Fairbanks: Education Support Override, Change of Command and a Busy Lingering Summer

August 8, 2025

Kids Win an Important First Step

Here is the historic fight and win for education over the last six months. Alaska schools have not been failing-they have been starving due to more than 10 years of no increase to the base student allocation per kid. With a decline in the total number of students and a decade of inflation, it meant that schools have had to close, classroom sizes have increased, and students have had less opportunities than we had growing up.

At the beginning of the year, the Senate Bipartisan Majority along with members of the House, worked together to find ways to strengthen our education system by including accountability measures, requiring results-based measures and increasing total funding. The legislature passed a bill that was quickly vetoed by Governor Dunleavy. We went back to the drawing board and passed another bill overwhelmingly with suggestions by stakeholders and the community and the students and teachers. The amount of funding was cut from $1,800 representing inflation to only $700 as a means of a compromise. It passed both houses by a commanding vote of 49 -11.

The Governor took his entire allotted time to veto the bill again. In the last day of the legislative session, the Legislature came together in a joint session to override his veto of the bill. The veto was overridden by the Legislature by an overwhelming 46 -14 votes!

After the legislature adjourned, the Governor decided to take an additional slash at education funding. He cut our $700 increase per student to $500, cut early learning, left local taxpayers of Fairbanks to pay more by cutting school bond reimbursement.

The Legislature had planned to take up a veto override during the regularly scheduled session that begins in January. However, knowing that one Democrat was in Poland serving his country on military service and many other legislators were in Boston for a National Conference, the Governor called us to a special session on Saturday.

Every legislator (but one) made their way back to Juneau whether they were fishing or with family to do the business of the state. Even the Democrat in Poland got a special dispensation to serve and override the veto. In the end, the legislature was able to override the veto of education funding by a bare minimal 45 to 14 vote!

To say this is history is an understatement. The last time a sitting Governor was overridden in such fashion has not happened for nearly 40 years! We needed every Democrat, every Independent, several Republicans and all the support of Alaskans who have called, written, lobbied and protested over the last several months to get to the point we were on Saturday! While we will have to continue to consider full funding and more changes to make schools operate and perform better, my colleagues and I have secured one small win today that will make lasting impacts for kids in this next school year.

I also want to make sure you are aware that the legislative task force on education will begin meeting at the end of the month, so our jobs are not done. We will need to continue to find ways to make improvements and find ways to properly fund education now and into the future.

SB 183: Government Transparency on Oil Taxes

SB183 requires the Governor provide information to the State Auditor in a usable format. The bill became necessary because of the Dunleavy administration's refusal to provide usable data to the state auditor concerning oil and gas tax audits.

The Independent State Auditor position was created by the Alaska Constitution and serves an important role to hold the government accountable. Every year, the Department of Revenue reviews oil and gas payments to ensure Alaska is collecting the correct amounts of oil and gas taxes and royalties. And every year the oil industry ends up owing the state tens or even hundreds of millions because of underpayments. The State Auditor is responsible for reviewing these settlements.

Under the Dunleavy Administration, these settlements have dropped from $213 million in 2020 to $250,000 - triggering what our independent State Auditor called “red flags.” A former Dunleavy Revenue official has also publicly stated that he was told “point blank” that he was expected “to violate statute to enrich oil companies on public money."

Every governor in state history has voluntarily provided this information - except Governor Dunleavy. The State Auditor has been requesting this information for 5 years. It never should have come to this - all Alaskans should expect our leaders to follow our constitutional mandate to get the maximum benefit for our oil resources. This law now makes that expectation perfectly clear.

The override vote was successful, with a Bipartisan vote of 43 to 16 (40 votes were required).

Passing SB183 into law by override will not fix the problem overnight. With the upcoming departure of Revenue Commissioner Adam Crum, and the Deputy Commissioner and Tax Division positions vacant, I am concerned about the department's management. The issue is in the hands of the State Auditor, and I'll be monitoring closely when updates become available. Alaskans deserve better from our leaders.

Change of Command at Fort Wainwright

On Thursday, Colonel Jason Cole served his final day as Fort Wainwright’s Garrison Commander. He was commissioned in 2000 and served in a variety of command and staff assignments. As installation commander, he oversaw the functions of the installation and was responsible for keeping Ft. Wainwright functional as well as other Army installations across the state. His goal was to help soldiers and their families not only survive in the last frontier, “but to thrive in the last frontier,”. Under Col. Cole’s leadership the post added an aquatics center, a community activity center, a physical readiness fieldhouse, the physical fitness center, the air control tower and Hanger 1. Thank you for your leadership, Colonel Cole.

The incoming Commander base Colonel John Campbell while he will have a have big shoes to feel, I know he and his family will be up to the challenge. As the Senator representing Fort Wainwright and the co-Chair of the Joint Armed Services Committee, I look forward to working with him and his staff to help maintain Fort Wainwright as the best place for our military members and their families to live and grow.

Exciting Additions to Pioneer Park

I’m excited to share that the renovated playground at Pioneer Park-AlaskaLand opened after a lovely ribbon cutting ceremony! Our local FNSB Parks and Recreation team received $125,000 in federal funding to bring this project to life and the final model was well worth the month-long renovation! Watching the new play structures go up, including a new mini golf course and a new pavilion for the whole family to gather has been an immense joy.

What I’m most eager to see is seeing the park filled with our local Fairbanksan families coming together to celebrate life in our wonderful city. Having a new public playground for our future generations to laugh and play is a powerful reminder of how important these community spaces are. If you’re around, I recommend dropping by and treating yourself to this wonderful addition to our city.

Celtic Tradition Arrives Under the Midnight Sun

For the first time in Fairbanks history, the Scottish Highland Games are coming to Alaska’s Golden Heart City! Starting bright and early this Saturday at 9 a.m. over at the Alaska Dog Mushers Association, this marks the inauguration of our community’s new annual festivity. The games are a rarity that many of us have likely never heard or seen before whose history pre-dates colonial contact with Scotland.

It is speculated that the games began as far back as the 11th century, when King Malcolm III of Scotland hosted a contest to find the fastest and strongest men to serve as his royal messengers. Around 1,000 years later, the Highland Games have expanded across the entire world to reach Fairbanks. Making this the northern most Scottish games in the world! If you wish to have your day filled with vendors, live music, bagpipes, and Scottish feats of strength, I advise your attendance of our town’s newest celebration.

100 Years of Fairbanks Girl Scouts

100 years ago, the Farthest North Girl Scouts Council was founded right here in Fairbanks, Alaska by Jessie Bloom. To celebrate this generational milestone, the council will be hosting community events all day tomorrow, August 9th at Pioneer Park! All you runners and walkers will be pleased to learn about the Tough Cookie 5K Family Fun Walk and Run to start the day off at 10 a.m. The first 100 people who register get a free box of girl scout cookies, and every participant goes home with a S’mores kit in honor of National S’mores Day; and that’s just the start of the day.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pioneer Park will be buzzing with a free community celebration with burgers, hot dogs, lawn games, a visit from a Steese Fire engine, and a special appearance by Molly of Denali. The celebration will also be where we see another historic moment in Girl Scouts history with our very own Alyssa Hanson receiving the Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. Despite being only 17 years old, Alyssa brought Bloom365 Training Academy to Fairbanks and helped educate other teens and community members about healthy relationships. Her hard work and compassion for her community have made a difference and I hope she feels honored to receive this award alongside the 100-year anniversary.

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,