  Responses By Dave LiebenAbout Dave Lieben
Do you consider yourself to be pro development and if so, what type of economic development do you favor and what type of development are you opposed to?
Yes, I consider myself to be pro development. I favor development that makes sense, and am opposed to development that doesn't. I would like to see a public cruise ship dock in the Water Street/Hopkins Alley area, currently there are several vacant storefronts with broken windows. It would help restaurants and bars in that area. It would spread out the pedestrian traffic so it isn't all concentrated in one area. I would like to see more dock facilities for yachts and other visiting boats. If you look at articles in yachting magazines on the Inside Passage (of course, I don't read yachting magazines, this is what I've been told) they say to skip Ketchikan, there are no facilities. I support the intertie. We need dependable power, and will benefit from the opportunity to sell excess power if more hydro projects are developed. I support the Shelter Cove tie road. It would open up large areas of the island and lessen the feeling of isolation, of feeling like there's nowhere to go. I would love to see a road to Hyder. Access to the mainland would be a tremendous boost to our community. I would like to see more neighborhood bike/walking trails such as the bike trail to Saxman and the Rainbird Trail. In many parts of the borough there's nowhere to ride a bicycle without taking your life in your hands riding along the highway. I would push for an outdoor amphitheater where we could have weekly free concerts. Someplace not too far from town but away from residential areas. I will work to use available grant money to make safe water and sewer systems available to all residents. I certainly don't mind drinking from rain collection systems when I'm outside the city, but imagine the reaction of someone from down south who's thinking of moving their business here. "A beautiful house along the waterfront for only $300,000! That could only buy a dumpy house in a crummy part of town where I come from. I'm sold! What kind of water do you have?" "We drink the water out of the gutter!" "Oh! How interesting!" I could go on and on if I was long-winded by nature, but I'm not. As for the bridge to Gravina, I take my responsibility to represent the people seriously, and will support whatever the voters decide.
Question # 2 For Assembly Candidates:Published Tuesday - September 10, 2002 - 7:00 pm Given less funding and the likely need to further cut services, what services would you reduce or cut first?
I would suggest that one position within Parks and Recreation be eliminated. We have a day receptionist at the Rec Center who does virtually nothing on weekdays between the end of the early morning rush and when it starts picking up again in late afternoon. When the receptionist quits or moves up in the organization, the duties should be handled by the various P&R employees, including the P&R Director, on rotating one-hour shifts. With a computer connected via network to their files, and a telephone, they can still get work done while sitting at the front desk. I would look into consolidating the maintenance and finance departments of the borough and school district. The Assembly tried to shove this down the school district's throat before, but the school district had several legitimate concerns about how it would work. I don't think there is anything that can't be worked out, given some effort. I would try to eliminate some of the sweetheart deals for friends of Assembly Members, such as the $100/hour the borough was paying Jack Phelps of Alaska Forest Association to write comments on timber sales. While this somewhat avoids the premise of the question, that I "have" to cut services, I would close the borough's fiscal gap by increasing revenue. The borough has been buying houses on the north side of 4th Ave. between Madison and Jefferson as they become available, for the purpose of demolishing them and putting a parking lot there. My wife and I lived at the corner of 4th and Madison for a year, and I covered many events at Kayhi as a reporter. I know parking becomes scarce on the occasions when the auditorium is filled, but I have never had to park more than a block away. We're Alaskans, we're tough, we can walk a block. I would propose giving the current renters ample notice, and then selling the houses and putting them back on the tax rolls. I would also put some of the many other parcels of land owned by the borough up for sale.
Question # 3 For Assembly Candidates:Published Tuesday - September 10, 2002 - 7:00 pm What is the most serious challenge facing the Ketchikan Borough and how would you address this challenge?
The most serious challenge facing our borough is the amount of rain we receive. I will require all citizens to do a mandatory "sun dance" every morning. But seriously, the most serious challenge is reviving our economy. Rather than giving millions to private companies, I would push for infrastructure to develop tourism. I would like to see a public cruise ship dock in the Water Street area. I think when we have ships sitting in the Narrows we're losing money. This would help invigorate that area and lessen the pedestrian congestion downtown. I would like to see more dock facilities for yachts and other visiting boats who are currently bypassing Ketchikan. I would encourage the state to do more marketing of the ferry system. I would push for more campgrounds to increase the number of long-term visitors. I would push for better marketing of Ketchikan as a vacation destination. I would push for a road to Hyder to allow more visitors to come to Ketchikan. I realize many residents hate tourists, but I think we need to get over it, and start treating tourists as we would like to be treated when we go on vacation, and make Ketchikan known as "Alaska's Friendliest City." When I'm walking around with my son I like to wave to all the tour busses as they go by. When I see someone looking at a map I stop and ask them if they would like any help. Logging and fishing are important to Ketchikan, but we have to face the fact that tourism is our only growth industry right now.
