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Legislative Senate Candidate Questionnaire
Campaign 2006
Candidate: Joe Thomas Senate District: D
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:
A well designed study addressing the unique rural and urban areas would be advisable. The size, diversity and lack of infrastructure in more areas require thoughtful and careful analysis.
If you support an adequate funding study, how would you accomplish this?
Hiring a consulting firm with experience in areas with similar problems and issues, supplemented by local expertise, would be my general approach. Incorporating existing data and research would also be ...
2. Do you support the use of area cost differential factors to provide equity in school funding?
Yes
Rationale
In such a large, diverse and logistically challenging state it has been common to adjust revenue needs. Salaries and other factors to provide equity in other areas of the economy – ...
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?
I believe this is part of the same problem as question #2. Rural and urban transportation have unique issues to deal with. Boats and airplanes in rural areas add safety ...
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
Long range planning is always a good idea in any area of government---but seldom done. A decade should be sufficient time to accomplish a plan and allow for changes ...
5. Would you support adequate funding of Alaska’s public schools to meet the constitutional mandate prior to funding of any other programs not constitutionally mandated?
Yes
Rationale
Adequate funding for education should be a state priority. Our children/students will one day be our state’s leaders in business, politics all aspects of our economy and life.
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.
Sales tax is most reasonable approach, cruise ship tax probably next best. (Income tax, fuel tax and permanent fund use would only depart from the use and its benefits – these ...
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?
The defined benefit plan should be reinstated. It should be managed / monitored and invested to ensure that it adequately funds pensions. All plans need adjustments from time to time.
3. Would you support returning to a defined benefits retirement plan as a means of attracting and retaining quality educators?
Yes
Rationale
I believe a D.B. plan is the most efficient plan. It is easy to manage and employees, current and future, understand what they will receive
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?
Fund the plan—don’t let them get into these situations. Active management and understanding the ups and downs so the moment will help remove ill advised knee-jerk actions – like the ...
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
Popular or not, employee will understand why actions may be needed—unilateral decision motions only leads to problems, resistance and black lash. Talking seldom hurts.
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 Alaska is facing a teacher shortage. The legislature held several hearings on the matter, but has done little to address the issue.
1. What do you believe are the three essential factors in recruiting and retaining quality teachers?
Teaching is a labor of love. However salaries, benefits and working conditions must be adequate to allow a decent quality of life.
2. As a legislator, what will you do to address these factors?
Just that I will address these issues by emphasizing the importance of quality educators and facilities for a quality education for all of our futures.
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?
First long range planning to remove uncertainty and educators to concentrate on work, not distractions such as second jobs or inadequate salaries and working conditions.
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
This tactic has been used in other areas of employment and often times has no bases in fact. Independent verification is a reasonable approach.
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
Class size is very important. A bill that sets class sizes should do just that—economic incentive should not be necessary – but I suppose that would be one approach.
If yes, would you introduce such a bill and seek co-sponsors?
Yes
Rationale
Class size does affect success, not only for students, teachers also. Back to retention and recruiting and ultimately our way of like. Much larger issue then most believe.
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
Conditions in school have become much worse then the average person knows and believes. Discipline is a huge problem. We need to get a grasp on the problems.
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 test?
Yes
2. Would you support categorical funding for district-developed remedial programs for students who do not meet standards on Alaska’s benchmark exams?
Yes
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
What additional ideas do you have to improve K-12 education in Alaska?
Retaining students and keeping their interest to allow success may ultimately affect all of us. A broad approach to education with innovations to allow students to feel a part of ...
