Governor Dunleavy focuses on public safety, education reform, and legislation during State of the State address

Gov. Mike Dunleavy sounded traditional themes in his annual State of the State address to the Legislature, his sixth as governor. The speech was delivered Jan. 30 to a joint session of the state House and Senate in Juneau. He started with an upbeat note, invoking former Gov. Walter Hickel’s motto, North to the Future.

“As long as I’m governor, I’m going to work to make sure that the Alaska dream is within reach for anyone who wants to pursue it,” Dunleavy said.

Dunleavy acknowledged challenges, including workforce shortages and the drain of the state’s working-age population, but he also mentioned remedies.

“We’re in competition for people, and that’s why we’re proposing policies this year to make Alaska the best place to live, have a family, and do business," Dunleavy said.

The address focused on public safety, education reform, and legislation to create an affordable environment for Alaskan families to thrive.

On public safety, Dunleavy said: “With vigilance and a relentless pursuit of justice, we’ll build an Alaska where we can all feel safe everywhere, and criminals can’t escape justice anywhere.”

The governor highlighted actions that have improved public safety in Alaska. The reversal of cuts to State Troopers, Village Public Safety Officers (VPSO) and the repeal of a law, SB 91, deemed too soft on crime, coupled with increased funding, has led to a decline in the state’s crime rate. The VPSO budget has seen an 81 percent increase, including both additional positions and salary raises.

Dunleavy’s proposed budget for next year allocates additional resources to investigators for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons, sexual assault victims, and crimes against children.

On education, the governor restated his concerns about a blanket increase in the Base Student Allocation, or BSA, the formula that guides state funding for schools: “Alaska needs education reform…but for far too long, the drumbeat for more money in the BSA has drowned out nearly every other conversation. The conversation always seems to begin and end only with money,” and not about results, Dunleavy said.

“We’ve finally started having that conversation about outcomes. We’re focused on implementing the Alaska READS Act to ensure that every student achieves proficiency in reading by the third grade," Dunleavy said.

Shifting the conversation toward improving outcomes is exemplified by the the new Alaska READS Act but the governor also emphasized the significance of investing in classroom teachers, with proposed legislation offering monetary incentives based on location and tenure.

“The classroom is where the student learns to read, to learn math and science, and to forge a positive relationship with their teacher. That’s why I introduced House Bill 106 last year, and I’m calling on the members of the Legislature to approve legislation to provide incentive payments to classroom teachers,” Dunleavy said.

The proposed Teacher Retention and Recruitment Incentives in HB 106 would set cash payment tiers for each school district in the amount of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000. The highest tier payments are directed to Alaska’s remote and rural schools. The $10,000 tier is targeted toward rural schools that, despite their remoteness, are sufficiently linked to Alaska’s urban networks to allow for more regular access to goods and services. Dunleavy said the $5,000 tier is focused on incentivizing teachers in Alaska’s most urbanized areas

“Investing in our classroom teachers isn’t just the right thing to do. It’ll also strengthen our ability to recruit and retain them in a highly competitive world,” Dunleavy said. “Just as critical will be lowering the cost of energy and housing."

"We’ll be introducing legislation to eliminate electrical tariffs on the Railbelt system that currently stand in the way of transmitting the lowest- cost power.” “We’ve introduced legislation to improve the economics of our Cook Inlet natural gas, and we’ll continue to advance the AKLNG Project that will deliver low-cost energy to Alaskans,” the governor said.

“Whether it’s coal, natural gas, advanced nuclear, or our abundant renewable resources, we must pursue every energy opportunity to secure affordable and sustainable supplies for Alaska.”

Dunleavy emphasized the importance of patience, investment, and skilled labor for completing infrastructure projects in Alaska.

“While these projects generate employment, ensuring the retention of the workforce requires affordable housing. Affordable energy and housing serve as catalysts for economic growth, playing a crucial role in attracting and retaining residents in Alaska despite limited population growth,” the governor said.

Thanks to the work at AHFC (the state’s Alaska Housing Finance Corp., its dividend to the state has also nearly doubled this year, to $48 million. With (legislators’) support, AHFC will use part of this dividend to create a new mortgage down payment assistance program.

“We estimate this new program will be able to help 1,100 to 1,300 families purchase their first home.”

The state is also working to lower the price of these first homes by reducing the cost of materials, Dunleavy said.

A new program establishing a state lumber grading bill will make it more affordable to build new homes using Alaska grown timber, the governor said. State Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R- Soldotna, and Rep. Jesse Sumner R-Wasilla, sponsored the bill, but the program was developed by the state Department of Natural Resources.

New forest management policies are proposed to prevent fires, combat disease in forests and generate revenue through a new program to inject carbon dioxide underground, known as sequestration, as well as the use of biomass and increased timber sales.

The governor also wants to improve food security by harnessing Alaska’s abundant natural resources. While Alaskans have always relied on wild harvests, Governor Dunleavy is leading efforts to bolster agricultural production. Through efforts such as the CROP Act released Jan. 26.

Alaska is blessed with abundant and clean lands and waters, and we can develop these resources to become food independent once again, Dunleavy said.

“In the end, leadership requires conviction in one’s values to make the right decisions, especially in the face of daunting odds. Political history is littered with examples of those who have taken on these odds and lost. Defeat is always possible for those who try, but for those who don’t, it’s guaranteed,” Dunleavy said. “I’m willing to accept the risk of losing. I won’t accept the risk of not trying. Success will be within our reach, if we’re willing to seize the opportunities in front of us. No to the Future, or North to the Future. The choice is up to us.”