Muni Fees May Force School District Cuts *UPDATE*
My now-13-year-old daughter expressed a great deal of angst this past summer over attending middle school in a different school zone. She can be somewhat shy so my husband and I were a little concerned. As it turns out, my daughter is excelling in seventh grade! She has been on the honor roll both quarters, she’s in several accelerated classes, she’s doing really well as a clarinet player in the band (she has a solo in an upcoming performance) and she’s made some friends in the new school while still keeping up with her old friends.
My husband and I were even more pleased when our blossoming social network and YouTube geek actually started becoming more health-conscious and wanted to try a sport — cross-country skiing. Our physician gave her a clean bill-of-health over winter break, we paid the $85.00 fee, she signed up to use the school’s loaner skis and she was off! Luckily, my salaried husband (who puts in tons of unpaid overtime) was able to arrange it so he could leave early for the majority of her race days and we’ve happily jumped into the roll of cross-country parents.
Errrr…cross country parents and dog…
Then, word got out about the suggested cuts in the proposed 2011-2012 Anchorage School District (ASD) Budget. We were very disappointed in the proposed elimination of inter-school cross country races at the middle school level, keeping only an “intramural” program. However, we are a reasonable, education-focused family. We were less concerned about the loss of the inter-school competition than we were about the reduction/elimination of the “safe and drug-free schools” staff, the elimination of a middle-school counselor position and most of all, the proposed elimination of the summer school program for elementary students. I was concerned enough that I started investigating the reasons for these cuts. What I found was appalling.
I spoke to members of the School Board, the Assembly, the Anchorage School District Finance Department and Nordic Ski Club of Anchorage (I’ll explain that one shortly). It seems that Mayor Sullivan’s Administration has decided to add some completely new fees to the School District and greatly increase some already existing ones. Here is the list:
— $245,000 for “uncollectable” property tax — according to the administration, this is the “School District’s share” of Anchorage’s unpaid property taxes for the year 2010.
— $250,000 ASD’s “share” of the cost of sending out tax notices — yes, $250,000.00 for sending out actual tax notices. (for that kind of money, we should be getting lacy wedding-type invitations to pay our taxes)
— Increase in “ASD’s share” of the cost for School Resource Officers (Anchorage Police Officers who act as liaisons with the schools) from $1.2 mil (50%) for 2010-2011 to $2.6 mil (100%) for 2011-2012 — Yes, this means that the Municipality has shifted 100% of the cost of Anchorage Police Officers to ASD, even though those officers also respond to calls in the surrounding neighborhoods when necessary.
Upon even further investigation, the reasons for ASD’s proposed higher sports fees and cuts to cross country skiiing became more apparant:
— New $15,000.00 yearly fee for ASD’s use of Anchorage trails and shelters
— New $50,000.00 for use of the Anchorage Football Stadium
My first assumption about the trail fees was that trail grooming service costs must be going up. So, I did more research. Turns out that the Municipality of Anchorage pays exactly NOTHING for grooming services on most of the trails used by ASD students. It seems that the School District has a contract with the Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage to take care of their trails. (If you click that link now, you’ll see how they did all the work to get Kincaid Park ready for the middle school races yesterday. As a non-profit, NSAA also does a lot of other trail grooming for free.)
As a matter-of-fact, according to Nordic Ski, they have a Memorandum of Agreement with the Municipality regarding grooming the trails. (I have requested a copy of it from the Municipality.) No money is involved and the Muni still charges their regular fees for Nordic’s use of Muni facilities for adult races. However, they do allow Nordic to use the trails and shelters for races WITHOUT charging their kids under 18. The lady from NSAA said she believed that went along with some kind of “Healthy Kids Initiative.”
To summarize:
1) Anchorage School District already pays out of their budget to have Nordic Ski Association groom the trails for student cross-country activities.
2) The Municipality will now be charging ASD $15,000 per year for the use of trails the Muni DOES NOT GROOM and that ASD is ALREADY PAYING to have groomed.
3) In addition, though the Muni gives consideration to Nordic Ski Association and does not charge fees for their under-18 kids to have races on the trails and shelters, they will no longer allow the same consideration to the Anchorage School District who will then basically be paying twice for use of those trails.
