2006-01-13                     Senate Journal                      Page 1903
Governor's transmittal letter dated January 13:                                                     
                                                                                                    
Dear President Stevens:                                                                             
                                                                                                    
Under the authority of art. III, sec. 18, of the Alaska Constitution, I am                          
transmitting a bill that would raise the base student allocation for                                
students attending public school grade levels kindergarten through 12                               
(K-12) beginning in  fiscal year 2007.  Under the bill, the base student                            
allocation would increase from $4,919 to $5,352 on July 1, 2006, an                                 
approximately 8.8 percent increase over last year.  This is the fourth                              
increase in the base student allocation since 2003, when the allocation                             
was $4,010.  These four increases amount to a 33 percent increase                                   
during this Administration.                                                                         
                                                                                                    
This bill is an important element of my continuing effort to finance K-                             
12 public education at a level that meets the increased costs our school                            
districts have experienced over the last several years.  This increase in                           
the base student allocation will add approximately $90 million to the                               
state financing of public education, bringing the total state contribution                          
to $928,087,440.                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure, for the sake                               
of Alaska's public schools and our children.                                                        
                                                                                                    
Sincerely yours,                                                                                    
/s/                                                                                                 
Frank H. Murkowski                                                                                  
Governor                                                                                            
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                        Consideration of the Calendar                                            
                                                                                                    
                                  Citations                                                      
                                                                                                    
Honoring - Leanne Tomson-Flickinger                                                                 
Senator(s) Bunde, Ben Stevens, Cowdery, Davis, Dyson, Ellis, Elton,                                 
Green, Guess, Hoffman, Huggins, Kookesh, Olson, Seekins, Stedman,                                   
Gary Stevens, Therriault, Wagoner, Wilken