The Alaska Legislature fell a single vote short of overriding Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto of a landmark education bill during a joint session today, as many hard-right Republicans questioned the value of investing in public schools.
The veto kills what would have been the largest single increase to the state’s public school funding formula in state history, which had passed just last month on a combined 56-3 vote in the Legislature. The funding, which amounts to $174 million annually, comes as schools across the state are facing budget shortfalls, larger classes and fewer courses.
The 39-20 vote occurred after nearly two hours of floor speeches, during which several Republicans who voted for the bill said that they would, instead, support the governor’s veto.
Some said they wanted a second shot to include priorities supported by the governor that failed to garner a majority of support in the Republican-controlled House, such as a $180 million study on the value of paying teachers. Others said they always intended to support the override and that their support was just to get to the veto process faster. Others questioned whether investing in public schools is worthwhile when test scores have lagged.
“How long?” said Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake, who took aim at districts that had been banking on an increase to cover multi-million-dollar shortfalls. “How long are we going to continue to throw money at a business — and school districts are a business. How long are we going to throw money at a business and not get a return on investment? How can you use hope as a business strategy?”
The legislation would have also helped rural schools upgrade internet speeds, supplied additional help for students struggling with reading and increased funding for homeschooling. In total, the package would have outlined nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in new education spending in Alaska.
Bethel Democratic Sen. Lyman Hoffman, who sponsored the original version of Senate Bill 140, pleaded with fellow legislators during the hearing to override the veto so the time-critical provisions dealing with internet upgrades could pass. He said he was appalled that the legislation had been hijacked at the expense of rural kids.
Now, the path ahead is unclear.
One-time funding for those purposes could still be included in the state’s operating budget, which is more than a month away from being finalized. Some of the Republicans who helped kill the bill said they wanted a second shot at crafting an education bill that the governor could support, arguing that his proposals are the true and meaningful education reform that Alaska needs.
Read also: Little evidence or support for Dunleavy’s $180 million study on teacher bonuses
However, the governor didn’t appear particularly interested in that discussion during his rambling hourlong news conference last week, during which he said that his administration was moving on from the education debate altogether to focus on other issues.
Votes for the override
Rep. Jennie Armstrong, D-Anchorage
Rep. Ashley Carrick, D-Anchorage
Rep. Maxine Dibert, D-Fairbanks
Rep. Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham
Rep. Zack Fields, D-Anchorage
Rep. Neal Foster, D-Nome
Rep. Alyse Galvin, I-Anchorage
Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage
Rep. Cliff Groh, D-Anchorage
Rep. Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka
Rep. Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage
Rep. CJ McCormick, D-Bethel
Rep. Donna Mears, D-Anchorage
Rep. Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage
Rep. Dan Ortiz, I-Ketchikan
Rep. Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna
Rep. Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage
Rep. Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks
Rep. Andi Story, D-Juneau
Rep. Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak
Rep. Jesse Sumner, R-Wasilla
Rep. Stanley Wright, R-Anchorage
Sen. Click Bishop, R-Fairbanks
Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski
Sen. Matt Claman, D-Anchorage
Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage
Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage
Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson, D-Anchorage
Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel
Sen. James Kaufman, R-Anchorage
Sen. Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks
Sen. Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau
Sen. Kelly Merrick, R-Eagle River
Sen. Donny Olson, D-Golovin
Sen. Bert Stedman, R-Sitka
Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak
Sen. Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage
Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage
Votes against the override
Rep. Jamie Allard, R-Anchorage
Rep. Thomas Baker, R-Kotzebue
Rep. Ben Carpenter, R-Nikiski
Rep. Julie Coulombe, R-Anchorage
Rep. Mike Cronk, R-Tok
Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla
Rep. Craig Johnson, R-Anchorage
Rep. DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer
Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake
Rep. Tom McKay, R-Anchorage
Rep. Mike Prax, R-North Pole
Rep. Dan Saddler, R-Eagle River
Rep. Laddie Shaw, R-Anchorage
Rep. Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla
Rep. Frank Tomaszewski, R-Fairbanks
Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer
Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer
Sen. Robb Myers, R-North Pole
Sen. Mike Shower, R-Wasilla
Sen. David Wilson, R-Wasilla
Matt Acuña Buxton is a long-time political reporter who has written for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and The Midnight Sun political blog. He also authors the daily politics newsletter, The Alaska Memo, and can frequently be found live-tweeting public meetings on Twitter.