The Anchorage Daily News asked candidates for the April 2 election to the Anchorage School Board to answer a series of questions on issues facing those bodies. We’re publishing select responses daily. The answers were fact-checked when facts were cited and edited for spelling, grammar and writing style. To see all the responses, click here. For Assembly candidate surveys, click here.
Q: If you had to identify $10 million in cuts to the Anchorage School District’s budget, name two areas where you would look for cuts and two areas you would seek to protect.
SEAT A
Kai Binkley Sims
I would make sure to protect teachers’ salaries and budget items related to student safety. Cuts will have to come from administration and facilities. Efficiencies will have to be found in every administrative department that is not directly tied to the classroom. ASD has a staggering amount of square footage of facilities that are costly to maintain. With a declining student population, we will have to be more efficient in how we maintain and manage those facilities.
Margo Bellamy
I take the fiduciary responsibility of the board very seriously. I would keep any cuts to the district’s budget away from the class room.
SEAT B
David Nees
The classrooms must be protected from cuts—that is where the education occurs. I would also protect the charter/optional/ABC schools. Both of these are mission critical. The charter schools can only spend 4% of state funds on administration. They have been successful in meeting this goal and most have reserves. I believe the ASD could also trim its administration/support costs but when a 1% cut in exempt pay to employees making more than $100,000 was proposed it was not approved.
Starr Marsett
Two areas I would protect is the classrooms and counselors. Where I would look for cuts: Evaluate all programs within the district for use and look at school consolidation.
Ronald Stafford did not respond to the survey.