The cruise ship bill, for instance, was hard aground in a Senate committee. While members of the Republican-led majority proclaimed they had boosted funding for schools statewide, Democratic minority leaders said the plan unjustly favors urban schools at the expense of Bush Alaska. Instead of putting the funds in the foundation formula where it would be fairly distributed, the majority added money through a grant program that doesn't take into account the higher costs of education in rural areas, said Rep. Eric Croft, D-Anchorage. They also cut the governor's request for school building and maintenance projects from 50 projects to 11 and gave organized boroughs a break on school taxes, he said. They're excluding rural Alaska.
People ask where the urban-rural conflict comes from.
There are many of us who have great appreciation for all parts of the state. It has been our effort to unite Alaska. The increase in funding for students and schools this session is evidence of the majority's overall commitment to education, Mulder said. I'm baffled by the poor-mouthing that we're hearing about funding. They left the third floor, they said, with the support they needed to hold fast with their demands.