Positions

Education:

The education of our children is one of my top priorities. Education includes Healthy Families, Head Start, quality day care, K-12, and the University of Alaska. I have consistently supported education and, if re-elected, will continue to do so.

University of Alaska, Fairbanks:

The university is a critically important part of what makes Fairbanks a great place to live. We need a sound budget to assure the ability to maintain quality programs. Piecemeal progress was made on the deferred maintenance problem, but a long-term solution is still needed. The university is a major economic asset for Fairbanks. We need to fight to keep the flagship of the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, along with its major schools and research institutes.

Resource Development and the Environment:

Alaska is a state rich in natural resources. Utilization of those resources plays an important role in our economy. But the days of indiscriminate development using outside labor are over. We need clear, well-justified laws that protect our environment and encourage local hire and value-added processing in Alaska. We can have good jobs and a healthy environment.

Budget Stability:

We continue to postpone the development of a long-range fiscal plan. Spending our savings accounts and simply cutting the budget are not responsible solutions to the problems created by declining oil revenues. We need a plan that provides for a lean operating budget, accounts for increases in population and inflation, and gets us off the capital budget roller coaster.