During this past week the Senate passed two pieces of legislation that will aid Alaska communities and school districts. Senate Bill 84 and Senate Bill 97 will increase per-student funding for Alaska’s schools and enhance the state revenue sharing program. The bills reflect the Senate’s commitment to help advance local solutions for issues facing our communities.
Senate Bill 84 takes several steps to improve education funding. The bill increases the Base Student Allocation (BSA) that each school district receives by $110 to $5,790. This is a 1.9% increase in per-pupil funding and will help school district budgets keep pace with inflation. The legislature has shown a commitment to generous funding for education and this bill continues that support. SB 84 also provides for a dedicated funding stream for vocational education and expands tax credits that encourage donations to educational institutions.
Senate Bill 97 improves the state revenue sharing program by providing extra aid to municipalities and school districts during periods of high oil prices. While elevated oil prices bring in substantial revenue to state coffers, it can have drastic consequences for rural areas suffering with high fuel prices. This bill links the amount of revenue sharing to the price of oil, making additional money available when Alaska receives significant surplus revenue. This shares Alaska’s commonly owned wealth in times of abundance to benefit communities and all Alaskans.
I’m pleased the Senate took the lead in passing these measures, and hope they will receive serious consideration in the State House.
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