Question # 4 For Assembly Candidates: Published Tuesday - September 10, 2002 - 7:00 pm Should the voters eliminate term limits for the Assembly? If so, what do you think would be the benefits to the community?
No, I am firmly in favor of term limits. I think it allows more people to bring their ideas and energy to the respective bodies. Incumbents have too much of an advantage in any election. I think the feeling of being unbeatable at the polls leads to complacency and corruption. One benefit to the community would be having elected officials with more experience, but I don't think it's a big deal for them to take a year off every six years. If the voters decline to repeal term limits for the Assembly, I will be pursuing another vote on term limits for City Council members next year. My suspicion is that the last ballot question, in 2000, was deliberately confusing.
Question # 5 For Assembly Candidates: Published Tuesday - September 10, 2002 - 7:00 pm Should the Assembly members be paid more for their service? If so, what amount would you consider appropriate?
According to the information I received when I filed, the Assembly Members receive $150 a month, plus $75 for each meeting they attend. I think that's more than enough. I will oppose any efforts to increase the pay of Assembly Members.
Question # 6 For All Candidates: Published Wednesday - September 18, 2002 - 7:40 pm During the interviews of the school board candidates on KRBD, the issue of violence in our schools was brought up as a reason that some parents are seeking alternatives to education other than public schools. I'm concerned about the level of abuse that seems to occur in the schools and wonder what thoughts the school board and borough candidates have about adopting a policy of zero tolerance in our schools for any form of abuse including verbal as well as physical and sexual.
With all due respect, I don't think this is applicable to Assembly candidates. I would try to create better cooperation between the borough and the school district, and to me, that includes not trying to tell the district how to do their job. If you want my personal opinion, abuse in any form should not be tolerated in our schools.
Question # 7 For Assembly & Mayoral Candidates: Published Thursday - September 19, 2002 - 2:30 pm The Gateway Forest Products bankruptcy has dominated front page news over the years, and has consumed tens of millions of dollars of Borough money. How do the candidates feel about the past decisions and future consequences of this issue?
The money given, excuse me, loaned to GFP amounted to a little over $1000 for every man, woman, and child in the borough. I think it would have been better for our economy if they had given everyone $1000. As a reporter covering the Assembly meetings for kanoe.com, I tried to provide objective coverage, even as I was sitting in the front row thinking to myself "I can't believe you are doing this!" At least Assembly Members Lybrand and Sallee had the common sense to vote against it. But it certainly did work out well for L-P, who got rid of a bunch of land they couldn't have sold otherwise. The future consequence is that the borough will wind up with some land that can hopefully be sold one day and returned to the tax rolls.
Question # 8 For Assembly Candidates: Published Thursday - September 19, 2002 - 2:30 pm What are your views regarding the timber industry and fishing industry?
Those are certainly two big questions. I would like to see the borough attempt to work cooperatively with the Forest Service rather than suing them every time the Forest Service makes a decision the Assembly isn't totally happy with. I think the timber industry can be an important part of a diversified economy, but we need to accept that it's never going to be 1973 again, when we were harvesting 600 million board feet every year. As Ernesta Ballard was quoted as saying when the FS Chief was here, the timber industry is outnumbered and outfinanced by the national environmental groups, and that's not going to change anytime soon. I was recently named as one of the members of the newly formed FS resource advisory committee as a representative of a recreation group (Trails Coalition). While we haven't met yet, I certainly hope we can find some common ground between timber industry, environmental, recreational, and other concerns. As for the fishing industry, I would like to see the state do a better job of marketing wild Alaska salmon, but given their budget problems that's probably not going to happen soon. Certainly the idea of a community cold storage facility is well worth looking into.
Question # 9 For Assembly Candidates: Published Thursday - September 19, 2002 - 2:30 pm Given that the borough is so rich in land what are your thoughts on returning some of the land to the landless Indians of Ketchikan?
It would be worth looking into, but I think it's probably more appropriate for our state and/or federal representatives to decide to return some of their land.
Question # 10 For Assembly Candidates: Published Thursday - September 19, 2002 - 2:30 pm Recent news reports indicate that Washington state is experiencing one of the largest unemployment rates in the Nation . How can Ketchikan compete with cities and counties in Washington state that are trying to attract new business and industry?
