Political attentions now turn to November ballot

PALMER — One day after municipal elections in the Mat-Su Borough, a forum at the Palmer Chamber of Commerce reminded voters election season isn’t over yet.

Candidates for House and Senate seats in Districts 13 and G, respectively, introduced themselves to the Palmer business community and potential voters.

When polls open Nov. 4, along with helping to decide who the next president of the United States is, voters will also determine who local leaders should be for the next few years.

In Palmer, the decision comes down to four individuals. In the House of Representatives, incumbent Rep. Carl Gatto, R-Palmer, will defend his seat against Democratic challenger David Cheezem, who owns Fireside Books in Palmer.

For the Senate, Republican Linda Menard and Democrat Erick Cordero are vying for the seat held by outgoing Senate President Lyda Green, R-Wasilla.

Senate District G

Just after Menard and Cordero made official their intent to run for a Senate seat this summer the pair sat down in Palmer to agree on running clean campaigns.

So far, that pact has been honored, and both candidates have stuck to the issues.

During the Palmer Chamber of Commerce forum, Menard and Cordero both said they are running to make a positive impact on state government.

For Cordero, cleaning up what he calls Juneau’s culture of corruption is a major talking point of his campaign.

“I’m running for state Senate because I really want to restore faith in the public process,” Cordero said, adding he grew up in Mexico where corruption runs rampant.

Menard also champions restoring faith and integrity in Alaska’s government, and said nearly four decades of being involved in the Valley has provided the experience she needs to move Alaska forward.

“I became involved in several things I thought I could benefit,” she said of her years on various boards and in leadership positions.

Talk quickly turned to issues during the forum, including a question asking how the candidates would stay informed on every issue facing the various areas of Senate District G. The district represents the entire core area of the Valley, and includes points north of Palmer and Wasilla.

For his part, Cordero said cooperation among all the municipalities and cities in the district is key.

“I get everyone around the table and make sure I get ideas from all sides,” Cordero said, adding that he would look past political party affiliations to concentrate on issues.

Menard said many communities have individual community council meetings, and attending as many of those as possible to hear input first hand would be a priority.

“You have to be in touch,” she said. “You can’t expect people to come to you.”

Another topic posed to the Senate candidates had to do with an issue likely being followed by the chamber of commerce members.

Menard and Cordero were asked what steps should be taken to help keep small businesses from going under.

Menard responded by saying one crucial step is creating a safe community. The Frontiersman reported recently on robberies in the Wasilla area that resulted in vandalism and theft from some local shops. Menard said by creating resources to combat crime in areas where small business are located, it can alleviate at least one challenge facing business owners already struggling with the current economy.

Menard also touted the recently approved Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, which makes way for the possible construction of a natural gas pipeline. She said the project could be a boon to small businesses when large number of workers come to the state to build the pipeline.

Cordero said he agreed with Menard that creating resources to increase public safety is a good idea to help small businesses. He said he disagreed, however, that AGIA will help small business. Cordero, while not entirely against AGIA, has said he also supported the Legislature considering other options for building a gas pipeline.

Topics ranging from health care to Alaska’s high gas prices also found their way into the forum. One question dealt with the nearly $700 billion federal bailout of some Wall Street companies in trouble after the subprime mortgage meltdown.

The forum’s moderator asked if the state should require schools to teach financial literacy to students. Many experts have said predatory lending is mostly to blame for the current mortgage crisis.

Neither Menard nor Cordero said they would support or oppose state mandated fiscal education, but both agreed predatory lending needs to be reined in, and the state should play a role in that.

State House District 13

While civil, a sense of tension seemed to exist between House candidates during opening statements.

Cheezem began his introduction by proposing a drinking game — no alcohol at the chamber meeting, of course — in which audience members would take a sip every time “someone takes credit for something someone else has done.”

The reference was clearly directed at Gatto.

In an interview after the forum, Gatto said he knew Cheezem’s statement was directed at him, but brushed it off as desperation politics.

“People only do this when they feel like their campaign is failing,” Gatto said.

Cheezem also indirectly took Gatto to task during opening statements when he said by hiring eight people to staff his bookstore he had created more jobs in Palmer than Gatto has during his time in the Legislature.

Cheezem took an unorthodox approach by telling the audience about a personal failure: his inability to afford health care for his employees.

Cheezem said that could be achieved through legislation in Juneau making it easier for a small business owner to afford the benefits, which is one reason he’s running, he said.

In his opening statements, Gatto trumpeted existing programs that have come from legislation.

According to a legislative information Web site, Gatto has sponsored or co-sponsored nearly 40 bills over the past two years.

In his statement, Gatto addressed his ideas for schools, roads, general local issues and energy. He touted the large amounts of money that have been directed to his district for road improvements, among others.

Cheezem and Gatto differed greatly when asked what his one top priority would be if elected to office.

Gatto said he’s been trying to get a new building for the Palmer Senior Center, something he said could be on the verge of happening.

“We’re close to achieving it,” Gatto said.

For Cheezem, bringing in the best technology available to invest in a way out of energy problems in the state is a priority.

“We’re backing our way into an energy crisis,” Cheezem said.

The topic of health care also made its way into the discussion, and both House candidates provided different views.

Gatto admitted, “We have some issues in health care.”

But, he talked about programs that have sent paraprofessional health care workers into the Bush.

Through those programs, people living off the road system have received hearing and dental care locally.

Still concentrating on the Bush, Gatto said the state has done a good job of making sure residents of far-flung Alaska towns aren’t forgotten.

“We are, in this state, providing an amount of quality health care in the Bush,” he said.

Cheezem, however, didn’t mince words when discussing what he alluded to as the fundamental right of people to have health care.

“It is a right,” he said. “We cannot afford to not provide health care.”

Cheezem said while he doesn’t believe government itself can completely solve the problem, he thinks an idea such as pooling resources among various companies to help with health care is a good start.

Neither candidate seemed to have a definitive answer as to how to solve the health care problem.

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiers- man.com or 352-2252.