Candidate Forum 2017

Candidates for local offices participated in a forum on Tuesday, September 26, 2017. Here are their statements and responses to a series of questions.

 

Candidates for City Mayor and the Board of Education – uncontested seats – read their candidate statements.

 

Borough Candidates’ introductory remarks.

 

Question 2: Money is tight and looks to be getting tighter for some time to come. Here are three short questions in regard to the budget for you:

1. 1. Do you think the Borough’s budget is where it should be?
   2. If you believe we need to raise revenue, what do we target?
   3. If you believe expenses are too high, where do we cut?

 

Question 3: A significant portion of the Borough’s budget goes to support K-12 public education.  Every Spring the Assembly receives a proposed budget from the School District and must eventually decide how much of that request should be funded.  How would you approach the budget process?  And, do you favor funding to “the cap”?

 

Question 4: Where do you see Kodiak’s economy going down the road?  What do you think the Borough’s role should be in regard to making that Kodiak a reality –in other words,  how can the Borough encourage it and how would we pay for it?

 

Question 5: For years the Assembly has struggled with the issue of nonprofit funding—too little money for too many groups with ever-increasing needs.  What’s your take on funding the nonprofits?

 

Question 6: Housing costs in Kodiak are some of the highest in the State and we seem to have a shortage of land available which makes it very difficult for Kodiak to be an affordable place to live, especially for local youths who want to stay here and for newcomers trying to make this their home. If elected, what can you do to help solve the housing/land issues?

 

Question 7: The final question isn’t really a question. It’s an opportunity for you to talk about something that we haven’t already touched on or a chance for you to elaborate on one of the questions asked that you wished you had a little bit more time to add to. So—what’s an issue that’s near and dear to your heart that you’d like to talk to the voters about so they’ll get a better sense of who you are and why they should vote for you.

 

Borough Candidates give concluding remarks.