Empire Archives is a series printed every Saturday featuring a short compilation of headline stories in the Juneau Empire from archived editions in 1985, 1995, and 2005. The stories include names, AP style, and other content of their eras.
This week in 1985, proposed cuts in the state Department of Education budget now before the Legislature will have the greatest impact on adult and vocational education programs, and telecommunications and computer services that benefit individual districts, department officials have told the state Board of Education. The board held two days of meetings here last week, including a work session on the status of the fiscal year 1986 budget. Cuts in the governor’s proposed budget were made by the House Finance Committee in its budget close-out sessions. The Senate Finance Committee was scheduled to meet at 1:30 p.m. this afternoon for its closeout session on the education budget. Mary Hakala, special assistant to education commissioner Harold Raynolds, said the education budget, though reduced, was not hit as hard as others. But the department has asked the Senate Finance Committee to reconsider and “moderate” proposed reductions in certain key areas, she said. Raynolds told the board the department is most concerned with a cut of more than $250,000 in the adult and vocational education budget, particularly in administration, and an anticipated loss in federal money for grant administration.
Today state lawmakers are generally seeking to increase education funding that has remained relatively flat since 2011, but there are board differences in how that should be done. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy this week vetoed a $1,000 increase in per-student funding, instead offering a proposal combining a smaller increase and specific policy goals. Also, federal funding is a concern since President Donald Trump is making widespread budget cuts and declared his intent to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education.
Original Story: “How education budget cuts affect programs,” by Leslie Murray. 4/16/1985.
This week in 1995, the state ferry system says it does not want the $400,000 for operating expenses that Senate Republicans tried to give it. The money would have come out of a 1992 appropriation for a new Alaska Marine Highway System headquarters in Juneau. Gov. Tony Knowles put a stop to the transfer when he vetoed the move in the supplemental budget he signed into law Tuesday. The annual supplemental budget covers cash shortages at state agencies before the end of the fiscal year on June 30. Knowles also vetoed $680,000 for a gas-royalty trial in Juneau that was canceled when the state reached an out-of-court settlement with North Slope oil producers. The $44 million measure approved by lawmakers included money for disaster relief, prison beds, snowplowing and lawsuit settlements. Knowles has originally asked lawmakers to give the ferry system about $740,000 to cover anticipated operating costs. Ferry director Gary Hayden blamed much of the overrun on extra ferry service added by his predecessor under the Hickel administration. Some of the runs later were cut back to save money. After hearing the administration’s arguments, House lawmakers cut the ferry system’s extra money to $400,000.
Original Story: “Ferry money vetoed,” by Ed Schoenfeld. 4/13/1995.
This week in 2005, Alaska fishermen see trouble brewing if the U.S. Coast Guard approves a new rule creating anti-terrorist security zones around cruise ships in state waters. The rule, as proposed, requires a 100-yard no-vessel-entry zone around a cruise ship when it is moving, and 25 yards when it is moored or anchored. Boat or floatplane operators would need to apply for waivers from the captains of their port in order to enter the zones. Violators could be hit with criminal charges and fines up to $10,000. Based on the feedback so far, Coast Guard officials are not sure if they’ll be able to publish a final rule in time for the 2005 cruise ship season, which begins next month. “The intent was to have something in place for this year’s season,” said Coast Guard Lt. Matthew York. But now the Coast Guard realizes changes may be necessary, he said. “The intent is not to disrupt fishing,” York added. The current version of the rule would do exactly that, said Kathy Hansen, executive director of the Southeast Alaska Fishermen’s Alliance. “It would totally hamstring us in the summer,” she said.
Original Story: “Fishermen question anti-terrorist rule,” by Elizabeth Bluemink. 4/14/2005.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
