Issues
Fisheries, Alaska Marine Highway System, Resource Development, and the Alaska Permanent Fund
My campaign is centered around understanding the issues that Southeast Alaska faces and developing solutions for these issues.
Fisheries Protections
Campaign Platform
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Bycatch limit: To reduce bycatch of Western Alaska chum and king salmon, we need to enact a firm bycatch limit on Alaska's trawling fleet.
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Support Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI): We need to ensure the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute has the full support of the legislature to help the organization market Alaska's commercial catch.
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Financial Relief: We need to provide financial relief to Alaska's fisherman and communities. Income for Alaska's commercial fisherman plummeted last year, and communities that rely on revenue from fish taxes are facing substantial budget shortfalls.
Reasoning
My campaign is centered around protecting Alaska's fishing industry and ensuring that commercial fisherman have the support they need to weather historically low prices. My husband works on a commercial power troller. Both of my children work at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Fishing is one of the few remaining industries where Alaskans can earn an income that supports families.
Alaska Permanent Fund Reform
Campaign Platform
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Legislative Confirmation of Board members: To ensure that the Permanent Fund is not governed by board members who are unqualified, politically motivated, and riddled with conflicts of interest.
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Nominating Council: We need an independent council to screen and nominate board applicants; evaluate the performance of board members.
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Protect the Permanent Fund Dividend: I will fight for a 50/50 Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD). Dividend cuts are the most regressive revenue tool the Alaska Legislature has at its disposal. PFD cuts drain millions of dollars out of our local economies and push thousands of Alaskans into poverty all while non-residents and tourists consume government services without paying their fair share.
Reasoning
The Permanent fund's recent scandals has demonstrated to the public that the legislature needs to act to protect the Permanent Fund for current and future generations.
Alaska Marine Highway System
Campaign Platform
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Streamline the Hiring Process: You cannot have a functioning marine highway system with a job vacancy rate of 60%., when it takes months to make a job offer, and administrative hurdles limits the ability of managers to hire workers.
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Reform the State of Alaska's Payroll System: The State of Alaska's payroll system is in shambles. Despite millions of dollars being invested into the payroll system, the system fails to pay employees correctly or on time, causing employees to leave the system.
Reasoning
As a lifelong resident of Southeast Alaska I understand how important the Alaska Marine highway System is to communities. Coastal Alaskan communities deserve a reliable ferry system, with dependable sailings to move passengers and freight across the state.
Education Funding
Campaign Platform
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Raise the Base Student Allocation: Alaska's education funding has not been permanently increased since 2017. Years of stagnant funding have left school districts unable to offer competitive benefits. As a result, districts across the state are struggling to hire staff, which has led to over crowded classrooms and understaffed schools.
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Retirement Benefits: With no state pension, and ineligible for Social Security, teachers have been forced to leave the state out of financial necessity. This has caused Alaska to have some of the highest teacher turnover in the nation. We need to improve teachers' retirement benefits if we are to offer stability in the classroom.
Reasoning
As the Executive Director at Women in Safe Homes, I understand the funding challenges schools district are facing. Years of flat funding left our District 1 schools unable to adequately staff their classrooms. I secured grant funding so the Ketchikan and Annette Island School District could hire counselors and social workers for their schools.