Plus, the Municipality of Anchorage suddenly seems to have A TWENTY-MILLION DOLLAR SURPLUS.
I could live with intramural cross country in our middle schools if there was a good reason for it…but the smarmy way these fees are being handled suggests that perhaps there is an agenda here that is completely uncaring about what’s good for our kids.
There is the argument that cross-country is a logical fit in Alaska and is one sport where Alaska shines. Four of the 12 members of the U.S. World Junior Cross Country team selected in January were from Anchorage and Eagle River and the Junior Olympics roster regularly resembles that of an Anchorage School District race.
However, I don’t think that’s the most important point.
We didn’t know that during the months leading up to the beginning of cross-country, my daughter was plotting with her old grade school friends that all of them would participate in skiing this year. That way, they could ski together (and see each other at the meets). I thought it was adorable that she kept that teenage secret, since if I’d known about it I would have cheered her on and probably ruined the whole thing.
These kids aren’t Kikkan Randalls…they are beginners. But they are also learning important life lessons like comradarie, cheering for your team, finishing the race and trying to be a little better than you were last week.
And these ridiculous fees shouldn’t stop these kids from learning these lessons.
Earlier, Jeanne discussed some of the specifics as to what other positions and services the School District will have to cut if something isn’t done to change this. You can find a detailed version of the School District’s proposed budget HERE. We also encourage you to come to the Anchorage School Board Meeting tonight at the ASD Education Center. If you can’t go, watch it (starting at 5:00 pm) on Channel 14 and make sure to call or email the members of the school board with your comments.
*********UPDATE*********
Most of the School Programs were saved:
The board decided to restore many of the programs and jobs that were initially recommended to be trimmed, including the middle school sports programs, the library aides, secretaries, graduation coaches, and summer school offerings.
The board found the money by agreeing to take $5.2 million from a reserve fund, a savings account, instead of just $3 million as had been initially proposed. And they decided to raise class sizes to save money, increasing the average class size for fourth- through 12th- graders by half a student. Class sizes in the younger grades will stay the same
And my testimony made it in the paper…though it is unattributed:
In addition to the inflation and contract expenses, the municipality shifted $2 million in expenses it had been covering to the school district. The transferred expenses include the full cost of police officers stationed in high schools, and new municipal fees for programs using city trails or the football stadium.
.
Good luck Linda and ASD peeps! Could you print out your investigative article and hand it out to the PTA’s in Anchorage? Put fliers in cafe’s, Facebook,etc?
I cannot believe he’s trying to pad the police salary/coffers by more than double and having some of it’s monies paid for by the publicly funded ASD school system, i.e. the fed. government? I thought Repubs hated free handouts/subsidizing from “Big Government” aka the Feds.
Linda, you are a HAWK! It seems like you have a 6th sense about when pesky little three-card-shuffles might be going on. Thanks for your insights and dedication to shining a light on the dark cubby-holes in dirty politics.
Congratulations!
Schools should be off limits for budget cuts, it’s time the Pentagon starts trimming it’s budget!
I remember a slogan that was around when my kids were younger that said;
If only schools had all the money they needed and the Pentagon had to have a bake sale to buy a bomber, this would be a better country!
What smart kids!!!
Fantastic slogan and one worth repeating!
Just thought you would like to know.
http://www.thenation.Get rid of HR 3. Remember ‘old, white. guys’.
Use all and every opportunity to back these guys against their wall. Where are the jobs???
Just thought you would like to know.
http://www.thenation.com/article/158238/piling-against-planned-parenthood
Well, your situation sucks. But on a lighter note, your daughter is adorable and she seems to have a great head on her shoulders.
Oh, and nice dog!
Outstanding testimony from both Linda and Jeanne ! Great in statements addressing the REAL problems here, the dark clown in town, ect. You both hit it out of the park.
The gentleman that spoke in the midst of wise wit council, was like a ridiculous recess.
Pesky microphone, huh..
…J. Mackey is preparing to be unpopular at the moment…
As usual, excellent reporting, Linda. I hope your daughter and her friends have all the opportunities they want and deserve to enjoy their sport as other students did before them, and before Old Danny Boy “sullied” the office of mayor up there.