I certainly wouldn't try to compete by offering them taxpayer money, I would hope we've learned that lesson by now. I would compete by working to help make Ketchikan a community that people want to live in. The best schools in Alaska, clean streets and playgrounds, bike trails, an amphitheater where we could have weekly free concerts, safe water and sewer systems for all residents, and roads to other parts of the island. I think if we all work together to build on our many strengths and lessen our weaknesses, they will come.
Question # 11 For All Candidates: Published Thursday - September 19, 2002 - 2:30 pm Our community focuses on the importance of 'Youth Asset Building' - I would like to know that our elected officials set a good example. Have any of the candidates been charged for any serious violations of the law other than for minor traffic tickets.
In a word, no, but it depends on what you call serious. I was living in Phoenix, it was 1980 or so, and I had been attending services at a nearby church. One evening I walked in to tune my violin to their piano. Although the door was unlocked, the burglar alarm was on, resulting in a policeman arriving as I was happily playing the piano. The minister was summoned, he took one look at me and said "I don't know him. Book him!" I think the tv show Hawaii Five-O was still on the air at that point. So I was charged with Criminal Trespass and spent the night in Phoenix City Jail, which, needless to say but I will anyway, wasn't a fun place. The judge released me in the morning.
Question # 12 For Assembly Candidates: Published Friday - September 20, 2002 -8:00 pm I understand that Ketchikan is the secret owner of a priceless and fairly uncommon natural treasure, the protected deepwater cove that we call Ward Cove. I also understand that this resource has the potential to generate a great deal of much-needed income for the community of Ketchkan if we established a nothern marine amenities base so vessels don't have to travel all the way to Seattle to get what they require in maintenance, repairs, replacement parts, etc. And yet, I have watched as the Assembly has invested large amounts of taxpayer money in returning Ward Cove to a past forestry industry that has no foreseeable future in this region due to a decimated market, a market that won't cut the lumber it has contracted here, because they can't sell it for what it would cost them to cut it. I've seen the Assembly try to divest itself of Ward Cove when it came into its possession due to the default of the aforementioned veneer mill, and now the Assembly appears to be trying to make it into a garbage dump. My questions are:
Question # 13 For All Candidates: Published Sunday - September 22, 2002 -3:50 pm Would you recommend to all the citizens of Ketchikan that they support building a bridge to Gravina? If so, what would you say to community members about the short-term and long-term benefits to the community as a whole? If you support building a bridge, will you or your family personally benefit monetarily from bridge construction or do you or your family own property on Gravina?
While I've vowed, as a representative of the people, to support whatever decision the voters make, I would not recommend to citizens that they support a bridge to Gravina. I just don't see the need for it. When I need to go to the airport, which is about twice a year, I take the ferry. I usually get to talk to someone I don't see that often for the five minutes it takes to make the trip. I don't see a compelling need to develop Gravina when we have dozens of empty storefronts along Tongass/Water/Stedman, hundreds of homes for sale, and tons of room for industrial development at Ward Cove. If all of that is ever filled, the borough has thousands of acres of land available, and the University and Mental Health, among others, have land they're probably willing to sell. Some have described a bridge as a "gift" from our congressional delegation, well, actually it's your tax dollars, and plenty of them. Supporters say only a "small" match from the state will be needed. If the bridge costs $170 million, the state will need to chip in $34 million. That's a lot of money to me! If we look to the 3rd Ave. Bypass as an example of the state's ability to complete projects on time and under budget, a final price tag of $250M, with $50M state match, isn't farfetched. That's about $100 for every man, woman, and child in Alaska. How many projects that we truly need will be pushed back or eliminated altogether because some people demanded a bridge? Given all the services the state is cutting, could that money be better spent? Are the bridge supporters volunteering to drive the Fed-Ex van across the bridge when the wind's blowing 100 mph? Seems to me the borough will need to keep a working ferry as a backup, and the personnel to operate it. If the bridge closes the east channel, what is the economic impact to the community of cruise ship passengers spending half an hour doing a 180 degree turn instead of shopping? If a cruise ship has an accident doing the turnaround, or runs aground in the west channel, what would be the economic impact to the community if the cruise lines decide Ketchikan isn't worth the trouble? Would it be worth it just for a bridge to nowhere? Sorry if that was more than
you asked for. And although the question is only for bridge supporters,
no, my family will not benefit directly from construction, nor
do we own property on Gravina. Vote YES! (no bridge!)
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