 |
Legislative Senate Candidate Questionnaire
Campaign 2006
Candidate: Johnny Ellis Senate District: L
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:
Adequacy of education funding is the key and should be based on a careful, objective research based study.
If you support an adequate funding study, how would you accomplish this?
I am very willing to cosponsor legislation to this end and will push for the necessary funding to accomplish a reliable study.
2. Do you support the use of area cost differential factors to provide equity in school funding?
Yes
Rationale
The school foundation formula should account for the time, measurable differential costs for education delivery in different parts of the state.
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 opposed this bad idea and will work to reverse it. We should build in an incentive for school districts to be efficient and cost effective while maintaining 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
Incremental steps will be necessary but I will push to accomplish the goal sooner.
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
As a Democrat, truly adequate funding for public schools is always at the top of my priority list and outranks other items not constitutionally required.
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.
1) Increased oil tax / fair-share/PPT—asap
2) Natural gas tax when gas resource is monetized
3) Cruise ship head tax (if approved by voters)
4) Alcohol tax / this legal drug should pay…
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 would restore the defined benefit system with a tier we know can be cost effective.
3. Would you support returning to a defined benefits retirement plan as a means of attracting and retaining quality educators?
Yes
Rationale
I fought Murkowski, Ben Stevens and most Republican legislators on their retirement reform. They committed a travesty and must be held accountable for it.
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?
I favor an incremental approach of annual state appropriations to cover the future shortfall as well as the granting of flexibility to political subdivisions to allow financing of their unfunded …
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
Always have. Always will.
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?
Good pay – I want to return to the days when AK ranked #1.
Good benefits – we need to restore a Defined Benefit.
Strong support – a quality professional team should mentor …
2. As a legislator, what will you do to address these factors?
I would push hard for truly adequate funding that would allow us to put the factors in place across the state.
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?
See my answers to #1 and #2. The move to a defined contribution retirement system will exacerbate this problem and make Alaska a training ground for teachers who flee to …
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
Good idea.
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
K-3 are the grades where we should start. I applaud efforts by Representative Croft, Gara and others and have been a cosponsor over the years of class size reduction bills.
If yes, would you introduce such a bill and seek co-sponsors?
Yes
Rationale
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
Personal safety is a basic human right.
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?
I strongly support: voluntary Pre-K education, expansion of Head Start, anti-bullying programs, parental involvement efforts, consequences for truancy and possible incentives for families to keep children in the same school …
