Our Schools are in Crisis: Here’s How to Help.

February 7, 2022

Dear Neighbor,

Our schools are in crisis as a result of three years of education funding vetoes by the Governor. I hope that the upcoming election means we have an opportunity to restore education funding for classroom instruction, school facilities, and Pre-K. This op-ed on education that I wrote for the ADN provides additional detail about how important it is to restore education funding. While the op-ed focuses on key budget decisions, we also need to address our broken retirement system and the need to expand educational opportunity for working class students. I’ll continue advocating for restoration of a defined benefit pension system, because it’s unacceptable that our teachers have the worst retirement benefits of any state in the nation. Finally, thank you to Senator Begich for working hard to help advance HB 132, legislation that Labor and Commerce colleagues and I wrote to expand apprenticeship opportunities and opportunities earn college degrees. This bill has already passed the House and must pass the Senate this year to become law.

Budget:

Legislators are writing departmental budgets in “budget subcommittees” comprised of one Finance member and the full membership of respective standing committees. I serve on the Department of Labor, Department of Health and Social Services, Department of Revenue, Department of Natural Resources, and Department of Environmental Conservation subcommittees. Here are some of my budget priorities within these departments:

Labor: Restore funding and adequate staffing of key workplace safety and labor rights enforcement positions, while supporting robust workforce development investments in apprenticeship and other training programs that improve socioeconomic mobility and economic security for working families.
Health: Expand support for child care with a goal of boosting wages for child care workers, stabilizing finances for child care providers, and keeping care affordable and available for working families. Also, provide adequate funding for the Tribal Child Welfare Compact, which is critical for improving kids’ safety.
Revenue: Ensure that Permanent Fund staff are supported so they can continue to build the Fund that is the primary source of operating budget funding.
Natural Resources: Provide adequate funding to maintain our parks and trails, both for quality of life and because they’re a critical part of our efforts to expand tourism and strengthen our economy.
Environmental Conservation: Ensure the budget supports strong oversight of clean air and clean water laws.

My experience is that each of us can have a significant impact on the budget through the subcommittee process, but we also have to keep an eye on topline budget objectives. The Governor’s proposed budget uses one-time federal dollars (thank you Congress, President Biden) to fill needs that would normally be funded by state funds to create the illusion of a balanced budget. It’s pretty simple: We still cannot afford to pay mega-dividends and fund core services, and I’m never going to raid the Permanent Fund when it will result in massive cuts to education, public safety, and other core services. Our Finance Committees have already done their homework to identify the gimmicks in the Dunleavy budget, and I’m optimistic that we will have a truly balanced budget to vote on by the time it comes to the House floor.

Finally, the budget is an opportunity to make capital investments in our community. Thank you to local community councils, the Anchorage Parks Foundation, and Alaska Trails for developing capital budget recommendations for which we can advocate. I will be fighting for funds for the Ship Creek/Coastal Trail connection (with would match local funding in the upcoming Parks bond), complete Fish Creek Trail to the Coastal Trail, connect 3^rd Avenue with Ship Creek (near Downtown Edge condos/49^th State/The Boardroom), support development of a Tikahtnu-Cook Inlet National Heritage Area which would include Ship Creek and Downtown, fund improvements for Eastchester Park in Fairview, pave alleys in Fairview, build a new boardwalk in Fairview’s Sitka Street Park, and complete regional trail connections that are part of the Alaska Long Trail.

Alaska's Congressional Delegation testifies in the House Labor & Commerce Committee last week on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Rep. David Eastman:

The Alaska Constitution (Article 12, Section 4) prohibits members of seditionist organizations from serving in the state legislature. Investigative reporting has revealed that David Eastman, a legislator from Wasilla, was a member of the “Oath Keepers,” one of the primary organizations that planned and executed the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol with the goal of blocking election certification in 2020. When it became public that Eastman was a longstanding member of Oath Keepers, he defended the organization and his membership in it. This seems to be in violation of the Alaska Constitution, and I believe the legislature should advance legislation to expel him based on clear language in our Constitution (see the article I wrote for the Anchorage Press). It’s important to note that expulsion would necessitate due process and that a 2/3 vote (27 members) is required for expulsion. I believe we are bound to follow the Constitution.

Oath Keepers is a white supremacist organization, and David Eastman has a long history of racist and neo-Nazi statements, including denial of the Holocaust. These views are unacceptable because they are morally repugnant, and because such neo-Nazi rhetoric leads to violence (The Anti-Defamation League tracks anti-Semitic violence in the U.S., and it has grown along with the normalization of Neo-Nazi rhetoric and organizing by people like David Eastman and organizations like the Oath Keepers).

As legislators, I think we have two obligations: Condemn white supremacy and anti-Semitism in the strongest possible terms, and follow the Constitution to ensure seditionists cannot serve in the legislature.

ABLE Act:

ABLE accounts are savings accounts that help people with disabilities work and advance their education. The legislature established the ABLE program several years ago, and we need to update state statutes to expand ABLE authority in line with recently passed federal legislation. We passed the ABLE Act update through the House last year, and the ABLE Act has its first hearing in Senate Health and Social Services today. My dad was a social worker, so I really appreciate all the advocates, including family members and non-profit providers, who work so hard to ensure our neighbors with disabilities can live as independently as possible.

Thank you for reading. My family is able to be here in Juneau this year for at least a few weeks, and it’s great to be able to be with them every day. Since I’m not commuting home on weekends I haven’t been able to do the New Sagaya coffee hour constituent meetings. Sorry to miss seeing you in person, but don’t hesitate to call or email anytime.

Zack

Vaccinate Alaska: