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Legislative House Candidate Questionnaire
Campaign 2006
Candidate: Max Gruenberg, Jr. House District: 20
Candidate responses exceeding 30 words have been truncated.
ADEQUATE FUNDING
1. Presently three methods are recognized by
experts and the courts as reliable means to determine adequate funding: resource cost, best schools, and professional
judgment. Do you support the use of a
recognized, research based study to determine the adequate funding level of K-12
schools?
Yes
Explain:
This is better than just relying on the political
process. It is more objective, fairer
and provides certainty and stability to the process.
If you
support an adequate funding study, how would you accomplish this?
This could be done statutorily by DOE regulation
or as part of the legislative budgeting process. It is a good idea.
2. Do you support the use of area cost
differential factors to provide equity in school funding?
Yes
Rationale
This is essential because of the difference in
the cost of living and the difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified
personnel in the bush.
3. The recent changes in funding for pupil
transportation have had negative impacts in a number of school districts. How would you address this issue?
The 2004 legislation froze the per pupil
transportation funding, which left some districts underfunded and some
overfunded. The state should re-examine this issue to adequately fund districts
experiencing population shifts.
4. Will you commit to working with NEA-Alaska and
other groups in developing a long-range plan to supplement current funding
levels and achieve adequate funding for schools within a decade?
Yes
Rationale
This is essential. Long-term stability for education funding is
most important.
5. Would you support adequate funding of
Yes
Rationale
HB13, introduced by Carl Gatto (R. Palmer) and
myself, was the major bill last session.
It will provide millions of additional dollars in education funding.
LONG-RANGE FINANCIAL PLAN
The 23rd
and 24th Legislatures identified several revenue sources for
consideration: alcohol tax, cruise ship tax, fuel tax, income tax, sales tax,
and use of the Permanent Fund earnings.
Please
list, in priority order, the sources you would utilize to create a long-range
fiscal plan.
In order I support fair and adequate gas
production taxes and royalties, oil and gas property taxes, mining taxes and royalties. I introduced HB52 to require a long range
fiscal …
PERS/TRS
1. What percentage of their salary at retirement
do you believe public employee retirees should have to retire with dignity?
66%-75%
2. Given that most public school employees will
not be able to collect Social Security benefits due to the federal law
(GPO/WEP), the employees’ retirement income must come from their pension plan
and personal income. Do you believe a
defined contribution plan with a 15% of salary contribution will generate a
pension that will provide a retirement with dignity?
No
If not,
what do you propose to do to provide public employees access to a pension plan
that provides a retirement with dignity?
I favor a return to a fair and adequate defined
benefit plan. Public school employees deserve to retire with dignity and an
adequate pension to live comfortably in retirement. I …
3. Would you support returning to a defined
benefits retirement plan as a means of attracting and retaining quality
educators?
Yes
Rationale
Please see my previous answer.
4. According to recent actuarial reports, PERS
and TRS have unfunded liabilities. How
do you see the state eliminating these unfunded liabilities to meet their
financial obligations to retirees?
The state must pay their liabilities as they
become due. We can’t afford to pay these
large debts all at once. The attorney
general is also investigating to determine whether …
5. Will you commit to consulting with NEA-Alaska
and other employee organizations whose members are participants in TRS and PERS
when changes to the retirement plans are being considered?
Yes
Rationale
Definitely.
I need your advice!
ATTRACTING
& RETAINING QUALITY EDUCATORS
The #1
factor in student achievement is a quality teacher supported by quality
administrators and support staff. It is
well known that
1. What do you believe are the three essential factors
in recruiting and retaining quality teachers?
1) Adequate compensation, educational funding,
and retirement benefits.
2) Good working conditions in a supportive
community.
3) A good reputation via word of mouth in the
national teaching community and at universities.
2. As a legislator, what will you do to address
these factors?
Provide adequate funding and necessary
legislation to encourage the best teachers to come to
3. Fiscal uncertainty has caused many “new to the profession”
educators to leave Alaskan school districts and even leave the state. According
to Commissioner Roger Sampson, the out-of-pocket cost to a school district of
losing a teacher is $12,000. What would
you do to eliminate this annual turnover that has cost our state so many
valuable educators?
Ensure that compensation,
retirement benefits and educational funding continue to be a top priority. Listen to teachers, as well as administrators
and parents, and attempt to meet their needs.
4. Would you work to
amend state statute to make sure that district claims of financial shortfalls
are verified by independent third parties when dealing with the layoff of
tenured teachers?
Yes
Rationale
CLASS
SIZE
An
important factor in student achievement is small class size. Bills were introduced in the legislature, but
little has been done to address the issue.
Would you support a bill that sets recommended class size by grade level
and provides for additional funds to schools that meet the standards.
Yes
Rationale
This is a very important concept that I have
always supported.
If yes,
would you introduce such a bill and seek co-sponsors?
No
Rationale
I’d strongly support such a bill, as I’ve done in
the past. Usually the prime sponsor would be on the HESS Committee.
SAFE SCHOOLS
1. Students and staff must feel safe and secure
in our schools for learning to take place.
Would you support funding for
programs/staff that have been demonstrated to increase student and
staff safety?
Yes
Rationale
This is a good idea. First aid should be part of a required course
in high school.
2. A safe learning environment is a key factor
in student achievement. Would you
support the use of restraining orders for individuals who threaten or endanger
students or public school employees in the public school environment?
Yes
3. Would you support legislation to
make a school-related assault on an education employee an
aggravating factor in sentencing?
Yes
HIGH STAKES TESTING
1. For the past three years, some students did
not receive diplomas for the sole reason they did not pass the High School
Graduation Qualifying Examination (HSGQE.)
Would you support amending the law to allow schools to assess student
knowledge and abilities through a variety of means and not just through a
single
Yes
2. Would you support categorical funding for
district-developed remedial programs for students who do not meet standards on
Yes
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
What
additional ideas do you have to improve K-12 education in
As the new middle school is built and
