No on Keogh

To the editor:

No answers. These two short words are how I can best sum up Warren Keogh’s platform and approach to campaigning as he runs for the state Senate.

Apparently, Mr. Keogh does not believe one has to take a position on the issues important to Alaskans. Over a period of two months, on two separate occasions, I have written to Mr. Keogh in order to get answers to important questions that should be asked of any candidate. I have received two responses, neither of which answered the first question of the seven questions I asked. The latest, listed below, did not even receive an acknowledgment of my inquiry. Here were several of the questions I sent to Mr. Keogh:

• Are you pro-life (anti-abortion)? If so explain.

• How would you improve education?

• Before the primary, you refused to answer whether you were for the repeal of SB 21 or not. So, now that the primary is over and the repeal failed, where are, or where were you on this issue?

• If elected, whom would you caucus with in the Senate? The Democrats or the Republicans?

• You have labeled yourself a fiscal conservative. Name the items you would cut in the budget.

• Are you for Medicaid expansion in Alaska?

• Are you for a gas pipeline? If so what route do you support — going through Valdez or down the Parks to Nikiski?

• Are you in support of the countermand amendment?

• You were one of the leads in the Castle Mountain Coalition in which the primary objective was shutting down coal in the Valley. Do you consider yourself an environmentalist? If not, explain. Also, when people from Sutton and Palmer showed up to a meeting with two environmentalists to show opposition to their agenda of no coal, you were a no show. Senator Dunleavy, Mat-Su Borough Mayor Larry DeVilbiss, Palmer Mayor DeLena Johnson, many from Sutton Community Council and many others showed up.

• How would you lower the cost of energy for Alaskans?

• Where are you on same-sex marriage?

• Where are you on the pot initiative?

• Where are you on the Pebble initiative?

• Where are you on minimum wage?

• If elected, what would be your top three priorities?

No answers, no reply. I and other voters have no information to go on in order to make an informed decision regarding Mr. Keogh. If Mr. Keogh is already dodging the questions before he is elected, can you imagine what he will be like if he ends up in Juneau? This is disappointing. With no answers, I’m a “no” on Keogh.

Mike Coons

Palmer