WASILLA — Residents of Wasilla will elect a new mayor Oct. 7. Five men are running for the city’s top spot, held by term-limited Mayor Dianne M. Keller. The candidates will have their first formal debate at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Multi-Use Sports Complex. The Mat-Su Frontiersman recently asked the candidates to fill out a questionnaire dealing with the future of Wasilla and how they would lead. What follows are their answers.

Questions: 1. Briefly, what is the most significant challenge facing Wasilla?

2. If elected, will you clean out top administrators to replace them with your own people, or will you try to work with who is already employed there first? 3. The city was rocked by an ethics investigation over the summer, what would you do to ensure something like the Meritage ordeal never happens again.

4. How can Wasilla make more money without raising taxes?

5. Is Wasilla’s current growth — ie. big box stores, new, proposed developments — being handled correctly, or does it need to be changed? Why?

6. Why should voters vote for you?

Michael Carson

1. Biggest challenge is to not expand the city boundaries, which will dilute the sales tax revenues. Expanding the city boundaries forces higher property taxes, and spending of sales tax monies over a bigger geographic area. Less bang for the buck.

2. I will do a review of city operations and top administrators, and determine a course of action based on my findings.

3. The Meritage affair threatened that the city use its eminent domain solely to aid a developer. I will not do that.

4. Developers need to provide space for big box retailers, which brings in more sales tax. We can do well with the 2 percent sales tax we have. The city administration needs to adopt a positive, but fair, attitude to business growth inside the city.

5. Big box business growth is always good for sales tax revenues, and sales tax revenues are good for the city. We are moving in the right direction.

6. I care about things being handled fairly and properly, and that is what I shall strive for.  

Greg Koskela

1. I feel the biggest challenge we face in Wasilla is the traffic congestion. We need to get a solid plan in place to deal with our future growth and traffic problems.

The challenge includes dealing with the borough, state and federal transportation departments as well as the Alaska Railroad to come up with a solid working solution that will meet the needs of the entire area.

2. I could not say with any certainty at this point what I would change until I was able to interact, and assess  what is currently going on in each department: Determining the strengths and weaknesses in each department, talking with all of them one on one to determine what they envision for each department, and any specific goals they look to achieve.

Only after that, will I determine changes and new direction.

 3. The first thing would be to treat all the business owners on equal ground, regardless of how long they have been in the city. Each and every property owner has the same rights to develop according to city code.

I believe communication and honesty between all parties is of the most importance, without that, we tend to fill in the blanks in our own minds, and that serves no one’s best interests.

4. I don’t think we should look at Wasilla as being in the business of “making money.” We create our budgets based on tax revenues generated by businesses and their patrons. Those revenues will naturally increase as more businesses and more people come to Wasilla. As revenues increase, our budgets should not have to increase to match, we don’t need to spend funds just because we have them, it needs to be used wisely and reinvested in critical infrastructure as we grow.

5. As businesses decide to locate in Wasilla, we can’t really tell them no, as long as they develop according to our codes. I do, however, believe we can encourage new sectors to look at Wasilla for relocation, to balance the retail sector growth we are now experiencing. We need to create a current comprehensive plan and an economic development plan to address those needs, and that also ties into our transportation and infrastructure needs.

6. I believe I have what it takes to lead Wasilla forward at this time, I have a good grasp on the challenges we face. I have the forward thinking and the vision to see what needs to be put in place for the needs of the current, and the future residents in Wasilla.

Steve Menard

1. The most significant challenge facing Wasilla is how to maintaining the small town appeal we all have come to love. Small businesses are the backbone of this community and they were the ones that stayed when the bust happened and everyone left in the early ’80s.  I will claw, scratch and fight for ever last citizen and business.  My blood flows Warrior Red. And if elected, I can promise you this; I will never embarrass you or this city, again.

2.  On day one as your mayor, I will meet with all of the top administrators and see where their vision is for the city of Wasilla.  And if I feel that we differ on the direction the city should head, I will make a change. As your mayor, I promise you that the buck will always stop with me.  Therefore, I must trust my staff 100 percent.

3.  Since I was the one that brought this forward to the council, I do think the mayor and some city officials acted inappropriately. It comes down to respect. Wasilla needs a mayor that will work with the community, not against it. I would rather cut off my own arm than allow an “outsider” to bully a business or resident to sell. It all comes down to ethics. Some have them and some don’t.

