Save Our State

ADN Editorial board says It best: "If the governor wants change in Alaska’s schools, simply defunding them is the worst possible way to go about it." 🔥🔥🔥🔥

EDITORIAL: The curious case of Dunleavy’s education vetoes Most Alaskans, regardless of their view on individual education issues, want a school system that works and that will provide their children with the opportunities they need to build a better life.

Important public testimony opportunity coming up this Thursday.

Let's fund our schools, support our kids, and build a future we can be proud of!

Thank you, Raise the AK BSA, for putting this together!

ALL HANDS ON DECK 🚨

We need as many people as possible to show up and advocate for increased education funding. It's long past time to and get Alaska's schools back on track!

Sunday | Rasmuson Hall | 2-4 PM

Education funding has been flat for FAR TOO LONG! It's time to invest in future generations and give our kids the education they deserve.

We can't increase education funding without your support. Call in and testify!

BIG NEWS ⛴️

Alaska's ferry system was just awarded $285 million in funds from the bipartisan infrastructure bill!

This includes $44.8 million for additional operating hours to run ferries to rural communities.

Read More: https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/alaska-will-receive-285-million-in-federal-money-to-boost-state-ferry-service/

Make sure you tune into 's State of the State address tonight at 7:00! Tune in at the link below 👇👇👇

Governor's State of the State Address Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-Alaska) delivers his 2023 State of the State Address.

Thousands of Alaskans have been waiting without food stamps for months due to a backlog.

In 2021 Governor Mike Dunleavy's administration cut 100 positions from the division of Public Assistance.

Budget cuts always have a price.

State workers say chronic understaffing caused food stamp backlog “It’s a revolving door,” one worker said. “We’re dropping like flies. They’re not investing in retaining employees.”

Great news! The University of Alaska is finally receiving thousands of acres of land promised by the federal government.

University of Alaska set to receive thousands of acres of land in federal spending package UA, which is a land grant university, has only received a fraction of the land Congress had reserved for the institution and transferred to the state in the Statehood Act.

Another school district is facing a substantial deficit because Governor Mike Dunleavy has relinquished his responsibility for governing in the best interest of Alaskans.

The legislature must unify to increase the BSA!

‘There’s no easy way out of this’: City discusses school district’s overall $3.2M deficit | Juneau Empire The district will need to replenish its $620,000 operating fund deficit before next budgeting cycle

ICYMI: Governor Mike Dunleavy is directing the Department of Law to keep the door open when it comes to ransacking the Higher Education Investment Fund.

And we wonder why up-and-coming generations are leaving Alaska.

Alaska Supreme Court takes another look at security of university investment fund - Alaska Beacon The court ruled in favor of a new law protecting the fund, but the Department of Law is asking for a rehearing on that decision.

ASD is considering closing 6 schools, and Fairbanks closed 3 last year. Governor Mike Dunleavy is missing in action and has done nothing but attack public education for the last 4 years. Alaska deserves better.

Confronting rising bills and flat state funding, Alaska schools say they are at a fiscal cliff - Alaska Beacon The problem has been developing for years, but as COVID financial aid runs out, many districts are running into a major crisis.

Governor Mike Dunleavy has had ample opportunity to invest in Alaska. Instead, he chose to underfund schools, cripple universities, and propose meager investments in capital projects.

Dunleavy could learn a thing to two from people like Kevin Berry.

OPINION: Alaska isn’t competitive in attracting young professionals If nothing changes, we will continue to lose young Alaskans to the Lower 48 and fail to attract new workers to the state.

Governor Mike Dunleavy delivering an economics lesson during his days as an educator.

This opinion piece from Larry Persily is 💯

Oil prices are falling, and the value of the Permanent Fund is in a nose dive. The future is looking bleak.

If only Governor Mike Dunleavy spent the last 4 years creating a long-term fiscal plan!

OPINION: Perilous economic conditions lay bare Alaska’s lack of a fiscal plan Oil revenues long ago stopped carrying the state. And even the Permanent Fund has its limits.

Governor Mike Dunleavy's second Attorney General just got indicted on 3 counts of third-degree s*xual abuse of a minor.

https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/former-alaska-ag-pick-indicted-accused-of-s*x-with-17-year-old-in-1991/

Former Alaska AG pick indicted, accused of s*x with 17-year-old in 1991 - Alaska Beacon Ed Sniffen, formerly Gov. Mike Dunleavy's pick for attorney general, was charged in May and indicted on Monday by a grand jury.

