At the Anchorage School Board, “No” doesn’t mean “No.”
The school board majority is planning to vote at the June 6 meeting to amend Memo 151 (inserted below), and add another $26 million to build a new Inlet View School. The current memo details more than $19 million proposed for capital projects in the district, with no mention of Inlet View, the replacement of which was rejected by voters last year.
The Inlet View Elementary School money could come from a mix of federal FEMA reimbursement of earthquake repairs and one-time 2022 funds from the State of Alaska that can be used for anything.
It appears the majority on the school board plans to put $10 million or more on the 2024 ballot for school bonds to provide the rest of what would be needed to build the new school.
At the May 23 meeting, conservative school board member Dave Donley objected to the plan to rush through the additional item, as the board has not provided adequate notice of such a huge expenditure for something rejected by voters in April of 2022.
Donley asked that the matter be placed on the non-action agenda, so the public will have more notice, but several board members objected and said more notice isn’t needed and that action must be taken now, since the board will not be meeting until August.
The next bond vote is in April of 2024.
The capital plan memo is attached below, but makes no mention of Inlet View School.
They have been taking lessons from the Juneau assembly.
Hell, NO! They can’t maintain the ones they already have, some of which are to be closed for lack of students
Which schools have been closed for lack of students?
Abbot loop elementary was the only “closed” but it will most likely be the new native charter school, which means it will stay open and be maintained by ASD so…….no relief in property tax at all. Plus this past election all bonds passed, so taxes are actually going up with inflation, it’s gonna get tough for anchorage-ites.
Over half our taxes are funding these schools. How much more money do they need to squeeze out of us?
Absolutely! Absurd! This is theft from the taxpayers in this day and age!
I believe we’ve covered this before.
https://mustreadalaska.com/jodi-taylor-time-to-focus-on-kids-not-bonds-and-buildings-vote-no-on-proposition-1/
You keep electing these people Anchorage. This is what you get.
Elections have consequences. Voter apathy more so.
Voting is a responsibility – just like paying taxes. Why do irresponsible officials continue to be voted into office? Apathy is a good word choice – until the pocketbook gets drained.
Is there a reason the building can’t just be updated and remodeled?
It will cost more to remodel the school due to it’s old structure.
That is an inaccurate statement. The structure of that school is absolutely NOT a problem.
There’s actually nothing wrong with the existing building. I also have no idea what a brand new building would do to improve teachers’ performance, that is to say, nothing. But it would be expensive, so there’s that.
No means yes to money hungry politicians. It’s ok because most people believe it does not effect them.we need a sales tax instead of personal property tax.
Clearly the school district has enough taxpayer extorted “pocket lint” to ignore the voters. This has been the pattern for years. The public said “No” to a project or other expenditure and miraculously the board always seems to find the necessary funds in the proverbial couch cushions….. and people wonder why so many no longer vote! It clearly does not matter anymore.
Anchorage tax payers need to organize a recall of OUR local school board. It’s happening, successfully, all over the country. Critical race theory and over spending has destroyed our public schools. Don’t get me started on the test scores.
If I’m not mistaken, last winter they were looking at closing schools because we do not have enough students to fill them. So I guess I would say it is crazy to build a new one and a huge waste of taxpayer money.
As long as the corrupt Assembly is in charge of the selection process the dictator style of school board decisions will continue. It is NOT how the people vote it is how the votes are counted that makes the difference. So they will continue to tax and spend our money even more ridiculous than their own! Just look at their selection of the unqualified out of state fool they hired from a failing school district in Texas that was run into the ground. We had much better local choices for superintendent right here in state who has a lot more interest in our education quality than an imported migrant they had to pay just to move here. Ignorant decisions from woke leaders.
If for any reason we think we need more school room capacity than we already have(?), we can always rent modulars from … Williams-Scotsman, ATCO, Nana Modular Const and/or Builders Choice Modular. All of which make excellent modular buildings we utilize on the North Slope, and these can be available at a fraction of the cost of permanent facilities.
As the pupil population decreases, we might want to be asking ourselves what to do with he existing facilities??? Here’s and idea … Why not contract with a Military School and/or Christian Based School (eg: Anchorage Baptist Temple) and let them produce high quality students. AND(!), measure their performance against the NEA (ie: Terrorists Org). Let the property tax payers decide what’s best for Anchorage!!!
NEW CURRICULUM!!!
NOT NEW SCHOOLS!!!
Sorry, what? Weren’t they just whining about closing schools due to dwindling attendance and insufficient funding? Weren’t they just doing that yesterday?
Their betrayal of parents & students has resulted in a loss of students. The loss of students causes a reduction in funding… but they think they need to build a new school?
I’m confused.
The downtown residents had a big campaign to get students in other areas to apply to come to IV to increase their numbers after we vote to not build a new one. Now the SB goes against the will of the voters. Bond packages always leave loop holes to do what they want. This is crazy town.
I would like to know where the school board stashed all that cash they had last fall that the assembly was railing about.
If they were “smart” they would simply transfer the available funds to the Alaska National Guard so they can increase capacity at the Alaska military Youth Academy. They use the old Camp Carroll facility to accomplish amazing results. The improvements the graduates achieve there are the most profound gains any student will ever see. They take under achieving at risk students who have dropped out of ASD and perform a 180 degree turn and graduate with at least a GED and technical skills to place them in apprenticeship programs of their choice. It is the best program in the entire nation that keeps youth out of jail and on a path to success in life. They do more for teens in 5 months than ASD does in 4 years! I have witnessed several graduations and the pride these youth show upon graduation is the most profound I have ever witnessed. Nobody in my family will ever attend ASD as long as there is an alternative!!!
I forgot to mention there is no cost to the family for their student to enroll at AMYA. It is state funded with matching federal funding. The program is designed to “save” at risk youth. My sons were subjected to liberal partisan politics being pushed at ASD and couldnt buy a passing grade for not agreeing with the liberal views of certain teachers which is illegal in public schools but ASD ignores it. My daughters experienced the same “liberal politics” at UAF and struggled to get passing grades on account of that crap. The only way to stop ASD in their tracks is to boycott them! There are affordable alternatives.
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