n Tuesday, March 18, 2024, legislators from Sitka, along with 38 others, voted in favor of overturning the governor’s rejection of a crucial education funding legislation. However, the effort to reverse the veto fell short by a single vote, with a 39-20 result, causing widespread concern among lawmakers about the future of funding for schools.
This development comes in the wake of the governor’s veto, which has sparked a considerable debate over education financing. The Sitka School Board members and administrative officials are scheduled to engage in a detailed discussion on the implications of this veto for school funding. They will be participating in a one-hour forum organized by KCAW News on Wednesday, March 20, at 6:30 p.m., inviting the public to submit their inquiries beforehand.
Previously, in February, Senate Bill 140 had received overwhelming support from the legislature, being passed with a 56-3 vote. This bill, heralded as a significant bipartisan achievement, aimed to increase the base student allocation for public schools for the first time in eight years, marking a crucial step towards addressing long-standing funding challenges.
Representative Rebecca Himschoot, an independent and former educator from Sitka, expressed profound disappointment over the governor’s decision to veto Senate Bill 140. Himschoot, who has dedicated many years to teaching at Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary in Sitka, emphasized the bill’s potential to significantly improve education funding. Despite the setback, she remains committed to exploring alternative solutions but acknowledges the difficulty in reigniting discussions on education funding.
Senator Bert Stedman, also from Sitka and a Republican like the governor, voiced his disapproval of the veto. Initially, Senate Bill 140 aimed to enhance internet accessibility for rural schools in Alaska, but with the veto, these and other critical components of the bill have been dismissed. Stedman criticized the political maneuvering that resulted in what he described as “collateral damage,” particularly affecting rural children’s access to education.
Despite these challenges, Himschoot sees a silver lining, noting that there is still time in the session to address these issues without resorting to hurried decisions or special sessions. The legislative and educational communities continue to search for viable paths forward in the aftermath of the veto, highlighting the ongoing commitment to securing better educational opportunities for all students in the state.
