Honor the Voters: Fund Public Schools and End this Legislative Session
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2014
JUNEAU – Today, on day 93 of a voter-mandated 90 day legislative session, House and Senate Democratic leaders Representative Chris Tuck and Senator Hollis French called on other legislative leaders to fund public schools and end this legislative session.
“As the conference committee leaders drag their feet on education, it is becoming apparent this extended session is not about giving our schools what they need but rather trying to resurrect bad bills that didn’t have the support to pass in the 90 days the voters set for bills to pass or fail,” said House Democratic Leader Tuck (D-Anchorage). “This isn’t what the people demanded. It’s time to honor the voters and do right by our schools. The Legislature should set aside political games, add money to the BSA to end teacher cuts, and gavel out for the year.”
To prevent more teacher and educator cuts, House and Senate Democratic legislators have consistently called for an increase to per-student funding, called the Base Student Allocation or BSA, of $400 for the coming year and at least $125 for each of the two years.
“There’s a simple fix to this stalemate,” said Senate Democratic Leader French (D-Anchorage). “Do what schools, teachers, parents, students, and business leaders agree is what our public schools need—increase the BSA $400 next year and $125 the following two years, then let everyone go home.”
###