It's time to question candidates, again

Frontiersman editorial board

Now that all the candidates have filed for the upcoming round of elections, the fun can begin. So far, things have been quiet on the campaign front, and in many cases it may remain that way. Several of the open seats are being pursued by unchallenged incumbents, so there's not much point in them going out on a rhetorical limb.

Still, there are several important issues facing the Valley in the near future, and in the long-run for that matter. Campaign seasons are a great time for voters to press candidates -- even unchallenged ones -- for their stances on critical issues.

Where do our candidates stand in regard to education in the Valley? With some cuts already in place, and others looming, how will our elected officials respond to maintain a quality education system for our students? How will they address a school transportation system that will scrape by in the near future but run into serious challenges in just a couple of years? How will they respond to meeting the president's No Child Left Behind requirements in a community with so many small schools?

How do the candidates feel about the Port MacKenzie project that has already cost the borough a fair amount of money and will cost quite a bit more before it is complete? How do they propose to make the dock profitable? So far, the major commodities slated for shipment out of the dock are sand and gravel -- not high-end resources by any standard. Do our candidates have any idea how long it will be before the dock earns a profit … or even pays for itself, for that matter?

Every community in the state faces serious budget challenges in the coming years. Mat-Su is not exempt from those worries, and some communities are already feeling the crunch, and responding. Wasilla has responded by switching its animal control function from the borough to the city of Houston. The state has responded by cutting funding to many programs. Breathe-Free Mat-Su has lost funding, and so has the detox program at Nugen's Ranch. The loss of the longevity bonus will place many elderly people in the Valley in financial jeopardy, and it will also reduce the money those people will spend on local businesses and services, something that will have long-range economic repercussions here.

How do our candidates propose to deal with those needs? Should the borough and city governments pick up the slack where state and federal governments have dropped the rope?

While some of our candidates are unchallenged during the election cycle, they will face serious challenges during their tenure in office. We should know exactly how they propose to face those challenges now. We hope the candidates will step up during this campaign and provide answers to important questions to Valley voters.

We also urge voters to press candidates on the issues that matter to us all. When that candidate comes knocking on your door, don't just shake hands and drop the flyer in the trash.

Take the time to ask a few questions and pay close attention to the answers. It's your work these candidates will soon be tackling.