The thing that jumps out at me is that the program gets support as part of a healthy kids initiative. You make lots of good, healthy choices available to kids and it costs some money. You don’t offer lots of good healthy activity’s and kids will be less healthy and make worse choices about how to spend their time. We pay either way.
OT – I know this isn’t “nice”, but has anyone else had noticed that when Sullivan is speaking his mouth moves like Daffy Duck’s? szszszszszufferin szszszucotash! However, at least when the “real” Daffy’s mouth is moving you know he’s not lying.
First of all, what on earth happened to that LITTLE girl I used to see pictures of on your website??? Dang, she’s growing up fast!!!
Secondly, this is one of the reasons people in Rochester have been so nervous about turning control of our city school district over to the Mayor, which has been recently proposed. If you’ve got a good mayor, that may be fine, but if you’ve got a lousy one, they can destroy the city AND the school district. Our wonderful mayor just was sworn in as the Lt Governor last month and we’re still arguing about what to do to replace him, so mayoral control of the schools has been tabled for now.
Thirdly, Dan Sullivan is a pile of slime with absolutely no conscience. PLEASE, Anchorage residents, find a good Dem candidate (preferably only one so you don’t split the votes like last time) and get everyone out to the polls so you can get rid of this poor excuse for a human being.
I’m amazed every day at how grown up she is. I told her to cut it out!
I pray we don’t have a crowded pack of candidates for the next mayor’s race…sigh…
*Older topic alert!*
Republican lawmakers have removed the term “forcible rape” from an antiabortion bill in Congress after women’s groups accused them of trying to change the widely held definition of rape.
The bill, called the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, seeks to permanently bar federal funds from being used to subsidize abortions. It allows exceptions in cases in which the pregnancy resulted from incest or when the life of the mother would be threatened if the fetus was carried to term.
In the original language, it also allowed exceptions in cases of “forcible rape.” The term provoked an outcry from critics, who said rape is by definition committed by force and that lawmakers were seeking to exclude from coverage certain kinds of rape by adding the modifier – for example, cases in which the victim was underage or unconscious.
The bill now echoes existing law by taking out the term “forcible” and excepting all cases of rape.
A spokesman for Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.), a chief sponsor of the bill, said Thursday that they decided to change the term because it was being “misconstrued.”
Hearings on the legislation are scheduled to commence next week. It has 173 co-sponsors, including 10 Democrats, but it is considered a top priority of Republican leaders in the House.
It would make permanent several provisions that prevent federal money from paying for abortions. Currently, some of those provisions – notably the Hyde Amendment – must be renewed each year. It would also make it more difficult for women to obtain abortions through their private insurance.
====================================================
Isn’t that cute? “Misconstrued” they bleat! No, no one “misconstrued” your intent. After all, see what they’re continuing to do!
” It would also make it more difficult for women to obtain abortions through their private insurance. ”
Glassbowls. Let’s be fair. No more insurance coverage for ED medications (Viagra for starters). Glassbowls!
Thanks for the update.
I wonder how many people who oppose contraception are also opposed to impotency drugs.
How come the January 1st dramatic tax increase on tobacco products can’t be used for school sports?
A perfect symbiotic relationship – the nice lady on the Anchorage Assembly called the tax “a deterrent”. Dick Traini believes that it’s a favor to smokers.
“The plan, introduced at the Assembly meeting Tuesday night, would boost the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 75 cents a pack, or $7.50 a carton. The administration estimates that would produce $5.2 million to $6.2 million in added revenue annually.” [$2.21 per pack.]
“You win either way,” said Traini. “You offset property taxes and you get people to quit smoking.”
http://www.adn.com/2010/09/28/1476161/assemblyman-proposes-raising-citys.html#ixzz1Cv71gYFy
But Anchorage Assembly and Dick Traini, don’t support an equivalent ‘sin tax’ on alcohol or even children’s helmet laws. Because that would be government intrusion, right?
They’re not saying that they’re telling us how to live or trying to make us quit smoking when they tax cigarettes. Oh wait. Yes, they are. In fact, that’s exactly what Traini and Ossiander said.
