As the Assembly once again plans to bail out mismanagement, please make good choices. Note: that’s a lesson taught early in our local elementary schools.
Make sure that any plans going forward include thoughtful changes, not quick fixes that might result in even more children falling further behind. Please don’t make a bad situation even worse. Have the school board speak to likely educational outcomes, not just money.
For those who haven’t been keeping track; many in Juneau’s public schools haven’t been learning their 3 R’s. See my letter “Grading Juneau School District” in the Juneau Empire on July 20, 2022.
Before rubber stamping the school board budget every year, it might be worthwhile for the Assembly to ask about local public school students and the 3 R’s which are important in life.
As for a mill rate increase, the Assembly possesses almost unlimited financial flexibility. Various reserves or earmarked appropriations could be tapped in this “emergency” and repaid later.
Maybe money set aside for the new City Hall or Capital Civic Center or affordable housing could be repurposed. Surely, other creative options exist before raising even more school revenue from property taxes.
Our Assembly is not constrained like Alaska’s House, Senate and governor all being on the same proverbial page before taking decisive action. Our Assembly can do almost whatever they want, within legal limits, but just make good choices that hurt as few students as possible.
Mike Clemens
Juneau