2021 Election: Houston City Council

The city of Houston opened early voting on Sept. 20 for the Houston City Council elections. There are three seats available and eight candidates running in total. Ron Bass, Cole Carter and Shanie Heger are running for Seat C. Tony Kuse and Lance Wilson are running for Seat D. Mike Adams, David Johnson and current Councilwoman Gina Jorgensen are all running for Seat G. Election day is Oct. 5 and Houston City Hall is the polling place for in-person voting.

The candidates each completed questionnaires for the Frontiersman.

Seat C: Ron Bass

Q: If elected, how would you work to assist local businesses as a member of the Houston City Council?

A: Lacey and I own four businesses in Houston Alaska. The Houston Grass Station, The Houston Burger joint, the Houston Coffee joint, the Houston Grass Station Campground. We know how to build businesses from scratch working with the community by our side. If elected I would love to promote new businesses & help existing businesses to help keep our community strong.

Q: What do you feel is the most important issue facing Houston residents?

A: I feel that the biggest problem facing Houston residents is Housing because the Housing is too expensive and the economy & jobs available can not support the cost of living, forcing community members to move away or face being Homeless.

Q: If elected, what strategies would you employ to assist the residents of Houston, if any?

A: If elected I will work hard to continue employing local people, supporting local businesses and continue working with the community to battle pain from diseases, hard drugs & addictions, supporting local food banks & fundraisers and help keep our crime rates down.

Q: If elected, how would you plan to use your time in office to improve the city of Houston?

A: I would love to work with the city of Houston and together I Believe we can make this community Better. I would like to see more time and effort put into the local food bank.

Q: Why did you decide to run for City Council and why do you feel Houston residents should vote for you?

A: I have invested everything into Houston Alaska and I want to help this community together as a team and that is why I decided to run for city council. I wear my heart on my sleeve for Houston Alaska. I care deeply for this town and the people in it. This will not change, literally “until my casket drops!”

Seat C: Carter Cole

Q: If elected, how would you work to assist local businesses as a member of the Houston City Council?

A: Local businesses are part of the community, and my approach would be the same to any member in the community. I would determine if government has a role or responsibility in the request. I can think of several times when government involvement created bigger problems for business then the fixed. Limited small affective government has been the most effective model for healthy business environment and community management, and that is the model that I think will help the residents the most.

Q: What do you feel is the most important issue facing Houston residents?

A: In the last 6 months, inflation, rising fuel cost, higher taxes will all have quality of life impacts on every resident. Drug addiction awareness and rehabilitation, user fees, and road improvements all must be looked at as ways to help the local residence offset the rising cost that is being imposed on all the residence.

Q: If elected, what strategies would you employ to assist the residents of Houston, if any?

A: Know all the local issues better, after that I would bring fresh eyes on the various local considerations. I would also seek out State Representatives to let them know our specific needs. Two phrases that come to my mind that I consider on most situations: More than one way to skin a cat; If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

Q: If elected, how would you plan to use your time in office to improve the city of Houston?

A: Listen to the people, and where I can, explore ways to reduce the cost to their families, promote healthy family living, create thriving business environment, and for small effective government.

Q: Why did you decide to run for City Council and why do you feel Houston residents should vote for you?

A: My neighbors started to say they were going to write in my name a couple years ago, and after given it much prayer and consideration, my wife and I decided that it was time to see if we could help bring a voice of the people back into the local government. We have many neighbors that could use an advocate voice at the local government. I would say the most motivating factor for me to run, is to help return the government back to the role described in the constitution. If the government would focus on the essential duties as described, and do those well, everyone will be better off.

Seat C: Shanie Heger

Q: If elected, how would you work to assist local businesses as a member of the Houston City Council?

A: As a small business owner myself, I look forward to hearing from and working with local businesses/owners to see the issues that they are facing and how we can make things better for them. Houston could benefit greatly from having more businesses come in to provide groceries and daily necessities and restaurants.

Q: What do you feel is the most important issue facing Houston residents?

A: I believe that there are multiple issues facing the community such as crime, drugs, homelessness, mental health issues. We need to come together as a community it reach out to those facing these issues and do more for our youth so they don’t go down a path adding to the numbers of the issues I mentioned above.

Q: If elected, what strategies would you employ to assist the residents of Houston, if any?

A: I would always have open door policy and keep lines of communication open whether it be email, phone or community get-togethers.

Q: If elected, how would you plan to use your time in office to improve the city of Houston?

A: I look forward to hearing from and visiting the local community and businesses about how I can make a difference for them while serving in the City Council. I want to be a voice for them and bring about growth and stability in our community. I would like to have the opportunity to have community events where we can come together to discuss issues or things that are important to them.

