Fairbanks: Education, Wildfires and Layoffs

March 13, 2025

Dear Neighbors,

Today is the 53rd day of legislative session. As usual, there is a lot going on here in the Capitol, as well as a lot going on in local, state and national news that is of importance to those of us who live in the Interior. Support for schools has been the main topic in the House and will now become the major topic in the Senate since passage of a major education funding bill. Springtime also means a focus on the financial outlook for the State and how we choose which public services are most important when compared to the finite revenue.

Congress is taking a break and so we expect to see both Senator Murkowski and Sullivan at their annual address to a joint session of the legislature. With so much going on at the federal level, it will be good to have the delegation here to discuss how significant shifts in Washington will ripple all the way up to Fairbanks. Deadlines for your Permanent Fund Dividend applications and the local wildfire protection plan are nearing and are part of the e-newsletter!

Even with all the goings on at the Legislature, I still make time to meet my constituents! This was a group of volunteers from Great Alaskan Schools advocating for HB 69.

Education Omnibus Bill passes House and Head to Senate!

The House of Representatives debated for several hours on Wednesday to conclude with a vote to pass the Omnibus Bill to the Senate for consideration. The Senate plans to hear HB 69 beginning next Monday and throughout the week with public testimony opportunities. Alaskans can also always send in written testimony to the Committee Chairman Senator Löki Gale Tobin at SenateEducation@akleg.gov.

The bill was amended in committee and on the floor and contains a significant, sustainable and permanent increase to the BSA of $1,000 but also has some policy and accountability measures to improve the public, charter and homeschool experience. Below are the major changes HB 69 will enact.

Base Student Allocation (BSA) Increase – Permanently raises the BSA by $1,000.
Open Enrollment Policy – Expands school choice by allowing parents to enroll their children in any public school within their district.
Charter School Reforms – Grants charter schools greater financial autonomy and extends contract terms.
Education Task Force – Establishes a legislative task force to assess funding and policy improvements.
Correspondence Study Program Oversight – Implements annual reporting requirements on enrollment, spending, and academic outcomes.
Cellphone Policy – Requires school districts to set policies for student cell phone use during school hours.

The bill is a work in progress, though Senators would really like to move on the education legislation quickly so that school boards, administrators, teachers, students and parents know what to expect in the next school year.

The bill will be heard by the Senate Education Committee on Monday at 3:30 pm, with invited testimony only.

On Wednesday at 3:30 pm, you can testify on the Bill!

To Testify:

From Juneau call 907-586-9085. From Everywhere else call 844-586-9085.

The final vote of the House to pass HB 69 to the Senate

The Most Important Annual Report

As I have mentioned in prior e-newsletters and communications, the Alaska budget is a fragile document that leaves very little for savings and is functionally based on three main areas-the federal government, oil and gas revenue and the Permanent Fund which is mostly invested in the stock market. Three volatile revenue sources this year, mean the budget is in one of the rockiest positions Alaska has seen in decades.

The Department of Revenue Spring Forecast is a document that instructs legislators on how much we have in order to balance the budget for the following year, and it came out on March 12. The Permanent Fund is set to transfer $3.7 billion for FY25 and $3.8 billion for FY26 which is slightly lower than expected. Mostly due to anticipated market performance. The oil price forecast is lower than expected too, though oil production is anticipated to be slightly up this upcoming year. All in all, the forecasted revenue is now $70 million less than what was anticipated when the budget was introduced this year.

An infographic explaining where the funds come from for our State's revenue

Let's Prevent Forest Fires!

One of the harder things about living in Interior Alaska is the wildfires that ignite around us almost every summer. Not only do we have to contend with the terrible air quality and smell of smoke during fire season, wildfires pose a threat to our homes and lives.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough, along with the Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection is currently working to update the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The purpose of this plan is to identify hazard reduction strategies for our borough. It's updated every ten years and relies heavily on community input. Are you prepared for wildfires?

Follow this link to take the full survey.

Alaska Workers (and You) are Harmed by Blanket Layoffs

Last week, I wrote about the vast negative impact the federal funding freeze is projected to have on Alaska. I know that a lot of you are feeling the funding cuts very personally, through the losses of jobs and benefits, especially with the mass firings of National Weather Service, Park Service and NOAA Fisheries employees. Here at the Alaska state Legislature, we want to hear from you. My colleague, Representative Alyse Galvin has developed a survey to collect data, personal stories and input from federal workers in Alaska.

The office compiles and releases a weekly update summarizing survey results, along with a formatted record of publicly shareable responses and take this information to our federal delegation including Senator Murkowski, Senator Sullivan and Congressman Begich. Your responses will be confidential; they will only share survey responses from individuals who have explicitly consented to public disclosure. Upon survey submission, you will receive an automatic email response containing information on State of Alaska job opportunities and a press release from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Rapid Response program. Taking this survey is an opportunity to have your experiences and concerns relayed to Washington DC.

Take the survey by following this link: The Impact of Federal Funding and Layoffs on Alaskans.

Protesters near the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan.28, 2025

Your PFD Application is Due!

My office receives dozens of calls a year because they either forgot to file for the PFD and in most cases there is nothing that we can do. Today is mid-March, which means that you have less than three weeks to file for your PFD. If you haven’t done so yet, click on this link and apply for your PFD today online or contact my office directly and we would get you a paper form! Paper forms generally take longer to process because there may be entry errors.

Always Plenty of Entertainment in a Springtime Weekend!

Below are some of the many exciting events happening in Fairbanks.

Open North American Championships: races are Friday – Sunday March 14 -16, 1 pm at the Dog Mushers Hall.

This event also includes a fur auction, parka parade and snowshoe races! Follow this link for more information.

North American Basketball Tournament: March 12 – March 15, at Lathrop High School

The Doyon Foundation is hosting this basketball tournament, which reconnects the Fairbanks community and athletes from across the region.

This year’s tournament will feature three divisions: Women’s 18+, Men’s 18+, and Men’s 35+, open to Alaska Native and American Indian players.

Napolean Dynamite LIVE!: Saturday, March 15, 7pm at the Hering Auditorium

The Fairbanks Concert Association is hosting this double header which will start with a screening of the movie, Napolean Dynamite, followed by a live show featuring the movie’s stars Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez and Jon Gries!

For information and tickets go to fairbanksconcert.org

Sprint into Spring Expo: Saturday, March 15, 10 am -- 6 pm and Sunday March 16, 11am - 5pm at the Carlson Center

Fairbanks Market & Events is hosting this spring shopping expo! Follow this link for more information.

World Ice Carving Championships: Open until March 31 from 12 pm - 10 pm daily. Visit this attraction before it all melts!

For more information follow this link.

Interior Political Events

My interior colleague, Senator Mike Cronk will be hosting a town hall at the Fairbanks Legislative Information Office which is on the 3rd floor of the Global Building across from Home Depot! Come by to get an update on the legislative session and discuss your priorities for our community. Light refreshments will be provided.

My Staff and I are Here for You

As always, I will continue to keep you updated on what I’m working on in Juneau throughout the session. If you have any questions about anything going on in the Capitol or at home, feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email – as always, my staff and I are working for you. We will assist you with the issues important to you and your family.

Working Hard for Fairbanks Families,