NEWS: Display of Student Research Highlights the Need to Adequately Fund the University of Alaska System
May 5, 2016
Anchorage – Representative Geran Tarr (D-Anchorage) is highlighting some of the valuable research being undertaken by students and faculty at the University of Alaska by sponsoring the University of Alaska Anchorage Undergraduate Research and Discovery Symposium today in Anchorage. This comes as the Alaska Legislature is deliberating over the proposed FY 2017 budget, which includes a $50 million cut in funding for the University of Alaska. Such a cut will result in the loss of hundreds of jobs and diminish the ability of the University to conduct needed academic research.
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Rep. Claman’s Newsletter: Cash Flow Restructuring Models
March 18, 2016
Now that the House and Senate have both passed an operating budget, the next question is “How do we fund state government?” We did not look at cost savings and revenue generation at the same time, which means we have a lot of work to do with only 30 days left in the session. West Anchorage constituents have told me that we can’t kick the can down the road and hope that the price of oil goes up. We need a responsible action plan for Alaska—and we need it this year.
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NEWS: Democratic Lawmakers Call on the Alaska Aerospace Corporation to Return Unused State Money
March 7, 2016
Juneau – Today, Representatives Les Gara (D-Anchorage), David Guttenberg (D-Fairbanks), and Andy Josephson (D-Anchorage) issued a call for the state run Alaska Aerospace Corporation to return most of the remaining funds left unspent from the roughly $98 million in state general funds appropriated since 2009.
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News: Proposed Cuts to Public Education Funding Dangerous and Unacceptable
February 25, 2015
Juneau – Education is Alaska’s best investment and the members of the Alaska Independent Democratic Coalition adamantly object to a proposal to reduce public education funding by over 18 percent. The House Finance Budget Subcommittee for the Department of Education and Early Development approved the FY 2016 budget proposal Tuesday night despite the objections of Rep. Sam Kito III (D-Juneau) and Rep. Dan Ortiz (I-Ketchikan).
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NEWS: New Report: 2014 Education Law, 2015 Budget Proposals Lag Education Far behind Inflation Cost Increases
February 23, 2015
Juneau - A new legislative research report requested by Representative Les Gara (D-Anchorage) shows that public education funding will fall behind inflation next school year, under either the GOP’s three year plan passed last year, or the Governor’s proposed revisions. A number of school districts will likely cut teachers and other educational staff under both proposals. These cuts come on top of the loss of over 600 staff in Alaska’s largest school districts in fiscal years 2011-2014.
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