Alaska lawmakers have called on Congress to fix the funding crisis for rural schools after federal aid expired earlier this year. On Monday, the House passed a resolution with a 35-4 vote urging Congress to reinstate the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000.
The act that Congress failed to renew provided over $12 million to Alaska´s rural school districts. The funding loss has hit schools in timber-dependent communities, increasing financial strain.
House Resolution 5, introduced by Representative Jeremy Bynum, R-Ketchikan, demands that Congress not only reinstate but permanently fund the program. “This has a significant impact on our communities,” Bynum emphasized on the House floor.
During their pro-resolution testimony, lawmakers from Craig, Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, and Petersburg emphasized the financial strain on rural schools. They claimed that many localities require federal assistance to maintain their educational programs because they lack other financing sources.
However, not every lawmaker supported the resolution. Representatives Sarah Vance, R-Homer; Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla; Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake; and Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River, voted against it.
D-Nome Representative Neal Foster was not allowed to cast a ballot. McCabe voiced opposition, arguing that Alaska should avoid dependency on federal aid. He explained that the federal government owes Alaska land revenue from the development of that land, which could lessen their reliance on federal assistance.
Despite some dissent, most lawmakers backed the resolution. House Majority Leader Chuk Kipp, R-Anchorage, called it an issue of fairness. With House approval secured, HJR 5 now moves to the Senate, where lawmakers will decide whether to take action to resolve the funding crisis.
This news was originally published by Alaska Beacon.
