 Candidate for Ketchikan Borough Mayor One 3-year term seat Published:
Candidate For: Borough Mayor Address: P.O. Box 23197 Phone: 907-225-7593 (home) Fax: 907-247-4123 E-mail:
Background: Owner 1st City Tax & Accounts 26 years. Local Resident for 38 years. 1966 Kayhi graduate (with honors). BA 1971 Trinity University. 3 high school letters football, 2 college. 1 high school letter each track, baseball, basketball. Veteran U.S. Army 1966-1969. Enrolled to practice before the U.S. Treasury (IRS) & the Tax Courts of the United States. MBA St Mary's University. (6 class top honors)
State at least 3 reasons why you are seeking a seat on this elected body: We need a fundamental change in direction -- I represent that. We need a local government more considerate of the limitations of the public purse. We need fiscal sanity. My extensive experience and expertise in this area will significantly assist in providing that. We need a more open government, a government more concerned with its community and less concerned with financing a few special interests. We need a government that listens more, dictates less. I support that.
Why should the voters elect or re-elect you? I represent a change in direction, a change in thinking, and a change in method. I do not believe the Borough government has either the ability or the resources to solve the economic problems of this community by taking over heavy industry and attempting to operate it under a government umbrella. That methodology poses an imminent threat to every taxpaying citizen in this town, for with many of these bail-outs we are at the end of the road. There is no other financing, but local financing. THAT MEANS YOU. Bureaucrats are not businesspeople, and, as anyone knows, businesses come and businesses go. Economic development is best augmented by local government through the provision and the maintenance of infrastructure; something too frequently ignored recently. I am smart enough to know I do not have all the answers; I don't even have all of the questions; but I do know there are a lot of other smart people out there with smart ideas. I listen well. My thinking is different in this regard. Our economic problems will not be solved by thinking small. There will indeed be smaller things which will be a part of a greater economic whole, but we must be thinking bigger. At this moment in time the future of this community is in suspense. Will it be Smallville with 3000 to 6000 people living in a tourist town? Or is there a chance to turn this thing around? My thinking goes this far: We can't cut the trees, can't get a decent price for our fish, and mining is basically taboo; what's left for us to do? Build the infrastructure necessary to create a bigger and better economic future. For in order to solve our problem we must indeed create a new economy, and the only way I can come up with to do that is to build a bridge and a road off this rock to the mainland. With such a link available I have every confidence in the private sector's ability to create all kinds of business and job opportunities. Businesses come and businesses go, but a road to the mainland creates the opportunity to enhance that process over the next century. Among current opportunities I can identify are the following:
Priority Issues: The key issue is, of course, the economy because without definition there, it is exceedingly difficult to determine the extent of needs elsewhere. Education is underfunded, but where do more funds come from? Underfunding education is the moral equivalent of a drawdown on future principal. The consequences are long term and negative. The bridge issue has been made the big issue of this election campaign. I do not believe it deserves that distinction. If elected your mayor, it is my responsibility to enthusiastically support what the citizens of this community want to do about the bridge to the airport, no matter, really, what my personal opinions might be. I think the citizens' view should be clear at the conclusion of this election. Personally, I think it is an example of thinking small when we should be thinking big. Some have called it a "bridge to nowhere, which really is not true; but there is a great deal of uncertainty how this proposed bridge enhances our economic future. I have no confidence in the "build it & they will come" syndrome. I prefer greater certainty, and that sounds too much to me like "a hope and a prayer." This is not a sound foundation for economic development. The bridge satisfies three local desires only: 1) Vanity - Now we have a bridge, too; 2) Greed - which is not necessarily bad, but the limited speculative interests that may profit are not substantial enough to enhance the development of a new economy; 3) Individual Exit Strategies - Now all the locals who want out, but are trapped for whatever reason, can sell out in the midst of the construction boom and get out of the way. Once built, the economic benefits of the building boom are gone. I do not see by itself a bridge to the airport having that substantial an economic effect. But if someone actually puts $200 million on the table for this bridge, and with cash in hand the citizens of this community are supportive; I reckon we are going to have to get out a few more recipes for pork. It might buy us three, even four years time. I think the key issue in this election is whether the electorate feels as I do that substantial change and improvement needs to be made to Borough government. Taxes are creeping up, and services are going down. This is certainly not surprising given the virtual wasting of 20 millions of local government funds on projects so poorly managed and administered that failure was certain. I do want to put an end as quickly as possible to the so-called "Hozey Doctrine", which our Borough government has adopted as its standard for investment in heavy industry. This bizarre doctrine specifies that "intrinsic values such as jobs, rather than profits," will be the determining factor for government investment of funds. This is a fundamental disconnect with reality because jobs are the byproduct of profitable business enterprises. And it is costing us millions in wasted funds. We are now at the point where there is little or no outside money for a variety of proposed encroachments by Borough government on the local private sector. That means the local taxpayer is now at risk for the losses or the costs incurred by many of these proposed projects and government business takeovers. I think we need fiscal sanity, and a Borough government which minds its business more, and that of others less.
General Questions:
How do you determine your position on an issue? Research and study; and asking lots of questions.
What would compel you to change your position? New information. Extra-normal objections of the citizenry.
If a dozen people speak at a public meeting on a controversial agenda item with the majority of the speakers opposed and the minority for, how would this impact your ability to form a decision on what is best for the community? It wouldn't. Their concerns are important, as are the concerns of many others.
Where would you most likely obtain more information on agenda items? Staff recommendations, newspaper articles, letters to the editor, the internet, and wherever else relevant information is attainable.
Who would you most likely talk to prior to making a decision that affects the entire community? People at work, civic organizations, private friends, government staff, and people in the community.
How would you deal with people who have opposing views who want to talk to you about an agenda item or issue? Welcome their input and their concern. Opposite points of view frequently present new information. There is no monopoly on either facts or truth.
In a public meeting discussion, what would you likely do? The mayor's job is generally to assist others in coming to a conclusion. Only on rare occasions should the mayor take a strong position in advance, and that position should represent the consensus of the people.
How do others view you? Reserved
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