Raising the age to buy to***co products and taxing va**ng products is commonplace in the lower 48. Why? Because it's proven to reduce adolescent use of ni****ne products.

In a state where 1 in 4 high school students reported using a v**e, this is an easy policy call for Alaska. That's why it passed with overwhelmingly bipartisan support.

Governor Mike Dunleavy sided with special interests, aiming to addict future generations of Alaskans.

Gov. Dunleavy vetoes Alaska tax on va**ng and increase to minimum to***co purchase age State Sen. Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, had introduced the bill to discourage young people from smoking traditional ci******es or e-ci******es. The governor said the 35% tax on va**ng was too high.

"The governor’s evisceration of public education is both devastating for students and costly for hard-working Anchorage residents and entrepreneurs."

Governor Mike Dunleavy is bad for Alaska.

https://www.adn.com/opinions/2022/09/09/opinion-school-closures-are-the-inevitable-result-of-dunleavys-education-vetoes/

OPINION: School closures are the inevitable result of Dunleavy’s education vetoes The reality is that everyone loses when state government fails to fund education.

"Dunleavy’s decision to politicize such an important subject and attempt to take credit for something he refused to do, while simultaneously forgetting the historical record and his own failure to act, reflects a sad state of affairs in politics."

OPINION: Mike Dunleavy failed to act on r**e kits as a senator. Now he’s distorting his record. Join us in electing a governor who will put aside the partisanship infecting our politics and get the hard work done.

"If your organization employs UA graduates, students or alumni, or if you are an elected official, send a message to UA Regents and President Pitney urging them to change course and support their faculty and, by extension, Alaska’s post-secondary students. Alaska’s future depends on it."

OPINION: University of Alaska administration needs to come to terms with its faculty A fair contract will help to retain and recruit faculty who can build their careers at UA’s many worksites around Alaska, enriching Alaska’s economy and Alaskans’ well-being.

It's time to hit the polls, Alaska! 🗻

Don't know where your polling location is? Use this handy portal: https://myvoterinformation.alaska.gov

1 in 3 young workers are leaving Alaska permanently for the lower 48.

Good thing Governor Mike Dunleavy has a robust plan to reinvest in the University of Alaska and make Alaska a thriving place to work for the up-and-coming generations.

Oh wait...he doesn't...😅

📃https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2022/08/03/a-shrinking-workforce-is-holding-back-anchorages-economic-recovery-after-covid-19-report-finds/

A shrinking workforce is holding back Anchorage’s economic recovery after COVID-19, report finds People — especially young people — leaving Alaska to work elsewhere is a major contributor to the issue, according to a new report from the Anchorage Economic Development Corp.

Thousands of Alaska's hard-working public servants will get a much-needed raise because Representative Andy Josephson went to bat for them in Juneau.

Thank you, Representative Andy Josephson, for getting HB 226 across the finish line!

With the state struggling to attract new workers, the legislature must prioritize retaining our public sector workforce going into the next legislative session. The functioning of our society depends on it!

📃https://www.adn.com/politics/2022/08/02/a-new-law-will-give-thousands-of-alaska-state-employees-a-pay-raise/

A new law will give thousands of Alaska state employees a pay raise The bill, which became law this week, raises pay for state attorneys, court employees and other state workers, including staffers in the governor’s office and Legislature.

Dunleavy on the Record: "I won't cut funding to the troopers."

Dunleavy in the Real World: *Cuts $6 million from the Village Public Safety Officer program*

You can't trust Governor Mike Dunleavy to give an honest answer.

Almost 2 in 3 jobs at the Alaska Marine Highway System remain vacant.

Understaffed Ferries = Underserved Communities

What is Governor Mike Dunleavy doing about this?

📰https://alaskabeacon.com/2022/07/20/almost-one-in-five-alaska-state-jobs-is-vacant-as-agencies-struggle-to-hire-retain-employees/

"Bottom line, a constitutional convention is a costly, unnecessary and dangerous can of worms that Alaskans would be gravely mistaken to open. Don’t risk it. Vote no on a constitutional convention this November." - Libby Bakalar 🔥

OPINION: Why saying ‘no’ to a constitutional convention is the most important vote you’ll cast this November A constitutional convention is a costly, unnecessary and dangerous can of worms that Alaskans would be gravely mistaken to open.

