Having worked as an operator, supervisor, and manager in snow removal efforts for the city and in the military, I know it is not a lack of talent or expertise in the MOA and DOT. When I started in 1995 with MOA Street Maintenance there were over 90 operators and we delivered 72-hour plow outs. Since that time, Anchorage has grown in population and we have added hundreds of miles of new roads. Additionally, the number of Street Maintenance employees has decreased and the plow-out time has gone from 72 to 96 hours. This imbalance is not due to a lack of equipment or the quality of the equipment. Both the MOA and DOT have the state of the art equipment at their disposal. The challenge is hiring and retaining good employees. Additionally, I believe Anchorage should advocate strongly for more DOT maintenance funding given the large number of roads that are owned and maintained by the State within Anchorage. The Chugiak, Eagle River Rural Road Service Area (CBERRRSA) works wonderfully for our community. Roads are typically cleared within 24 hours after a snowfall and the public has a true voice in how they want their roads maintained. Our way of doing things differs from how Anchorage or DOT plows the roads. It will be my mission in the Assembly to ensure Chugiak-Eagle River maintains this authority and control, and that the citizens of our community are not unduly taxed to support services in Anchorage that they receive little benefit from.

Chugiak-Eagle River residents contribute a significant portion of property taxes to the Municipality, due to our higher than average property values. Anchorage has a tax cap in our Charter - that I will vigorously defend - that restricts how much government can tax residents. When government spending grows, so does the level of property taxes. Conversely, when spending is reduced so are property taxes. A conservative approach to spending and budget management is desperately needed to alleviate the ever-rising burden of taxes on property owners. It will be my mission in the Assembly to advocate for wise reductions in spending, vote for budgets that come in under the tax cap, and fight to protect homeowners from bearing the entire burden of supporting our local government. Some of the taxes we pay in Chugiak-Eagle River support all of Anchorage, however, our community has over 10 percent of the Anchorage populace and our area does not receive near that in tax distribution and support. This is an issue I will fight to correct on the Assembly.

I fully support our brave men and women in blue who keep us safe day and night. Defunding the police and making their jobs harder will not fly with me. Likewise, I strongly support our incredibly brave and professional firefighters who are among the best in the nation. These public servants have my full support. They are the front line of our safety and security. As a retired Air Force member, I feel fortunate to live in a community with some of the highest rates, per capita, of veterans and active duty personnel. Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER) has enormous benefits for Anchorage from both a national security and economic perspective, and I will work with Alaska's Congressional delegation to ensure JBER remains in our community for years to come. The Assembly can and should look for new and innovative ways to enhance our partnership with JBER to make Anchorage, and Eagle River, a welcoming, prosperous, affordable, and safe place for military personnel, their families, and veterans to live, work, and retire. I pray daily for those who serve our community - you have my highest regard and backing.

As a Christian, I believe we have a moral obligation to care for those in need, especially the most vulnerable among us such as the disabled, elderly, and homeless. It is my belief though that we should extend a helping hand to those who have fallen on hard times, those who desire to exit their current status and demonstrate a willingness to put forth the effort to improve themselves with a little help. As a 40+ year resident of this city, homelessness has reached a level that requires a permanent fix and a statewide approach to address it. Anchorage taxpayers cannot confront this issue alone. Permanent shelter, more drug and alcohol treatment beds, more psychiatric beds, revisions to our criminal codes, and creative approaches providing affordable housing that involve the private, non-profit, and faith-based sectors of our community are all needed.

Anchorage needs to be open for business once again. We must build a community that attracts business and new investment to our city. As the economic hub of Alaska, Anchorage has incredible potential. With huge investments happening on the North Slope and at the airport, a resurgent tourism industry, and massive influx of federal infrastructure funding, Anchorage is on the cusp of tremendous growth. Through common sense policies that promote growth, keep our city beautiful, make strategic investments, and limit government overreach we can build an economy that provides opportunity and prosperity for all. Our community of Chugiak and Eagle River has steadily grown over the past 40 years. Given our community’s unique mountain setting, and being bordered by JBER and Cook Inlet we have developed in a thoughtful and positive manner. While on the Assembly I will work to protect the ways Chugiak-Eagle River develops, in a manner that is guided by our values and thoughtful planning. What works for Anchorage may not always work for our community.