The Kenai Peninsula Borough School Board has begun the daunting task of budgeting, as education discussions begin in the legislature.
We spoke with board President Joe Arness about the budget process.
Arness: “For this year it looks like it’s about 6 million dollars that we’re going to be upside down and we just have to determine how we’re going to approach that.”
Governor Bill Walker said no department was off limits in regards to cuts for the state budget process and proposed cutting about $50 million in additional aid to schools for fiscal years 2016 and 2017.
At the same time he stated that he wants to insulate education to the greatest possible extent.
State education commissioner Mike Hanley said the education department and school districts will have to work to find efficiencies but at some point everyone involved will have to determine the level which funding cannot go below.
