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Campaign Phone
(907)617-5619
For funding, I find it very concerning that every municipality, every school board, the Alaska Municipal League, and the Association of Alaska School Boards all sent in resolutions asking for appropriate funding, yet the legislature bent over backwards to try to accommodate initiatives from the executive branch. I find that entire premise to be inconsistent with a strong democracy. I believe we need have robust conversations, but the people should have the loudest voices in any conversation. I will work to lift up the voices of my communities above party, special interest, or political maneuvering. To meet the needs of our rural communities, they need the proper funding to support the programs their communities need.
I support the use of public funding for developing clean energy infrastructure, including electric vehicles
and solarization. As the Cook Inlet energy crisis has demonstrated, we need to diversify our energy
sources, including solar, hydro, wind, and more. This is not only better for the environment, but also gives
us long-term energy security instead of having to depend on inherently finite fossil fuels. In our state,
many policymakers are discussing the potential need to import more LNG from foreign nations. I would
prefer we invest in renewables to produce our own energy locally. As solar panels, turbines, and battery technology get more affordable and more efficient, renewables will only become more viable.
I believe that any conversation about increasing state revenue needs to start with taking a close look at out-of-state corporations and ensuring that they are not receiving an inequitable amount of the vast wealthy that Alaska offers. Alaska is the wealthiest state in the union, yet despite the tremendous amount wealth that the state has given by way of gold, minerals, timber, furs, salmon, and aesthetic beauty, the state cannot meet its commitments to our communities. This tells me that we are out of balance and not enough of Alaskan wealthy is staying in Alaska. I would take a close look at all corporate subsidies and tax credits to ensure that Alaska benefits from Alaskan wealth.
I believe it is important to not treat the 'stolen election' claims, which are driving the distrust in the election integrity, as though they are legitimate claims. There has not been a single legitimate example of widespread voter fraud or a breakdown in our election system. The falsehoods of voter fraud led to the assault on our nation's capitol, were thrown out by every court that reviewed them, and a major media outlet was forced to pay a $787million settlement due to their inability to provide any proof to back up their false claims. The legislature should focus on the facts and not entertain these dangerous falsehoods that threaten our democracy and the very foundation of our republic.
I support the open primary. I believe it opens the conversation for more voices and that it fosters an environment where we are more likely to have people running who are community-focused and not beholden to a specific party.
Campaign Phone
(907)254-1264
First and foremost, we need to address the funding issues that school districts face. On the personnel side of things, Alaska school districts are struggling to retain teachers and support staff. With no state pension, and ineligible for Social Security, teachers have been forced to leave the state out of financial necessity.
On the backend, school districts, faced with increasing insurance and energy costs, have been forced to allocate a larger percentage of their budget to non-education expenses. This means there is less money that schools can spend on their students, or in their classrooms.
To address these problems, the Legislature needs to raise the BSA by $1,413 and to bring back a defined pension for public employees.
In the short term, facilitating the importation of liquefied natural gas (LNG), while not a popular solution, is the most practical way to address the Railbelt’s energy crunch.
For the long term, funding energy diversification and improving infrastructure projects, such as the Bradley Lake Dam expansion, the Beluga Line transmission project, the Chugach Electric/Alaska Renewables wind project and the integration of large-scale battery storage systems, will ensure that the Railbelt can transition away from LNG dependence to energy independence.
My preferred way to raise new state revenue would be to lower SB 21’s non-Gross Value Reduction Tax Credit from $8/barrel to $5/barrel. SB 21 was sold as legislation that would ensure that producers would be incentivized to take risks, develop new wells, new gas fields, and increase their investment spending in Alaska. We were told that SB 21 would ensure there would be enough oil and gas production to fill the TAPs pipeline and to heat Alaskan homes.
None of what we were promised has been delivered. The tax breaks the state gifted to oil companies has resulted in the Railbelt facing an energy shortage, Alaska North Slope production declining year after year, and energy prices that keep rising.
I would listen to the experts to make sure that Alaska’s elections are accessible, secure, and transparent.
I intend to oppose the repeal of the ranked choice voting system. Ranked choice voting improves local representation, reduces partisanship, and fosters greater accountability.