4. I take a different approach than most when it comes to taxes.  I don’t feel it is the city of Wasilla’s job to maximize profit. We currently take in around $14 million in tax revenue for a town of about 7,000.  My philosophy is that we have more than enough revenue.  I’ve lived here almost 40 years and we didn’t even have a city budget until recently. Yet, we managed.  For goodness sakes, Palmer has nearly the same population and only collects around $7 million; and it seems to me it is doing fine.

5.  Now, we all like the comforts the big box stores and new development brings to our city. But at what cost?  I will fight for the little guy and develop our city responsibly. My door will always be open.  I cannot emphasize enough how important communication is in politics.  This city needs a leader with a direct connection to its citizens. No other candidate has those connections like me. I’m a people person. I get things done. 

6. I am asking for your vote because I am the most experienced candidate. No one has lived here longer. No one has the passion for this great city like I have. No one will work every day for the betterment of this community.  But most importantly, no other candidate is a Marine; enough said. I am a fighter.  Semper Fi! “Always Faithful”

Marty Metiva

1. The immediate challenge is regaining the trust of the citizens, the long-term challenge is diversifying our economy by attracting new business/industry to Wasilla, and bringing the “legacy” career jobs that will support Wasilla and our residents for years to come.

2. Much like the private sector, any time new leadership comes into a company they evaluate all the existing management positions, layout their (management’s) philosophy and goals, and surround themselves with people who will work toward those goals.

I will use the same practices to ensure Wasilla has the best management team we can.

3. This is why I have pushed for writing and adopting both an ethics policy and concrete economic policy and practices in the city of Wasilla. A major component of the economic development plan will be engaging the community and stakeholders to ensure openness and sustainability.

 4. First of all, I do not believe in increasing any taxes. We can increase our tax base by diversifying our local economy.

When we attract new businesses/industry we will increase the amount of sales tax collected. Jobs will be created keeping our residents and their discretionary income in the community — more time at home equates to more money invested in our local economy.

5. First, I believe we need a strategic plan in place that maps out what kind of growth we want. In other words we need top focus on “smart growth,” not just growth of any kind.

Our comprehensive plan has not been rewritten since 1996. We must start planning for the future to help create a community where everyone’s children will want to live, work and play.

6. I believe that everything starts with the kids and this it what inspired me to run for mayor.  I am running for the future generations of our community. 

I will work hard to diversify our economy and attract the business and industry that will bring and create the high paying jobs for our future generations.

With over 30 years in the private sector I know that without a plan we don’t where we are going or how we will get there. I am a consensus builder who has the principles to compromise but won’t compromise my principle.

Verne Rupright

1. Rapid development and population surge bringing traffic problems and congestion.

2. My management style is to first work with who has been at the city. They are the people with the up-to-date knowledge. Each department head will be asked to exchange their ideas for better service management with me.

3. Through study, review and training on the issues, coupled with open discussion, the matter should have been avoided. The city should arm itself with a professional rules of conduct standard, much like what governs my profession and many others.

4. The city needs to get the sports center running full time, providing the environment that attracts various shows, from sportsman events, gun shows, sporting events, music, cultural events, trade shows, etc. ... and generate revenue. Also, I think that re-working the city code and re-thinking the duties of the city attorney’s office, we can engraft, as Anchorage did, the state criminal and administrative code. From that the city attorney’s office then could directly advise the police and city officials, prosecute misdemeanor offenses, violations and forfeitures, generating revenue for the city.

  

5. Big development has many meanings. All of them need city services and infrastructure.

Through a thoughtful planning model, incorporating mixed-use development, with business corridors, implementing an economic advisory counsel, to work with city government, taking into consideration citizen and business stakeholders’ needs, a proper comprehensive plan can be developed and a proper land and zoning code can be accomplished.

6. I have lived here 25 years and been a landowner in Wasilla for 30 years. I have watched the changes and growth, it is phenomenal. This city is faced with numerous challenges with roads that still need paving, proper traffic-calming needs and connectivity roads networks.

I have the training, education and experience, both in the military and civilian sectors, to bring to public service.

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiers-  man.com or 352-2252.