Lawmakers predict close education bill veto override vote
JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) - Senate and House members from both sides are predicting a razor-close override vote on the governor’s education bill veto Monday afternoon when lawmakers are scheduled to meet in a joint session.
It will take 40 of 60 legislators to override the governor’s veto. SB 140 passed the House 38-2 and the Senate 18-1. Despite the bill originally having 56 of the 60 lawmakers support, Senate Rules Chair Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, described the pressure he knows many lawmakers are feeling.
“My hope would be that we overwhelming override the veto,” Wielechowski said. “That would be my hope because that sends a very strong message. I just don’t know that that’s the case. I’ve learned in this business that things change. They’re very fluid. I’ve been talking with people just today and texting people and I’m hearing it’s very fluid and people are getting very pressured on a lot of different sides.”
During a Friday news conference, Gov. Mike Dunleavy said his decision was partly rooted in his belief that the bill mostly focused on raising the state’s per-student funding formula, known as the Base Student Allocation — or BSA — by $175 million, while doing nothing, in his view, to fix parents urging him to do something about charter school waiting lists, recruiting and keeping teachers in Alaska.
The final version of SB 140, passed by the House and Senate, did not contain a provision allowing state school board members appointed by Dunleavy to have new charter school approval power and a $61 million proposal to pay for a three-year teacher bonus pilot program, to study if $5,000 to $15,000 payouts, based on a school’s location, successfully recruits and retains Alaska teachers.
In the hours before the vote, the lawmakers had different visions for what was ahead.
“There were some very small and reasonable requests some of us had and we were completely ignored and what we’re going to do…is spend almost a quarter of a billion dollars, recurring costs, almost $200 million, every year, with zero change and no way of knowing for sure teachers are going to get that money or if it’s going to go to kids in the classroom,” Sen. Mike Shower, R-Wasilla, said as he shared his plans to vote against the override.
The veto came hours after House members sent a charter school bill to education committee members, and, at the same time, Senate education committee members continued moving forward on teacher bonuses. Dunleavy’s office had said legislation on the governor’s priorities would not have had to pass by the time the veto deadline arrived if he saw meaningful action taking place.
Echoing dissenting voices reacting to the Friday veto, Wielechowski expressed serious concerns about what not overriding the veto would mean for the future of Alaska’s education system.
“Critically important, schools are relying on this all across the state,” Wielechowski said. “I think if you don’t pass it, you’re very likely to see huge layoffs for teachers. You’re very likely to see programs cut. You’re very likely to see schools close. You’re very likely to see academic and athletic programs cut all across the state.”
During the Friday news conference, despite his veto decision, Dunleavy promised to deliver on school district’s funding needs.
“Because the bill is vetoed doesn’t mean there’s not going to be money,” Dunleavy said. “There’s going to be money. It’s going to happen.”
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