are crooks, but the elephant in the room is the greedy/low informed citizens who continue to vote in the board members who perpetuate this insanity.
👍👍👍
It’s brilliant in its sleaze.
Public education is child abuse.
I felt better about getting my job in 2018 BECAUSE of the Janus decision. I opted out of paying union dues right away. It’s odd to go from working in the private sector to working for a school district.
I’m older now and it’s a few hours per day and I get to help kids have fun at recess while following safety rules and teaching them how to get along with each other. I also get to help them with reading. It’s a rewarding job to watch the kids learn and grow.
I wish unions didn’t inhibit raises for teachers and others who deserve them based on merit, because there are others working in our school district who are very good at their jobs.
Mandy G, thanks for working with our children. Good teachers teach because they love their jobs. They teach because they love to see children achieve, learn to read, learn to do math, learn about history, learn about the wonders of science, etc. Effective classroom teachers are their own rewards–resulting in good citizens who love life.
Two words 1. teachers + 2. unions equal communists
They get all the $$, we pay for all of their escapades and the kids get hosed.
Go deal, eh?
I support the Basic Pupil Allotment to be whatever NEA wants it to be.
More paid time off, more In-Service days, Free gas for your car every teaching month, 4 free dinners at The Captain Cook Hotel every month and free chair lift passes at Alyeska resort.
Public education in the USA has been a big grift for decades now. Time to put a stake through its heart and kill the beast.
Actually, nothing new here. They’ve been doing the same thing for decades. Government money and government salaries spent on lobbying for more money. It’s called representative socialism. And Alaska seems to thrive on it. But these cowardly lobbyists don’t want Alaskans to receive their statutory PFD.
Let’s be honest — your thinking is convoluted at best.
You assume that because teachers are paid with public money, any dollar they spend — including union dues — is somehow “taxpayer funding of unions.”
That’s absurd.
Educators earn their paychecks. Once earned, that money belongs to them.
They have the same right as anyone else to spend it however they choose — whether that’s union dues, groceries, church donations, or anything else.
Claiming otherwise is not just wrong — it’s an insult to every working person.
Years after Janus, every union member knows they can opt out if they want. They know they can decline to fund political causes through PACE if they choose — while still supporting the union’s core mission:
bargaining fair contracts, fighting for better wages, and protecting hard-earned benefits.
If you have a real argument against that — against workers standing up for themselves — let’s hear it.
Otherwise, stop hiding behind half-truths and slogans.
What we really need is a real conversation about Juneau — and the endless pissing match between the Governor and the legislative majority.
Both sides are more interested in scoring points than solving problems.
Meanwhile, educators and staff are left stuck in the middle, trying to hold public education together with duct tape and grit.
But that real conversation won’t happen here, will it?
When’s the last time you asked a union leader for comment?
When’s the last time you bothered to interview someone actually living this reality?
You haven’t — and you won’t — because it doesn’t fit the narrative you’re selling.
That’s not journalism.
That’s just standing on a soapbox, shouting half-truths, and pretending it’s news.
You accuse liberals of pushing narratives — but if you’re not willing to investigate both sides, you’re no better.
CEA is ready to talk.
We’re ready to fight for real solutions.
The question is — are you ready to actually listen?
You really need to be told this, Rick? Teachers salaries are derived 100% from state funding. That’s called PUBLIC funds. Did you go to Jr. High civics classes?
Hi Julia,
I appreciate your passion, but just to clarify — while public education is funded largely through state allocations, it’s more complex than just “100% state funding.” Local contributions, federal grants, and other revenues often play a role too.
And just to be clear: once I work my hours (and then some) and earn my wage, that money ceases to be “public” money. It’s mine. I earned it, and I can spend it however I please. Assuming that everything I spend money on is somehow still “your” money just doesn’t hold up.
Thanks for the conversation.
Rick, once a hooker puts a government worker’s money in her purse, it also becomes her money, regardless of whether services were performed.
I look forward to the day when AI takes over the jobs of teachers. Just like a pastrami sandwich, AI does not complain about not being paid enough.
Hahaha, long articles with a bunch of fluff from the left, money grabbers.
What I don’t understand is why the government has to pay someone to take the money from the teacher and deliver to the union.
Exactly why doesn’t the teacher write the check to the union stopping tax payers from paying for it for that person? Would that not pay for a classroom aide? Oh, I know unions are afraid if teachers had to write that check their membership would decrease!
Judy, you are referring to “Dues Checkoff” where the government union requires the employer to deduct the union dues and forward to the union. This is not required. But it is in many school district union contracts, including the Anchorage School District’s contracts with all its unions. It should NOT be in the contracts because it costs the districts (aka taxpayers) money which could be more effectively used in the classroom. The unions want Dues Checkoff in their contracts for 2 reasons: (1)The union does not have to pay for administration and can shift the cost to the districts and (2) This process obscures the real cost of membership to the union member by being “just another deduction” from their paychecks.
Alaska is a non right-to-work state, but public sector employees can still opt out of union membership under the Federal Janus ruling. NEA has been notorious for making this process as difficult as possible. Interested teachers ned to contact their union to explore this process.
Union members pay annually:
NEA-National dues: $208
NEA-Alaska dues: $753
Local AEA dues: $182.60
NEA-AK PACE dues: $15 (political action dues used for lobbying, campaigning)
This year every i.e Anchorage teacher who is a union member has $1,158.60 deducted from his/her paycheck to pay for lobbying, campaigning on the national level, and for negotiating even larger salaries and benefits from the school district.
So in a sense the BSA increase that Governor Dunleavy stopped was more of Union dues pay off???? Using public funds to lobby for more public funds… I’m no lawyer but isn’t that illegal?
Where’s a good Doge attack dog when you need one?
We have the best DOGE we will probably get in this, Must Read Alaska. Thank you folks for your service to Alaska.
Nonsense.
Though one could argue that the author has been on the public teat his whole life. Maybe such culture warriors should cough back up their ‘public money’ and apologize for the years it was wasted on them?
Netbuoy, Are you referring to my time in the Air Force? I was proud to serve and honored to do my duty. BTW, my first year as a second lieutenant I earned a total of a little more than $3,000. I had earned more than that working construction jobs for the previous 4 months. But it was worth it because I served my Country and met Americas from every walk of life. I also was lucky to visit several countries and learn from various cultures. One thing I did learn–America is the greatest Country on this planet. I learned to appreciate my America.
“…on the public teat…” is insulting and demeaning to the thousands of public sector workers and civil servants who make YOUR life safer. Imagine a world without firefighters, police, sanitation workers, utility werkers, …need I go on? You need to wake up to reality and stop with the name calling. It just makes you look like a fool.
Momma used to say when it comes to business, “it takes money to make money”. Didn’t know what that meant back then, but I do now.
However, it seems when it comes to anything related to a corrupted government or it’s branched out institutions and establishments, it takes money to take money.
Funny how when government mismanages resources, I am the one who has to pay for it. End all individual income taxes! Eat the rich, starting with Bill Gates, George Soros, Baraka Obamination.