Alaska Legislature fails to reach a last-minute compromise budget deal
The budget deal would prevent a government shutdown and include an additional $175 million for public education.
Tonight, the 2023 legislative session ended without approval of a budget for the fiscal year that starts on July 1. Earlier today, the Alaska State Senate passed a compromise budget by a vote of 17-3. Unfortunately, the Alaska House of Representatives failed to take up the budget tonight forcing Governor Dunleavy to call a Special Session to begin Thursday morning at 10:00 am. The agenda for the budget is limited to the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.
Passing a balanced budget is a key constitutional responsibility of the Alaska Legislature. In the coming days, you will be hearing from me on the next steps the Senate Majority will be taking to get a budget deal approved and headed to the Governor for his signature.
Neighbors, I am proud of the work that the leadership of the Alaska Senate Majority did in attempting to reach a budget deal tonight. It is in no way a perfect budget, but it is a good one. Up until the last minute, the Senate Majority was always willing to negotiate but never drew lines in the sand. I look forward to working with my colleagues to figure out a path forward because I know every legislator here in Juneau cares deeply about Alaska and ensuring stability and predictability in our state government.
Senate Bill 52 and Senate Bill 140
The one-time education funding in the proposed compromise budget is not the long-term investment our schools need. It is critical we all keep working together to pass a permanent increase to Alaska’s Base Student Allocation. Your voice and your advocacy here matter. Thank you all so much for your emails and your calls. It is because of you, these bills are almost passed the finish line.
Senate Bill 52, which includes a $680 increase to the BSA passed the Alaska State Senate on May 11 by a vote of 16-3. Despite my best efforts, the Alaska House did not take up the bill. However, Rep. Andy Josephson (D-Anchorage) successfully amended all of the provisions in SB 52 into another bill that deals with internet for schools. Senate Bill 140 was passed out of the House Finance Committee on Tuesday but the bill never made it to the House floor before the end of the session.
Senate Bill 52 and Senate Bill 140 seek to increase the Base Student Allocation in Alaska by $680 dollars. Increasing the BSA is the most effective way to increase education funding because it benefits every student and every school in Alaska. SB 52 and SB 140 represent a fiscally responsible investment in public education that will result in better pay for teachers, lower class sizes, and fiscal certainty for school districts from year to year. The passage of either bill will go a long way to getting our schools the resources they need to provide a quality public education to Alaska's children and young adults.
In addition to a $680 increase to the BSA, SB 52 and SB 140 include additional funding for Alaska’s residential schools. The $4.5 million represents a 50 percent increase to the current maximum per-pupil monthly stipend. The bills also increase pupil transportation funding by $7.5 million to just over $80 million in total. While that may seem like a significant increase, it is really just half of the funding needed to account for inflation since 2016.
While I am disappointed the BSA increase bills did not pass during the regular session I remain hopeful the bills can be added to the agenda for the special session. If that does not happen, I will be back in Juneau next year lobbying vigorously for a permanent increase in education funding.
