Alaska has huge budget surplus --
The money is there to fund the existing programs as well as to fund the other program. The cuts don't appear to be necessary and
are cuts to the budgets of existing and necessary program(s).
Palin's stern veto pen at a time when the state is swimming in cash has helped establish her credentials as a fiscal conservative, economic analysts here say -- although critics complain that she has failed to use the state's unprecedented oil bounty to help tackle perennial issues of domestic violence, alcoholism and inadequate child healthcare.
"The surplus just seems to get bigger and bigger," said Oliver Scott Goldsmith, head of the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Alaska. "The state is awash in oil dollars, and the projection is that for the next few years we will have significant surpluses over and above current levels -- in the billions of dollars."
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na... Dispute this for me:
The following programs are included within this component:
Special Education Service Agency (SESA)
The Annual budget for 2007, which preceded Gov. Palin was $8,265,300.
http://www.gov.state.ak.us /...
The Annual budget for 2008, enacted by Gov. Palin is $3,156,000.
http://www.gov.state.ak.us /...
The Annual budget for 2009, enacted by Gov. Palin is $3,156,000.
http://www.gov.state.ak.us /...
This is a cut in special needs services to children in Alaska of 5,109,300 , or 62%.
So, as the Alaska State Budget description states, "Without the supplementary services the child’s needs would not be met by the local school district in most cases."
(links to active pdfs no longer work, were they scrubbed) -
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/3/163... And this is my question - reading this:
A second part of the measure raises spending for students with special needs to $73,840 in fiscal 2011, from the current $26,900 per student in fiscal 2008, according to the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (emphasis added).
If it was a reallocation of funds, why the increase in 2011 if the cuts did not affect the existing program? Why such an increase and why 2011? (A cynic would note that her son would require the programs in 2011.)
The cuts were made, the pdfs show that - just because you create new programs or distribute the monies to other programs doesn't mean you have not cut programs.
This site has the links to the budgets and pdfs that seem to work
The facts here show Governor Palin cut funding for special needs kids dramatically.
In 2007, before Palin assumed her office of governor, the State of Alaska FY2007 Governor’s Operating Budget for the Department of Education and Early Development Special Schools Component Budget Summary (this department provides services---not just school but services---for children with severe disabling conditions) includes approved and necessary budget increases to help special needs children. This budget was released in December, on the 15th to be precise, 2006.
In that budget, the budget actuals are (FY = Fiscal Year):
FY 2005 6945.30
FY 2007 Management Plan 7949.30
FY 2007 Governors 8265.30
Palin was elected governor in November of 2006, and assumed her position in January 2007.
When budget time rolled around in 2007, Sarah Palin---self professed advocate for special needs chldren, mother to a special needs child, aunt to a special needs child, and who promised in her acceptance speech last night that she was there for special needs children---slashed the budget. When she said she would be a "friend and advocate in the White House," I guess she just meant in words, not with actual money for needed services.
Here's what the State of Alaska FY2008 Governor’s Operating Budget for the Department of Education and Early Development Special Schools Component Budget Summary shows:
FY 2006 7949.30
FY 2007 Management Plan 3173.70
FY 2008 Governor 3156.00
You see right. Under Governor Palin, funds decreased from a planned budget of 8265.30 to 3156.0. That's a 62% decrease. Actual consumed amount went from 7949.3 to 3156.00, where it lingers to this day. That's a 60% decrease.
How many children lost services? Too many.
h/t to CBS News for links to budgets.
http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/200... 
