Borough candidates don’t hold back at forum

WASILLA — Candidates for the Wasilla-area seat on the Mat-Su Borough Assembly and for the one contested seat on the Mat-Su Borough School District board squared off at a forum Thursday.

The primary focus for all candidates? Getting the most for taxpayer dollars.

At a forum hosted by the Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce at the Alaska Club theater in Wasilla, assembly candidates Steve Colligan and Pat Johnson demonstrated their individual brands of fiscal conservatism and traded barbs about planning and land-use development.

Darcie Salmon, former Mat-Su Borough mayor and now candidate for the Knik-Big Lake seat on the assembly, is running uncontested and was therefore not at the forum.

Colligan, president of technology company E-Terra LLC and vice-chairman of the Alaska Republican Party, said the best job an assembly member can do is to offer local businesses opportunities to succeed and get out of the way.

“It takes an individual to turn opportunities into jobs. I believe our focus needs to be on jobs, education, development … and affordable energy,” Colligan said.

Local government should partner with businesses to create a diverse local economy, he said.

Johnson, a former U.S. Navy SeaBee who ran a construction company and currently serves on the Mat-Su Borough Planning Commission, said assembly members should focus on spending tax dollars wisely.

“We need to be sure our children get a good education while we focus on new roads. … The wild card is the federal impact on our economy,” he said.

Increasing self-sufficiency by adding jobs, like those at the not-yet-opened Goose Creek Correctional Center should be a priority, he said.

Both men cited their fiscally conservative roots. Johnson said as a construction-industry worker, he was fiscally conservative “before it was popular” and retains those values today. Colligan cited his business background as the basis for his conservatism and his view that government should partner with business, not enact legislation that makes the business environment more difficult.

Both men said they support the $25 million road bond package the assembly has placed on the Oct. 4 ballot. The package would be supplemented by $25 million from the state and includes road projects throughout the borough.

Their agreement ended when it came to land use regulations. Johnson, who worked on the Mat-Su Borough Platting Board and Planning Commission to craft land-use regulations now in place said he was “somewhat dismayed” over efforts to repeal the regulations.

“There’s talk of putting substandard roads in so developers don’t have to pay the money (to build higher-quality roads),” he said. Johnson said he feared that would lead to construction of narrow, poor-quality roads that would have to be improved as development continues.

“What happens is taxpayers have to foot the bill. We’ve still got roads we can’t take school buses on, and I think that’s a shame.”

Colligan said he saw the battle over land use as indicative of government intrusion.

“You can’t have one size fits all,” he said. “Our area is very diverse. Bottom line is, I think we’ve had some special interests who’ve overstepped the bounds and we need to work with industry.”

Asked whether they support the assembly’s recent endorsement of a proposed coal mine at Wishbone Hill, the two men were split.

“I was pleased to see the borough took action,” Colligan said. “It’s appropriate to send a message to the state of Alaska … that they approve a permit. I’m not in favor of all development, but I am in favor of responsible development. We need to work together to provide new jobs.”

Johnson said he felt the assembly should have handled its endorsement of the project differently.

“I don’t support ruining any neighborhoods with this,” he said. “I do believe everybody has a chance to be heard and should have been heard on this issue. I am glad the state is involved in this. … I hope DEC (the Department of Environmental Conservation) and other agencies involved will keep a close eye on it to make sure the neighborhood is not harmed.”

The men agreed on one idea, however: the assembly can do more to spur economic development in the Valley.

Colligan said the borough is on its way toward more economic development by adding a rail spur to Port MacKenzie. The spur will open up opportunities for resource development both within and outside the borough.

Johnson said he believes the borough’s recently updated economic development plan is a good start toward growing the local economy. Adding local jobs will help insulate the borough from the impact of what he says is a likely reduction in federal spending.

“We need to look at being more self-sufficient,” he said.

School board

Mat-Su school board candidates likewise focused on making smart budgetary decisions and funding education wisely.

