Attorney general says school funding plan is unconstitutional

A disagreement between the Legislature and Gov. Mike Dunleavy over school funding may be heading toward a constitutional showdown — one that could affect whether the state sends money to school districts.

The budget bills passed by the House and Senate this year didn’t include any money for schools. That’s because last year, the legislature passed two years of school funding.

But Attorney General Kevin Clarkson issued a legal opinion on Wednesday saying last year’s law is unconstitutional. Assistant Attorney General Cori Mills explained why Clarkson wrote the opinion.

“We have very strong language in our constitution about having an annual process where all programs compete for funding,” Mills said. “And so the significant legal question here is: Can a Legislature bind a future Legislature and future governor by appropriating future revenues?”

Read more: https://www.alaskapublic.org/2019/05/09/attorney-general-says-school-funding-plan-is-unconstitutional/