Givey Kochanowski Endorses Julie Coulombe
Dear District 11 Neighbors:
I write in full endorsement of my neighbor, long-time friend, and our current State Representative, Julie Coulombe. The general election next month offers a stark contrast in how our district will move forward. I specifically value Julie’s pragmatic leadership style as a visible, active representative. She is a tireless workhorse for us both at home and in Juneau, driving smarter government, accountability, and measures to improve our economy and quality of life. I want to highlight three of her priorities that matter most to me: education, energy, and veterans.
Anyone who has lived in Anchorage for more than a week has probably heard the endless howls from the University of Alaska System and the Anchorage School District (ASD) about being underfunded. Julie’s opponent in this race is bought, owned, and controlled by tax-and-spend union interests—just like our failing school board. Despite dismal management, poor test scores, and low graduation rates, their constant demand is more money without results or accountability. It is the equivalent of trying to help a severely addicted person by handing them more drugs rather than demanding accountability and treatment. ASD is addicted to an endless amount of our money without reforms and far better results.
While I am not a career educator or administrator, I served nearly a decade on the Rilke Schule charter school board, including time as Chair. I have a firsthand, thorough understanding of the endless money pit that is the ASD. Are you aware that the consistently highest test scores in the ASD come from the schools receiving the least amount of funding per student? Anchorage’s public charter schools receive a fraction of the Base Student Allocation compared to neighborhood schools, yet regardless of changing state testing metrics, they rank at the top every year. Approximately 45% of our local property taxes go toward funding an ASD system that continually produces poor outcomes. Someone needs to be the voice of reason in Juneau; sending another union-aligned representative who is only interested in writing blank checks with zero accountability is not the solution. ASD is still baffled and formed a committee why the community is angry at their mismanage and people are not passing ASD blank check bonds.
We need a strong, pragmatic leader in Juneau who deeply values education, as I do to enforce accountability and set guardrails for the out-of-control operations at ASD. All four of my children are in ASD and I genuinely want to see a high performing school district for them and all students in Anchorage. ASD enrollment is down nearly 18% since 2010, yet there have been zero corresponding reductions in overhead costs. This problem is complex, and research-driven leaders like Julie dig into the details.
ASD is a case study in operational failure. Many of these systemic issues started under former Superintendent Carol Comeau. Instead of adjusting to declining enrollment, the district incurred massive bond debt to build several unneeded, “Taj Mahal”-level facilities. Instead of divesting excess property, leadership went on a major spending spree. Only in the last couple of years has ASD made minor efforts to shed expensive, old assets. The departing current superintendent only added to the mess with absurd scheduling changes, like middle schools starting at 10:30 AM on Mondays, creating a nightmare for working families. ASD then foolishly applied one-time COVID relief funds to recurring operational costs, only to cry the blues this past spring about being $90 million in debt while begging the state for a bailout. Reflecting just how out-of-touch district leadership is, during the recent layoff process they terminated the ASD math curriculum coordinator while retaining the Director of World Languages. Shortly later an announcement that the Director is getting a vacation funded by us to speak at a conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. No wonder they are in debt, cut an essential role like math and then pay for ski junkets.
No amount of public money will fix this pattern of mismanagement and waste. Julie is the firewall of common sense in Juneau. Any additional state funding must be contingent on operational restructuring, increased student performance, and a realistic acknowledgment that ASD has lost nearly 10,000 students over the past 15 years. When you read her opponent’s materials or listen to her speak, her phrase that schools must be “fully funded” is simply coded union-speak for: tax more and spend more without accountability. That alone should have all of us running to the polls on November 3rd to vote for Julie.
Equally important is energy. Having led two federal energy agencies in Alaska, Julie and I frequently discuss the disconnects between federal and state policy. Like education, energy in our state is plagued by poor planning, lack of strategy, and virtually zero inter-agency collaboration. Depending on how you count, six or more state agencies or entities touch energy and resource development. Smarter states have consolidated these disparate functions into a unified organization, slashing redundant expensive management, lowering costs, and increasing efficiency. Unsurprisingly, local utilities, state agencies, and industry often just wring their hands rather than offering structural solutions. Julie actually offers solutions. She is exceptionally well-informed on the energy costs facing our district, and her intellectual curiosity and pragmatic approach allow her to effectively advance our region’s best interests in Juneau as an impactful, results-driven legislator.
Finally, I deeply respect Julie’s advocacy for our military members and veterans. Her husband is an Army veteran, and her son recently completed his service in the Air Force. She understands firsthand the sacrifices of military families, as well as the health, employment, and transition challenges veterans face. She actively collaborates with veterans like me to modernize Alaska’s veteran support systems, harnessing their leadership talents, encouraging them to remain in our workforce after service, and maximizing the economic strength veterans bring to our state. Alaska has the highest per-capita veteran population in the nation, generating over $3 billion in VA economic impact. Yet, legacy state programs have not been meaningfully updated in over 25 years. A third of Alaskan veterans served post-9/11, and our outdated framework fails to meet the needs of the generation that fought the Global War on Terror. Julie is stepping up to ensure all veterans receive the support they earned.
Julie has done a phenomenal job representing District 11 in Juneau. She has earned our trust and built a concrete record of accomplishment that clearly warrants another term. The contrast between her vision and her opponent’s couldn’t be clearer. Julie is independent, free of ASD or their union bosses, committed to accountability, and never afraid to stand alone on principle for our district.
Sincerely,
Givey Kochanowski
About Givey Kochanowski
Givey Kochanowski is the Founder and Principal of the Wolfpack Consulting Group. He retired from federal service as a member of the Senior Executive Service following 28 years of combined military and civil service leadership. He currently serves his third appointment by Governor Dunleavy as a Commissioner on the Alaska Historical Commission and the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council. A lifetime member of the VFW and the Air Force Association, he remains actively engaged in national security and veterans’ issues across Alaska. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and holds a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma.