Gov. Mike Dunleavy ramped up his threats to school districts on May 8 by declaring he will use his line-item power to reduce per-student funding in next year’s budget unless the Legislature passes his education policy priorities.
The Republican governor issued his ultimatum during a Zoom call with school district superintendents. It comes after the Legislature passed House Bill 57 a week earlier, increasing the per-pupil base student allocation by more than 11%.
The increase, if it survives, would generate more than $400,000 in additional state funding for Wrangell for the 2025-2026 school year, substantially reducing the amount of money the school district would need to pull out of reserves to balance its budget.
The education bill, which passed with a veto-proof majority, contains some, but not all, of the governor’s priorities. Money to pay for the education bill will be in the state budget, which is a separate piece of legislation that the governor said he would reduce by veto.
Juneau School District Superintendent Frank Hauser said the governor vowed in the closed-door Zoom call that he will veto the education bill and will also veto an unspecified amount of school funding from the budget bill unless his policy goals win legislative approval.
Dunleavy, who has line-item veto authority on appropriations, vetoed half of a one-time base student allocation increase in the budget in 2023. He has vetoed two other increases since then — lawmakers have failed to override any of the vetoes, as enough Republicans stuck with the governor to block those attempts.
HB57 passed the Legislature by a combined 48-11. An override of the bill would take 40 votes. The governor has a May 19 deadline to sign or veto the bill.
It would take 45 votes among House and Senate members to override a veto of an appropriation in a spending bill — a politically high hurdle to overcome without significant Republican support.
The Legislature faces a constitutional adjournment deadline of May 21.
Among the policies in HB 57 the governor supports are easing regulations for forming new charter schools. But the governor has said he also wants additional changes in state law to allow open enrollment for students outside their home districts, and additional measures to expand charter schools.
Dunleavy, in a statement posted May 8 on social media, described his meeting with superintendents as “a productive conversation focused on our shared commitment to improving education for all children.”
House Speaker Bryce Edgmon said there isn’t enough time before the Legislature adjourns to give proper consideration to the policy proposals Dunleavy wants.
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