Legislature(2005 - 2006)
2005-01-18 House Journal
Full Journal pdf2005-01-18 House Journal Page 0085 HB 65 HOUSE BILL NO. 65 by the House Rules Committee by request of the Governor, entitled: "An Act making special appropriations for the support of K-12 public education in the state; and providing for an effective date." was read the first time and referred to the House Special Committee on Education and the Health, Education & Social Services and Finance Committees. The Governor's transmittal letter dated January 12, 2005, follows: "Dear Speaker Harris: Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I am transmitting a bill making special appropriations for the support of K- 12 public education in the state. I am asking the Legislature to not only make permanent the $84 million increase to K-12 education approved for fiscal year 2005, but to increase education by another $127 million over the next two fiscal years. I am asking that the Legislature give the education budget priority by passing appropriations for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 during the first regular session of this Legislature. 2005-01-18 House Journal Page 0086 I want to avoid the unnecessary cycle of districts sending pink slips to teachers each school year as a means of anticipating possible budget cuts. It is my sincere hope that this early funding package will let schools focus on teaching over the next two fiscal years instead of worrying about how to make ends meet. This bill would cover fixed retirement costs, higher-than-expected costs of fuel oil, and other inflationary costs as well as providing the money necessary to pay the core costs of classroom education. These appropriations would be conditioned on the enactment of an increase of $304 in the base student allocation for fiscal year 2006 and another increase of $310 for fiscal year 2007 and subsequent years. Meeting these costs and enacting the increases to the base student allocation would address the needs of school districts in the state by allowing them to stabilize their administrative planning and concentrate their efforts and resources on increasing student achievement and efficiently running the state's K-12 educational system. I urge your favorable consideration of this bill. Sincerely yours, /s/ Frank H. Murkowski Governor"