We voted for legislators who would spur on economic growth and keep Alaskans working. Instead, their actions are about to put some long time Alaskans on the unemployment roles. These people ran on a platform which stated that they supported education and supported cuts in state spending. No one ever ran on the platform of supporting education but not supporting the University of Alaska. More importantly is the reality that these legislators do not realize the consequences of their actions.
Many communities depend on revenues generated from the college campuses.
Budget cuts will mean lay-offs which, in turn, will affect the local economy. Closing the university, as suggested by some Anchorage legislators is not an option. We need to be working toward expanding education, not eliminating it. By the year 2000, two out of three jobs will require at least some college education. Absent will be our Alaskan young people.