Q: Why did you decide to run for City Council and why do you feel Houston residents should vote for you?

A: I decided to run because I want to make a difference in my community. I want to serve something bigger than myself. I love my community and want to see it thrive and grow. I look forward to serving the great people of Houston.

Seat D: Tony Kuse

We moved to Houston fifteen years ago from Anchorage. My wife Debby and I have two adult children and seven grandkids. We are small business owners. Noticing Seat D only had one candidate running and wanting to become more involved in developing the future of Houston’s business community presented an opportunity. Developing commerce in Houston will enable increasing the tax base which will facilitate the ability to afford a police force, schools, road repairs, enhance fire protection. Also promote public safety. Economic development will provide new recurring revenue sources. Opportunities to grow business is my goal. Federal and state funds are material and important but come with strings attached which may have negative effects on the community.

I have worked as an accountant in the private sector for thirty-five years and in the public sector for seven. Industry experience include banking, mining, manufacturing and healthcare. Services provided auditing, budgeting and financial reporting.

Editor’s note: Kuse chose to provide a bio rather than the questionnaire.

Seat D: Lance Wilson

Q: If elected, how would you work to assist local businesses as a member of the Houston City Council?

A: Economic development is the life’s blood of a community. We need to nurture Houston businesses, not kill or drive them away through over-regulation and heavy taxes. Houston economic development provides the local jobs, goods and services that we need to live here, while providing the revenue for community improvements. We can help to create the right environment to allow existing businesses to grow and encourage new businesses to locate here through measured local planning control and judicious regulation designed to protect community and property values and business investment.

Q: What do you feel is the most important issue facing Houston residents?

A: Just living life and raising families within limited family financial/economic constraints.

Q: If elected, what strategies would you employ to assist the residents of Houston, if any?

A: Not raise their City property taxes, but continue to ensure at least the basic City services of an absolutely fantastic Fire Department and adequate snow removal and road maintenance, but at a total cost less than it would be if these services were provided by the Mat-Su Borough.

Q: If elected, how would you plan to use your time in office to improve the city of Houston?

A: The same as I’ve done for the past 16 years. I’ve attended nearly every Houston Council meeting since 2005, so I know what’s going on, know what the issues are, have spent the time to research how government is supposed to work and then acted to make it work as it should.

Q: Why did you decide to run for City Council and why do you feel Houston residents should vote for you?

A: My original reasons/goals for running for Council in 2008 remain valid today. I want to make our city a better place to live. I will work to maintain our credibility, ensure public safety needs are met, particularly fire service and protection ratings, promote economic development and not ask you for a property tax increase. I was first elected to the Houston City Council in 2008 and have served as our City’s Deputy Mayor for most of the time since then. Why vote for me? Competence. I know what I’m doing.

Seat G: David Johnson

Q: If elected, how would you work to assist local businesses as a member of the Houston City Council?

A: Our local businesses are very important not only to our community but the future to Houston. The way to assist our local business is to understand their wants, needs, and goals. And how we can help them achieve those goals on a level playing field that can benefit all of our locals. I also feel that the Houston area is very young in the growth process, so now is the perfect time to look into the businesses we currently have and help prepare future businesses.

Q: What do you feel is the most important issue facing Houston residents?

A: With being a local member of the community for six years now, the majority of issues I have seen or experienced have been theft, and drugs. Which is an ongoing war throughout our Country let alone our own Community. Our best practice is to provide information to our Community on how to best protect their homes and families. Our law enforcement is few and wide spread so help is not always not right around the corner so preparation is important. On another issue I feel that preparation for growth in our area. I feel that Houston is about to see some growth over the next 10 years so making sure we are prepared for that growth is a top issue.

Q: If elected, what strategies would you employ to assist the residents of Houston, if any?

A: This is a challenging question prior to being elected, due to not knowing what I have available to assist the residents of Houston. I would have to fall back to the wants, needs, and goals of our local residents. Learning and understanding where they need assistance I can then find a strategy to assist. And again, my strategies would gear towards assisting our residents as a whole.

Q: If elected, how would you plan to use your time in office to improve the city of Houston?

A: I feel that just being present in the community and learning from our residents, business owners, and those in office of what is top priority, what is coming ahead, and how do we handle the surprise situations. However, you cannot learn what needs improvement if your boots are not on the ground. So just being present in our community and getting to know our residents is the best way to plan for future improvements.

Editor’s note: Mike Adams and incumbent Gina Jorgenson are also running, but didn’t submit questionnaires.