Three are running for two seats on the board. Incumbent Ole Larson is running unopposed to retain his seat and was therefore not at the candidate forum. Board vice-president Erick Cordero faces challenger Lynette Warhus and the two squared off Thursday.

Cordero said his focus is on providing choices for students and safe school environments.

“They don’t all learn the same way and we need to provide them with the tools to be effective,” he said. “We also need to concentrate on being fiscally responsible. We need to look out for ways to improve efficiency while continuing to make sure we provide that high-quality education for our kids.”

Warhus said she hopes to increase parental involvement in school district decisions, some of which she feels were made improperly.

“On the top of my list is the new report card, taking As, Bs and Cs (and combining) into a 3. I don’t feel that takes their effort into account,” she said. “I also feel that they change curriculum too often. I would be in favor of going back to textbooks and using them year after year. It helps to have something they can look at at home.”

Moderator Stu Graham asked what the candidates would do about the recent Adequate Yearly Progress report results, which show all three primary high schools in the Valley as under-performing.

“How should we move forward?” Graham asked.

Warhus said smaller class sizes are one approach, and students should be offered more classes in hopes of spurring interest in staying in school. Tutoring should be considered, she said.

Cordero said the Adequate Yearly Progress report measures benchmarks and the program benchmark recently increased to state that 100 percent of students should be reaching approved levels. He said while local schools passed many of the 70 categories measured, he said he believes the measurement tool is not an effective measurement. That said, he also recommended reduced class sizes.

“Classroom sizes is always an objective of the school district — to make them smaller — but we are also living in challenging times economically,” he said.

Asked how the school board should address a recent report stating that 43 percent of college-bound students are unable to meet minimum education demands for entering college, Cordero and Warhus offered different suggestions.

“I believe we should put a lot of effort on middle-school kids so they’re ready for the next step,” Cordero said. “And also, kids learn in a lot of different ways. Giving them choices allows them to be successful.”

Warhus said consistency is one way to help students succeed.

“My son went through two, maybe three programs in math. I think they should concentrate on math — the basics,” she said.

Warhus added that more attention should be paid to reading comprehension, not just reading speed, and that high schools students should get a brush-up on grammar lessons.

Asked how to reduce drop-out rates and prepare students who do drop out for life outside the classroom, Warhus said the district should embrace all students, even troubled students. She advocates directing students toward alternative schools as one choice.

“If they are really adamant about not going to any more school, encourage them to get a GED and allow them to move on to a job or to college,” she said.

Cordero said he believes vocational and technical schools are one opportunity for kids who don’t feel engaged in regular school studies.

“Providing different paths for students, making sure they’re engaged, making sure parents can be involved. We have so many choices in Mat-Su that help in engaging (students). We also need to be aware that there are socio-economic factors that will affect that decision,” he said.

Asked if the annual budget for the school district — about $215 million, 85 percent of which goes to salaries — is too high, Cordero and Warhus said it’s not, but the district should be allowed the ability to plan and save for future years.

“It’s a challenge having to adopt a budget not knowing what the economic forecast is going to look like. We need to look at forward funding,” Cordero said.

Warhus said school funds left unused at the end of the fiscal year — which are currently returned to the Mat-Su Borough general fund — should be set aside for future years.

“Maybe they wouldn’t have to ask for it again,” Warhus said.

Warhus and Cordero were both reluctant to endorse a $215 million school bond package placed on the October ballot. The bond package would pay for a new middle and high school in the Knik-Goose Bay area and replace Iditarod Elementary, as well as build an addition to the Career and Technical High School and permanent buildings to replace portable classrooms at two schools. It would also pay for building maintenance and repair projects.

“There were items on the bond package I really like and there were items in the package I did not believe were priorities now,” Cordero said. But he stopped short of saying more and instead encouraged voters to read more about the bond package on the district website.

“I support stuff on the package. I think it’s too big a package and I haven’t decided how I’m going to vote,” Warhus said.