March 13, 2013
Wednesday

Mrs. Moran, I will reply as a citizen to your letter as this is how I feel about our elected assembly and dealing with the district, instead of stepping sideways and talking about the cap, let's talk about what the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Board of Education has asked for. They have not asked for the cap in the last several years. In fact, they have asked for 1 to 1.5 million less than the cap (depending on the year).

But still over the last several budget cycles the Assembly has talked one number to the Board and then finalized another (lower) number on their own without giving any kinds of heads up to the Board that the numbers talked about were not going to be used. Then the district has to scramble to catch up and make last minute cuts. These "cuts" have been partially based (in your words) on the possible loss of money from the state and/or fed - which up till now had not happened.

What have the previous cuts been based on and how on earth did the borough reserves rise so high, if not on the back of the district? If the Assembly made cuts based on Secure Rural Schools not happening, and then it did, where did that money go?

Does the "tax cut" that the Assembly enacted last year put money in the taxpayer's pocket? Not if you have a kid in activities. Those that do are finding out that they have to make up the shortfall of funding activities so that their kids can participate. Essentially a tax to only a certain segment of the Borough. Funny that when the superintendent has spoken several times about a tobacco tax (to replace lost timber receipts) some members of the assembly have said it is not fair to tax one segment of the borough.

Reserves for the Ketchikan Gateway Borough continue to rise into the area of 5 to 6+ million dollars, while the Assembly continues to make cuts to the school district budget, while expanding KGB operations.

If the reserves are being saved or grown for a rainy day, I would say we have had a few of those already with even more in the forecast.

Dave Timmerman
Ketchikan, AK

About: Editor's Note: Dave Timmerman is a current member of the Ketchikan School Board.

"Citizen of Ketchikan with 4 children (three in the district) and a wonderful wife --- coach of may children in many sports and assembly watchdog"

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