Kenai Peninsula Assembly delays final vote on FY2026 budget after hours of public pleas to fund schools to the cap

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly on May 20 moved to delay taking final action on the mayor’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, ordinance 20‑25‑19, after lengthy public comment and a contentious debate over whether the borough should immediately increase its local contribution to KPB School District funding.

Public commenters — including teachers, school counselors and local parents — urged the assembly to “fund the schools to the cap.” Several speakers said teachers were leaving the district and that the lack of contract certainty was already causing staff turnover; others urged fiscal caution and strategic timing to avoid jeopardizing state funding.

Why it matters: The borough’s local contribution is a major element of the KPB School District’s operating plan for 2025‑26. Residents and school employees told the assembly that an immediate…