Time to put ‘unity' back in community

Does it seem the least bit odd that recent unpopular cost-cutting measures have been forced on the school district in a year when our elected officials in Juneau went on another spending spree with a state budget surplus of nearly $1.5 billion? Only slightly less incongruous is the outcry from some segments of the local electorate.

In the recent past, a borough tax cap has been enacted and two candidates promoting fiscal conservatism were chosen to serve on the school board. The message from increasingly overburdened property-tax payers seemed clear: &#8220Enough is enough.”

So all the fuss over difficult and painful school district decisions that attempted to heed this message are hard to understand. It is unreasonable, after all, to expect the same level of service - or additional services - at the same time we are demanding diminished spending.

These are the fiscal chickens coming home to roost, folks. We all need to get used to it, because there is little sign that things are going to change anytime soon. It's the classic case of getting what we are willing to pay for.

So what can be done about it? As always, voters have the last word.

Without a doubt, more fiscal certainty could be supplied by the state in the form of restoration of municipal assistance and revenue-sharing programs. But the governor and Legislature, with the support of the Valley delegation, no longer consider these as important as, say, a new executive jet, or strangely porkish expenditures and fiscal favors designed to enhance their re-electability.

To be fair, much of this year's huge state surplus will benefit Mat-Su residents and their quality of life in a variety of ways. But in the world of annual budget cycles, these unpredictable individual project outlays, which generally come at the end of the legislative session, are no match for the reliability of regular block grants to communities.

Until voters prioritize candidates who favor the same, there should be no whining about the results. Likewise, the increasingly ugly battle between borough government and school district administration is counterproductive, to say the least. And neither side has shown itself to be above politicizing the situation for its own gain.

Finger pointing is irresponsible, as are blustery cries for lawsuits and resignations. Attempts to place all blame on the shoulders of chief school administrator Bob Doyle are especially short-sighted. He can only suggest and recommend. Actual policy implementation is the province of the school board.

If ever there was a time for unity and common purpose, it is now.

No one - not legislators, borough assembly or school board members, school district administrators or even citizens - should worsen a bad situation by merely criticizing decisions and those who make them without offering a better solution.