Anchorage Assembly, Traini and Ossiander, I’ll tell you what. I’ll trade you the $2.10 extra I’m paying for a pack of smokes, for middle-school sports programs for children. How about that?
I demand that my smoking money go to pay for school sports programs for our area kids!
And I’ll willingly and voluntarily pay for the luxury of booze and Twinkies, too.
So why not an alcohol tax? I don’t know. There should be. It’s just as good as a source of revenue for city coffers, as the annually increasing tobacco taxes. The two assessments that increase regularly – University of Alaska tuition and cigarette tax.
I personally support the taxation of food items that are solely for entertainment and have little or no nutritional value. Bags of Doritos and soda pop. Candy. Mass-produced packaged pastries. Why not? It’s an unhealthy habit, just like smoking.
I have no idea how many people smoke, but I know that children don’t. But voluntary obesity in Alaska’s children is contributing to problems that could be solved by taxing the crap that causes it.
Have we considered a luxury auto tax? If I can afford a Mercedes sport utility vehicle, I have no problem at all with tacking on a couple of hundred extra bucks for a worthy tax that supports the community I live in and the roads I drive my rig on.
Anchorage Assembly considers imposing bike helmet law
ANCHORAGE (AP) – Anchorage officials are considering whether to make bicycle helmets mandatory for young riders.
Some Assembly members already say they’re not crazy about the idea of mandatory helmet use.
Assemblyman Dick Traini says it would be too much government intrusion on a decision better left to parents. Traini says he believes children should wear helmets, but he doesn’t think it’s a good idea to pass a law that probably wouldn’t be enforced.
Anchorage looks at obesity rate among residents
ANCHORAGE (AP) – The city of Anchorage is taking a close look at obesity among its residents.
The obesity rate in Anchorage is slightly higher than the national average for adults.
…
The city’s more than 270-thousand residents have an obesity rate of about 23 percent — which is very close to the national average. Obesity-related diseases are partially responsible for rising health insurance costs in Anchorage and around the U-S.
City officials say the increasing cost of health care is one factor limiting the growth of Anchorage businesses.
Anchorage Daily News, October 10, 2007
“It’s not the liquor merchant, distributor or distiller who abuses alcohol.
It’s the individual who decides to drink beyond reason — or who drinks
beyond the ability to decide — who abuses alcohol.
So why tax the seller of a legal substance that, when used in moderation,
does no harm? More to the point, why look to the sellers for the means to
deal with all the consequences of alcohol abuse?
It’s simple. The industry profits by the abuse. Alcohol is a powerful and
often addictive substance. Those dollars that go into the till from those
who have no business drinking another drop add to the industry’s bottom
line.
The industry doesn’t set out to profit by public drunkenness, to fuel
domestic violence, rape, homicide and broken homes. Responsible alcohol
suppliers know we’re all better off without these plagues, know that
business is better in a strong, healthy community. They promote
responsibility by training clerks and servers, by running ad campaigns.
But they recoil at the notion that any more tax responsibility should fall
on their shoulders.
Time to drop the resistance and shoulder the load.
It’s a matter of recognizing reality. The reality is that Alaska has long
suffered a high rate of alcohol abuse. The reality is that Anchorage
neighborhoods like Fairview must deal with chronic street drunks and all the
trouble that comes with them. The reality is that Anchorage and Alaska have
shamefully high rates of sexual assault. According to figures provided by
the mayor’s office, 52 percent of those assaults involved alcohol in 2006.
For the same year, 50 percent of other assaults involved alcohol.
Alcohol distributors would pay the tax directly to the city. Consumers would
cover it at counter or bar. Ed O’Neill, owner of Brown Jug liquor stores, says an average six-pack of beer would increase from $6.50 to $7.”
Bubbles- he has two web sites:
http://www.muzicwiz.net/
If anyone need to have music arranged/written & etc.