We have been seeing a LOT of talk about "huge rallies" in the news lately and can only assume they're referring to ours that happened 3 years ago today 😉

(📸 The Alaska Landmine)

You can't have it both ways Governor Mike Dunleavy.

Thousands of Alaskans rely on public broadcasting for access to vital information.

Year after year, Dunleavy's vetos hurt Alaskans.

Vetoing $49 million in deferred maintenance shows where Governor Mike Dunleavy's priorities are.

The state is seeing surpluses for the first time in decades, and Governor Mike Dunleavy still vetoes vital government services like public broadcasting and deferred maintenance.

Man, does this guy hate the state or what? 🙄

Alaska ends fiscal year with first budget surplus in a decade - Alaska Beacon With oil prices high because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Alaska will post a $1.9 billion surplus this year.

Read Meilani Schijvens' entire piece at https://www.juneauempire.com/opinion/opinion-were-at-risk-of-losing-our-well-crafted-constitution/

What do you think about the constitutional convention question?

BREAKING: Governor Mike Dunleavy finally released his devastating budget vetoes for FY23:

- $62.5 million from the school maintenance fund
- $27 million in deferred maintenance for University of Alaska
- $22 million in deferred maintenance for state buildings
- $7 million in healthcare to 800 longshoremen and their families
- 6 segments of the Alaska Long Trail
- $1.5 million (all) of the public radio broadcasting budget

This is incredible news!

Starting this fall, you can take Alaska Native language courses for free at UAS “Education was a vehicle of oppression and genocide and assimilation," X’unei Lance Twitchell said. "Our goal is to transform it into a vehicle of opportunity and equity and healing.”

"I think people are realizing or recognizing that it doesn’t look like democracy when you’ve got a 20% rejection rate" - Michelle Sparck

Governor Mike Dunleavy's administration fails Alaskans yet again.

Thousands of U.S. House ballots have been rejected by Alaska elections officials - Alaska Beacon In Alaska's first-ever statewide vote by mail, more than 6,000 ballots, about 4% of all votes cast, have been rejected, and that amount could rise.

First, Commissioner of Education Michael Johnson resigns effective June 30th, and now DNR Commissioner Corri Feige, too? 🤨

"Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor could have a conflict of interest as the state Department of Law that he oversees looks into the legality of using public funds for private education through the state’s correspondence school, or homeschool, allotment program."

Wow, possible conflict of interest within Governor Mike Dunleavy's administration? Never saw that one coming👀

Alaska attorney general could benefit from state reimbursements for private schooling - Alaska Beacon “That seems hugely concerning for state spending, for government oversight and for transparency and accountability for how state programs are being promoted,” said Veri di Suvero, executive director for the Alaska Public Interest Research Group

Thank you, Representative Ivy Spohnholz, for always standing up for Alaskans. Your service and dedication over the past 6 years has positively impacted every corner of the state. We can't wait to see what you'll do next!

For the first time in years, college students won't have to worry about their scholarships being swept out from underneath them.

Thank you to everyone who worked hard to pass HB 332!

Alaska Legislature votes to preserve savings accounts for education, ferry system - Alaska Beacon The Alaska Legislature has voted to keep the state’s Higher Education Investment Fund and two ferry-system-related savings accounts from being automatically drained at the end of the fiscal year

The University of Alaska is an economic driver for our state, creating jobs and developing innovative solutions. The faculty are a key component in the overall success of the system. Unilaterally moving forward without proper faculty engagement is a recipe for failure.

We deserve better from President Pat Pitney.

University moves forward with faculty salary increases; union says negotiations aren’t done - Alaska Beacon “We're trying to get the university to provide real cost of living adjustments that match inflation,” Tony Rickard, chief negotiator for United Academics, said during a phone interview on Monday.

No matter how hard Governor Mike Dunleavy and the people who work for him try, Alaskans are not going to forget that he declared war on our ferry system.

Rich Moniak, writing in the Juneau Empire, nails it in this piece he wrote for the Juneau Empire: "Unlike the way Orwell’s imagined Ministry of Truth functioned, Governor Dunleavy's DOT Commissioner can't change the written record from 'Dunleavy went to war against Alaska's ferry system' to 'Dunleavy has always been its best friend.'"

📰 https://www.juneauempire.com/opinion/opinion-the-war-dunleavy-waged-against-the-alaska-marine-highway-system/