Gattis and Ewing square off in House debate

WASILLA — Running for the new state House seat created through recent redistricting, Mark Ewing and Lynn Gattis agreed on some points, but were miles apart on other issues.

Both, for instance, say a bridge across the Knik Arm connecting Anchorage and Point MacKenzie is a good idea. Both also seem supportive of the Pebble Mine project.

“I’m all for mining in Alaska responsibly,” Ewing said.

“I do think that the state provides enough oversight,” Gattis said.

They came together July 28 during a Greater Wasilla Chamber of Commerce candidates forum at the Alaska Club. The district they hope to represent includes Wasilla and points east. A Democrat is also in the race, Blake Merrifield, but organizers said the debate was for candidates who have opponents in the August party primaries, saying Merrifield would be invited if debates are scheduled after the primaries.

One point of difference came on the topic of the state’s operating budget. Ewing answered first, pointing out that the largest piece of that budget goes to the Department of Health and Social Services.

“We need to look at these big pieces of pie that we’re funding and try a way to reduce spending,” he said.

Another big slice of that budget pie? Education.

“I got to be honest with you, I am not in favor of the No Child Left Behind Act,” Ewing said. “We are spending millions and millions of dollars educating children that have a hard time making their wheelchair move and, I’m sorry, but you’ve got to say, ‘no’ somewhere. We need to educate our children, but there are certain individuals that are just not going to benefit from an education.”

Gattis, a sitting member of the Mat-Su Borough School Board, disagreed.

“We define ourselves by how we treat our elderly and our less fortunate and our special needs people,” she said.

But the budget is too big, she said.

“We need to look at that and be strong enough to say ‘no’ when we can’t afford it,” Gattis said.

Ewing spent a good deal of his time outlining his plan to boost revenue at the state through the construction of a natural gas pipeline. He proposes borrowing money to build the line against the Alaska Permanent Fund. He emphasized it would be a loan, not a raid on the fund. He said the state has waited too long for a gas line.

“I’m getting old. My grandkids are growing up. They need the same opportunities to find a gainful employment that I had,” Ewing said.

On the subject of oil production, Gattis spent her time talking mostly about oil taxes and the need to reduce them.

“If you overtax a business you tax them out of business,” Gattis said.

Ewing also thinks oil taxes need changing. He pointed out that gold is taxed at 1 percent.

“We’re treating the oil industry one way and other industries another way,” Ewing said.

Both candidates also were supportive of coal exploration at Wishbone Hill in Sutton.

“I think we should be supportive of business,” Gattis said. “It would be a shame to be a business and somebody didn’t like you and they made the choice to put you out of business.”

Ewing went further.

“I love coal. I love the smell of burning coal in the morning,” he said. “I think that No. 1 coal seam we have up there is a gold mine.”

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.