Let's talk about crime, budget, education

Spectrum, by Betty Vehrs

My name is Betty Vehrs and I am running for Mat-Su Borough Assembly, District 7. My district covers a huge area and goes from Meadow Lakes north to just before Cantwell. I have been a Mat-Su resident for 34 years and I love this place!

We all know that the past few years have brought rapid changes to our neighborhoods. The future offers exciting opportunities as well as difficult obstacles to overcome. I've been listening to my neighbors in our communities and several areas of concern keep coming up. To start with, people are really concerned about theft and vandalism. Home intrusions are at epidemic proportions and borough residents never know from day to day when they return if they will find their homes ransacked. The need for increased public protection is a problem that is receiving attention boroughwide.

With continued budget cuts from the state, and concern over increased local taxes, I feel that a neighborhood-based approach might be best at this time. I would like to explore the idea of the Neighborhood Watch program expanding into a strong community patrol, and perhaps developed into something similar to the Village Public Safety Officer Program. The northern and southern valleys could each have their own constables. This idea would keep public safety at its most local level, the neighborhood, and costs down. As each community grows, the public safety system could then change to meet increased needs. As your representative I will work with the assembly, mayor and administration to fight against home assaults and for stronger, safer communities. We can do better.

I support quality education for our kids. Our students are our future consumers, shoppers, workers and leaders. It is no secret that there are problems in our schools. I want to work with the school board to resolve issues within the school system that are keeping our schools from being the best they can be. We can do better. I believe schools are the heartbeat of our smaller communities. They serve as community centers and provide safe places for our kids and neighbors to learn and grow together. I believe the students in the northern end of Mat-Su deserve the same level of commitment, care and concern as the students in the larger areas. I will work hard to find ways to keep our local schools in place within our communities.

I have spoken to hundreds of people in our district about taxes and how to pay for the services we want in our communities. I believe at the present time there is enough money in the borough to meet the basic needs of the borough residents and we need to put politics and personal agendas aside to effectively manage our shrinking revenue. We can do better. General aviation maintenance, repair and radio facilities and other related industries at our borough airports could be expanded and developed. Small cottage-craft industries are starting up everywhere in the Valley and are striving to market their products. These are just two examples of areas that need to be effectively addressed in the borough's economic plan.

Many people who live in my district choose a simpler and more rural life. This choice should include the ability to have access to clean drinking water. I will work to seek state and federal funds to provide clean and accessible water in our communities. People should not have to drive excessive miles from home simply to find good, safe water. If we can do it in other countries, we can surely provide safe, clean water to the residents of the Mat-Su Borough.

I will work tirelessly to keep the Mat-Su safe and strong and I will provide the leadership needed to keep the good things we cherish in our communities. My pledge to you, as your borough representative is to protect your choice to live the Alaskan way of life. Please contact me with your ideas and suggestions at 892-8258 or e-mail bvehrs@gci.net, and with your help I know we can do better. Please vote on Oct. 7!

Betty Vehrs is a candidate for Mat-Su Borough Assembly District 7.