It’s time for Page Two: News that might not make the front page for Thursday March 26, 2026.
The Borough Assembly is weighing whether to provide funding to avoid closing Larson Elementary School, Meadow Lakes Elementary School, and Glacier View School.
With the closures on the line, community members packed a joint borough–school district meeting on Tuesday night.
Larson Elementary first grader Nathan Merrill stood on his tiptoes at the microphone and said, “I love my school. Please give enough money so it can stay open.”
Speaker after speaker opposed the deep budget cuts. Testimony took up most of the meeting, leaving about an hour for officials to discuss the issue.
The district faces a roughly $23 million budget deficit next year. Its approved budget includes a request for an additional nine and a half million dollars from the borough to avoid closures and staff cuts.
Many who testified urged the borough to boost funding to the maximum allowed under state law, nearly $107 million.
Among those speaking was Mat-Su resident Nikki Swagger. She said, “You cannot champion choice and refuse to fund those choices. Please fund to the cap.”
Superintendent Randy Trani said the district’s strong academic performance comes from being a “district of choice.” Those choices come at a cost.
“We could take away the choices and streamline and save money, at the cost of achievement and choice,” he said.
District leaders say rising costs for insurance, negotiated salary increases, and inflation have left them short.
At the same time, state funding remains flat, enrollment declined, and the borough contributions have not kept up with those pressures.
For now, academic performance has been strong despite these challenges.
Assembly member Stephanie Nowers said she understands the pressures on the district but noted that the borough has increased school funding each year over the past six years.
“So, it hurts a bit to have the district then point the finger at the one entity that has consistently supported you,” she said.
Borough Manager Mike Brown said the borough has increased school funding by about 40 percent over the past decade. He added that meeting the full request by the district would go beyond the current 9.5 mill tax cap set by the borough.
Brown’s proposed 2027 budget includes a 2.2 percent increase in school funding. This brings the funding to almost eighty million. An additional $2 million in capital improvements is planned for the roof of Talkeetna Elementary School.
Brown also raised concerns about how the district selected schools for closure. He noted the process lacked transparency and needs clear guidelines.
“For consolidation, we have nothing. There should be a policy,” Brown said.
Borough officials said they do not want to close schools.
“I completely want to keep these schools open,” Nowers said.
But additional funding this year is likely a short-term fix.
Both borough and district leaders say the challenges are ongoing. Even if schools stay open this year, similar decisions could return next year.
Superintendent Randy Trani said the uncertainty makes it difficult to plan.
“We’re in a really tenuous spot right now, not knowing which way to plan,” he said “We’re really in a tough spot, and I’m hoping we can get some more clarity so we can focus our work for the remaining part of the year.”
Both bodies agreed that even if schools are kept open next school year, similar decisions could return in the future.
The assembly is expected to make a decision by mid-May.
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This Page Two article was reported by Emily Forstner and read by Lee Henrikson. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Thursday March 26, 2026.