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Action necessary:
► Print
and distribute this message to colleagues and friends.
►
Send an e-mail to your lawmakers and ask for
an adequate increase in K-12 funding
($115 million in FY 08)
Calendar:
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May
09
—
9:00 AM
—
Senate State Affairs - SJR9 - Constitutional Amendments on
Benefits
ONE
WEEK TO GO
Sorry for the slight delay
in this LCS message. NEA-Alaska continues to be on the
ground in Juneau but we thought if waited one more day we
may have something relevant to report on K-12 funding.
Wrong answer. At this point we still don’t know for certain
where K-12 education funding is heading. NEA-Alaska and our
13,000 members continue to advocate for a real increase of
$115 million. This will allow real money to the classroom
level and possibly to close the gap to adequate funding.
The gap was built from 1983 through 2002. Stay tuned as the
clock ticks away the hours something has to happen before
adjournment next Wednesday at midnight.
LEGISLATIVE ACTION — HJR 9
On Monday the
House voted on HJR 9. This legislation is a first step
towards taking away health insurance benefits from workers
who have earned them. Although it’s being billed by
supporters as “protecting marriage” or “denying benefits to
same-sex couples.” The Resolution failed on a 22-14 vote
(it needs a 2/3rds vote, that is 27 votes to pass the
House).
SJR 9 (companion
legislation) was scheduled to be heard in the Senate State
Affairs committee today but that hearing was cancelled.
NEA-Alaska hopes the attention of the legislature turns to
adequately funding education and passing an operating and
capital budget before scheduled adjournment in seven days.
CAPITAL BUDGET
The Senate
Finance Committee unveiled the 140 page Committee Substitute
for Senate Bill 53 (Capital Budget). This bill is waiting
to go to the Senate Floor. SB 53 has money for school
construction, library books, computers and athletic fields
sprinkled throughout. When this bill passes the
legislature, NEA-Alaska will publish the large (over $1
million) projects that affect Alaska’s schools. For
individual school capital funds (books, computers, etc)
contact your lawmakers and ask them what’s in the capital
budget for your school.
HOUSE BILL 192:
Despite
opposition from NEA-Alaska and AFT, House Bill 192 passed
the House today on a 30-9 vote. This is unnecessary
legislation that will cause more angst among teachers
deciding whether to stay in a profession where one-half of
the teachers change careers in five years. You would expect
the legislature to be looking at ways to attract and retain
Alaska’s Teachers. Send an e-mail to Rep. Doogan and ask
him to explain what this legislation hopes to accomplish:
Representative_mike_doogan@legis.state.ak.us
The next LCS will be published
on Friday, May 11th. If there is movement on important K-12
education issues we will publish an LCS on Thursday. As
always, If you know anyone who wishes to receive the LCS/Legislative
Update, please
send us an e-mail with their home e-mail address if
possible, and we’ll add them to the growing list of K-12
education advocates!
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