This is the web site:
For a sample of his playing abilty—-with you tube video
http:// http://www.dustinbear.com
Thank you Linda and Jeanne for your research of specifics, I am emailing now…
children don’t vote so they don’t count seems to the attitude of this loser.
he doesn’t care:
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1181.snc4/150325_451298162749_545277749_6034168_7107387_n.jpg
Cut algebra? No way. Our kids are so far behind in math and science and if we don’t pay attention to this this country will end up a banana republic without the bananas.
that was just a crazy example to make a point
Don’t just contact the school board, Assembly members also need to hear from you because they are the ones who decide how much money to appropriate from local sources to ASD. ASD can move the money around. It could fund sports and cut Algebra, for example. But it can’t add money.
Yes, the Assembly will need to hear from folks as well. However, I’d also like folks to contact the School Board and the Muni to see if there is a way pressure can be put on the Mayor and his Administration to reverse these fees. Plus, the budget hasn’t passed into Assembly hands yet.
The topic of another post will be that folks need to contact their legislators. While there are many aspects of this smarminess that will appeal to the wacko right (who’d like all public schools to fail), I believe the real agenda here is to force the State to pay more towards the schools so that the Muni doesn’t have to. The State of Alaska has done it with the feds for years.
First, my congratulations to your daughter, Linda, she sounds like a wonderful young woman to me, well on her way to becoming who she wants to be. Imagine, sneaking around your parent’s backs to do a sport with your friends… A wink from a high school teacher…
Second, when does the recall movement start? Given the strange cities/schools linkage (to this outsider) that Alaska has set up, it might be time to free the schools from those bonds and make them independent, like down here. Even in whacked out Arizona the districts are only responsible to themselves, their ‘constituents,’ and the state – no municipal authorities are allowed to meddle like this.
Start by stopping Hizzoner, then reform state law to at least stop such a$$-hattery.
Just want to beat him to it….
It is all Mark Begich’s fault!!!!
:p
Looks as if Mr. Sullivan has found a way to balance his city budget on the backs of the school district and it’s programs.
Am I understanding that if a property owner elects to NOT pay their property taxes, the school district must pay it for them? Or is this a “donation” from the school district for taxes on their own property that cannot be collected because they are non taxable? If it is the latter, are they “assessing churches and libraries similarly?
Innovative thinking? Perhaps, Legal? Probably not.
How can the school district be responsible for unpaid taxes? The school district doesn’t occupy those buildings, right? Send some of those officers out to collect the taxes!
Gerrrrrr. I have seen a lt of crazy talk in my time, believe you me, but this mayor really takes first. Someone needs to fix his wagon (so he can leave town).
Thanks Linda for highlighting one of the best programs in Anchorage, and why it matters. I coached High School skiing years ago, and those wonderful kids are today’s leaders in Anchorage (and elsewhere, I’m sure). No, they did not go on the Olympics, but they are doctors, teachers, and lawyers. The experience convinced my spouse to go onto becoming a teacher, and us to have kids (teens can be wonderful!). This program gives in so many ways!
What is with this immoral dirtbag who passes himself off as Anchorage’s mayor? If I were Sharron Angle, I’d propose second amendment remedies. However, I’m NOT Ms. Angle, and would be horrified by such a thing.
I propose VOTING remedies. And a lawsuit to recover the phony “insurance” money he scammed you good citizens into paying him. Please turn out for the meeting. And give us a boots-on-the-ground (skis on the ground?) report.
Maybe it just grinds Danny’s gears that the beloved coast trail is named the “Tony Knowles Coastal Trail” after our democratic Mayor who championed the project. To cheer him up, I am in full support of naming the sewer treatment plant on Pt. Woronzof after him.
Sewer treatment plants do important work. Don’t negate that by naming it after a ne’er do well like him!!!
Jim,SO loved your story about Mt. Spurr. a0It’s timely, baeucse my next story will be about that. a0:-) a0As for Mr. Norton’s paddle, I think it was named Harvey after that big rabbit in the Jimmy Stewart movie. a0That was back in the days, of course, when it was okay for a principal to paddle a kid. a0Nowadays he would never have done that. a0 Papa Norton as Mom referred to him, was about the most wonderful man on the planet. a0And I really mean that. a0He was a really great person, but I’m sorry you were embarrassed. a0:-(
I am sorry. What a mess. And, congratulations to the child! Good for her.
