The governor’s veto decision was met with surprise and disappointment from lawmakers and educators across Alaska, who had been pushing for a more substantial boost to education funding. A bill that would have increased the basic per-student funding amount for public schools by $1,000 was sent to the governor’s desk, only to be vetoed by Dunleavy.
Reasons for the Veto
There were two primary reasons for the veto, according to the governor. Firstly, the revenue situation has deteriorated significantly since the budget was submitted in December. This has made it challenging for the state to allocate funds for various government programs, including education. Secondly, the bill lacked policy provisions, which are essential for lawmakers to craft meaningful legislation.
Policy Provisions Stripped Out
Several policy measures that were included in the original bill were stripped out by the Senate Finance Committee, including:
- Expansion of intra-district open enrollment
- Ban on cellphones in schools
- Requirement for homeschool students to take a standardized test or alternative assessment to access state funding
These measures were items that the governor favored, but which were removed in an effort to seek compromise.
Opposition to the Bill
The leaders of the House and Senate expressed their disappointment with the veto decision. Senator Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, stated that the schools were in dire need of the additional funding. He also noted that the bill passed with a one-vote majority in each chamber, which increases the likelihood of the override being successful.
Overriding the Veto
The leaders of the House and Senate have planned a joint session to attempt to override the veto on Tuesday afternoon. However, minority Rep. Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks, expressed skepticism about the override being successful.
“It would be very strange for me to see people who voted no on a bill to vote yes on an override of the bill,” he said.
Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, also expressed doubts about the override succeeding.
Alternative Education Funding Proposal
In response to the veto, Governor Dunleavy announced that he would introduce a new bill that would increase the basic per-student funding amount by $560, along with $35 million in targeted education funding. The new bill includes provisions such as:
- Increase in funding for homeschool students in correspondence schools
- Incentive payments to school districts tied to student performance on literacy assessments
The governor argued that this proposal is equivalent to a $700 increase in basic funding.
Concerns Over the New Proposal
Some lawmakers, including Senator Wielechowski, expressed concerns about the new proposal. They argued that the policy provisions included in the bill are insufficient to improve student performance.
Reservations About the Governor’s Proposal
Senator Wielechowski stated that the governor’s proposed policies do not advance education. “They really don’t do anything at all to advance education,” he said.
Impact on Schools
The new bill would make a variety of changes to state law around charter schools and require school districts to regulate the use of cellphones in schools. However, some lawmakers are concerned that the bill could result in some school districts receiving less funding next year than they did this year.
Uncertainty Over Funding
The cost of the new bill is estimated to be $179 million, which is significantly less than the funding schools and other state services received last year. This could leave the state budget in a deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars.
Negotiations with the Governor
Key lawmakers, including Senator Wielechowski and Representative Himschoot, expressed frustration with their experience negotiating with the governor’s staff. They argued that the governor’s staff had run the negotiations, rather than the governor himself.
Reservations About the Governor’s Approach
Senator Wielechowski expressed reservations about the governor’s approach to negotiations. He argued that the governor’s perspective of seeking complete compliance or facing failure was unlikely to lead to a successful negotiation. “But if he’s coming into this in a manner where he genuinely wants to compromise, then sure, absolutely we can find a deal,” he said.
Potential for Further Negotiation
Despite the veto, key lawmakers remain open to continuing to work with the governor on a compromise. They argued that the governor’s new proposal is an improvement over the last education bill, which did not include an increase in the base student allocation.
Uncertainty Over the Governor’s Willingness to Compromise
However, some lawmakers, including Representative Stapp, expressed skepticism about the governor’s willingness to compromise. They argued that the governor’s proposal provided a foundation to build upon, but that the governor’s approach was unlikely to lead to a successful negotiation.
