The Juneau Board of Education has two open seats in the upcoming municipal elections.

The Juneau Board of Education has two open seats in the upcoming municipal elections.

Candidates throw hats into ring for school board

Both anticipate difficult financial decisions ahead

At least two candidates have stepped forward for the two seats on the Juneau Board of Education that are up for election this year.

Martin Stepetin Sr. and Emil ‘Robert’ Mackey have filed their paperwork with the City and Borough of Juneau, rendering them eligible as candidates for the 2019 municipal elections, which are scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Education is a particularly weighty topic right now, in light of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s vetoes potentially reducing the amount of state funding for education and a general trend over the last several years of cutting the budget to education, said Mackey. Stepetin echoed these sentiments.

“In times like this, when there’s lots of cuts going on, education is a top priority for me,” Stepetin said.

Martin Stepetin Sr. is running for an open school board seat. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Martin Stepetin Sr. is running for an open school board seat. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Stepetin in particular argued for improvements to the base student allocation to combat inflation, which could keep the school budget from getting even weaker.

“If we don’t raise the BSA to at least match the inflation rate, every year, the school funding is going to be weaker by 2-3 percent,” Stepetin said.

Proposed cuts to the budget could hurt the school system badly, bankrupting schools in the worst case scenario, Mackey said.

Rough times are ahead, Mackey said, and the school board needs someone who’s ready for that.

“We need to have a school board that understands education, protects education, and advocates for education, especially right now,” Mackey said.

Emil “Robert” Mackey is running for an open school board seat. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Emil “Robert” Mackey is running for an open school board seat. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

“We want to make sure here, in the Juneau school district, we’re showing those legislators that we’re doing everything we can to spend our money wisely,” Stepetin said, referring to lawmakers who have asserted that funding to the education could be spent better.

“I’ve got kids that are young and they’re going to be in the school district for a long time,” Stepetin said. “I just want to get a little closer to the education system here in Juneau.”

Outgoing school board member Dan DeBartolo previously said he will not seek re-election.

Steve Whitney, the other member of the Juneau Board of Education with an expiring seat, has not yet filed his candidacy and could not be reached for comment.

Applications for both the Assembly and the Board of Education will be accepted until 4:30 p.m., Aug. 12.


• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at 523-2271 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.


More in News

Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File
The Aurora Borealis glows over the Mendenhall Glacier in 2014.
Aurora Forecast

Forecasts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Geophysical Institute for the week of March. 19

State Sen. Bert Stedman, center, co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee, presides over a committee hearing Thursday. The committee on Monday approved an $8.4 million fast-track supplemental budget to address staff shortages in processing food stamps, public defenders and legal advocates for vulnerable residents. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer)
Bill with funds to address food stamps backlog goes to governor

Legislature gives near-unanimous approval to hiring extra staff to fix months-long backlog

Hoonah’s Masters Bracket team poses for a group photo on Saturday after being crowned this year’s champs for the M bracket in the Gold Medal Basketball Tournament at JDHS. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Hoonah crowned Gold Medal Masters Bracket champs

Hoonah’s Albert Hinchman named MVP.

President Joe Biden speaks during an event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 23, 2023, celebrating the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. Recent moves by President Joe Biden to pressure TikTok over its Chinese ownership and approve oil drilling in an untapped area of Alaska are testing the loyalty of young voters, a group that’s been largely in his corner. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
Biden’s moves on Willow, TikTok test young voters

A potential TikTok ban and the Alaska drilling could weigh down reelection bid.

Students dance their way toward exiting the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé gymnasium near the end of a performance held before a Gold Medal Basketball Tournament game between Juneau and Hydaburg. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Over $2,500 raised for Tlingit language and culture program during Gold Medal performance

A flurry of regionwide generosity generated the funds in a matter of minutes.

Legislative fiscal analysts Alexei Painter, right, and Conor Bell explain the state’s financial outlook during the next decade to the Senate Finance Committee on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Legislators eye oil and sales taxes due to fiscal woes

Bills to collect more from North Slope producers, enact new sales taxes get hearings next week.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office is seeking information about this man in relation to a Wednesday bank robbery in Anchorage, the agency announced Thursday afternoon. Anyone with information regarding the bank robbery can contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at 907-276-4441 or tips.fbi.gov. Tips can be submitted anonymously.  (FBI)
FBI seeks info in Anchorage bank robbery

The robbery took place at 1:24 p.m. on Wednesday.

Kevin Maier
Sustainable Alaska: Climate stories, climate futures

The UAS Sustainability Committee is hosting a series of public events in April…

Reps. Tom McKay, R-Anchorage, and Andi Story, D-Juneau, offering competing amendments to a bill increasing the per-student funding formula for public schools by $1,250 during a House Education Committee meeting Wednesday morning. McKay’s proposal to lower the increase to $150 was defeated. Story’s proposal to implement an increase during the next two years was approved, after her proposed amounts totalling about $1,500 were reduced to $800.
Battle lines for education funding boost get clearer

$800 increase over two years OKd by House committee, Senate proposing $1,348 two-year increase

Most Read