So… where else/ who else is the city offsetting percentages of uncollectable tax?
Police? Fire? Streets Division? Is the City/Borough falling down on it’s mandated job of collecting taxes owed it? Or are these truly uncollectable taxes? Some basic percentage they have to just give up on?
If they are, why is it an actual item to be adjusted for in budgets?
We have a shortfall of funds for education at the City/Borough level in my community projected for 2012. The process of deciding what to cut, so far, is between the administration, school board, and community. There is a hope the Legislature will adjust the state portion to help offset some of the shortfall but folks are trying to plan as if that is off the table.
Does ANC project a shortfall in the local funding amounts?
What does this do to the ratio required of local districts in relation to state funding ?
Or is this a pet project of it’s current mayor’s administration to shift costs of operation off city books to look like they are being responsible about public funds?
What in the world is this about?
Is all this charging the ASD fees and debits stuff merely another round of barely legal but ultimately immoral attempts by folks like Sully to run government like a business instead of a government?
Yes, your last sentence is correct.
The issue of not taxing to the legal limit (our tax cap) is something each administration and city Assembly can decide to do or not. Usually it is decided to not tax to the ultimate cap, but somewhat lower, but when it is really a lot lower, it hurts forever because that year’s taxes become the basis for the tax cap for the next yr and it simply gets lower and lower and we can never get ahead to supply the needed services a good city needs to supply.
Our city is not in debt and quickly recovered from the ’08? national decline. There is no budget shortfall here except what our mayor and certain Assembly members falsely created by not taxing more to the cap.
Our assembly can do the same- we don’t have the “strong” mayor thing though so a lot of deference is given to staff and manager reports.
Time to amend your charter?
He is moving cost “off-books” from the muni budget to the budgets of separate entities so he can show a huge “reduction in spending”. It’s a smoke-and-mirrors budget trick to make him look like a fiscal conservative that is slashing waste. He will run again using that deception. A lot of people will believe him.
Was worried all that played a part in it. Hope your school district yells like mad and assembly is wide awake when it comes time to review the mayor’s budget.
Stay on the phony baloney!!!
One word.
republicans.
Or maybe two words.
Damn republicans.
I think it may be fundamentalist trying to get rid of public schools,that way they control what is taught.Remember they start at the bottom and keep moving up the ladder till they gain the power the need to do things like this.
Isn’t this the same mayor who cut the city Parks Dept by about 23% a year or so ago? And the same mayor and Assembly who left millions on the table by not taxing higher to the legal limit of what is allowed? Isn’t that the same amount of money that would fill the void in the cuts that the school board is now facing?
Aren’t these the same trails that volunteers constructed over the decades so that nearly every part of Anchorage and Eagle River is only minutes away from well-designed, groomed, and frequently lighted trails for cross-country skiers, ski-jorers, dog walkers, runners, and fat-tired bikers in winter and hiking/biking/dog walking residents in summer?
These trails are what makes life livable in our northern climate and environment. They were built by us; they are groomed through our voluntary track-pin contribution and they should remain low cost to our youth (and everyone actually)–who, I should point out are learning healthy and low cost activities for life–cross country running in the fall and skiing in the winter.
A good statistic to file away for our next Assembly or School Board Meeting is that a city is cheaper to operate when the populous is active and healthy.
People think the mayor was elected to cut taxes. May I point out we get paid to live here through our PFD checks that we get each fall! Those PDF checks per household frequently cover our property taxes. We don’t have state income or sales taxes so as my grandfather would say, “quityourbellyaching.”
What kind of society have we come to that we are so selfish we can’t vision what we have allowed this administration to do to our city–nor work toward the goal of a city that invites our children to remain here as adults. Take a trip ‘outside’ and note the taxes paid in other cities.
Sounds like Danny boy has plans for that surplus. Maybe another forged life insurance policy since that scam worked out so well the first time.
Uh, are you all really in Alabama/Mississippi, and just pretending to live up north? I’ve been in Texas for a few years, and I’ve seen corruption, but you guys elect real losers. Maybe you should emulate Eqyptian protesters – but don’t take your guns.