"Public service has always been important to me, it's a natural extension of my volunteer activities, I enjoy the work, I care about my community, and I am willing to put in the time it takes to do the job effectively."
Occupation: Self-employed graphic designer
Neighborhood: North Star
Education: B.S. Cornell University
Experience: Small business owner 1981-present; Anchorage Assembly, 2008-present; Anchorage School Board, 1994-2003; president, Federation of Community Councils, North Star Community Council, Romig Park Improvement Company (community well); Parish Council Treasurer, Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church
Website: www.harrietdrummond.com
Not in my official bio: Driving the North Slope Haul Road in 1980 with Sohio PR staff, a National Geographic photographer, and local filmmakers who still produce films in Alaska today, to film first drilling rig built in Alaska being hauled to Prudhoe Bay.
Question 1: The Assembly told the school district it would accept only a 1.6 percent increase in property taxes for the upcoming school budget. As a result, the district raised class sizes and reduced summer school offerings. What's your opinion of this situation?
Answer: It's fair to hold the school district to the same guidelines as the city. The state needs to fully shoulder its responsibility to fund schools.
Question 2: A consultant once said Anchorage's commercial zoning law has a "Wild West" feel because pretty much any use is OK. If you could change one aspect of the way Anchorage looks, what would it be?
Answer: Guide good mix-use development in the way that businesses on north Spenard Road are proceeding to do.
Question 3: Rank the following from highest importance to least: A. Improving bus service; B. Upgrading and maintaining parks; C. Modernizing city zoning code; D. Adding police officers; E. Continuing senior citizen property tax exemption.
Answer: E, A, D, C, B
Question 4: The Port of Anchorage is in the midst of a $1 billion-plus dock replacement, but needs hundreds of millions more to complete the project. What action would you recommend?
Answer: The Assembly was assured that the port's development phases could stand alone at any point in the project. It's smart to have phased development like this since continued funding for the Port project could be uncertain. An audit of this project would be helpful.
Question 5: Which mega-projects do you support, if any, and which would you rank highest? A. Highway to highway freeway project? B. Susitna dam? C. A gas pipeline to Anchorage? D. Knik Arm Crossing?
Answer: B. The lower Watana dam on the Susitna, due to energy needs of our city
Question 6: Should liquor stores be required to card everyone?
Answer: Responsible retailers are already voluntarily carding their customers, and this is a good business practice.
Question 7: Personal fireworks on New Year's Eve - yes or no?
Answer: No.
Peter Olsen
"I've done so much for youths over the years, I want to do something for the adults of Anchorage. I want to make a difference."
Occupation: Vice president of Officetech, Inc - Xerox Sales Agency, a family business on Spenard Road.
Neighborhood: Homeowner - Windemere Subdivision.
Education: Graduate East High, 1976. Graduate Pacific Lutheran University, 1983. Business administration, marketing & computer science
Experience: 35 years work experience, small business owner. No prior political experience.
Website: www.peter-olsen.com
Not on my official bio: Active in youth sports and have coached my kids sports teams for over 20 years. Little league, youth soccer and Boys & Girls Clubs basketball. Also active in older daughters cheerleading at West High.
Question 1: The Assembly told the school district it would accept only a 1.6 percent increase in property taxes for the upcoming school budget. As a result, the district raised class sizes and reduced summer school offerings. What's your opinion of this situation?
Answer: In tough economic times, we have to make tough decisions. Business everywhere are cutting back, and we are no different. We also need to look at reducing the administrative staff at the SD too.
Question 2: A consultant once said Anchorage's commercial zoning law has a "Wild West" feel because pretty much any use is OK. If you could change one aspect of the way Anchorage looks, what would it be?
Answer: I'd try to bury more power and utility lines and remove all of the poles!
Question 3: Rank the following from highest importance to least: A. Improving bus service; B. Upgrading and maintaining parks; C. Modernizing city zoning code; D. Adding police officers; E. Continuing senior citizen property tax exemption.
Answer: 1 = d
2 = a
3 = b
4 = c
5 = e
Question 4: The Port of Anchorage is in the midst of a $1 billion-plus dock replacement, but needs hundreds of millions more to complete the project. What action would you recommend?
Answer: As I understand it, tonnage at the port is down and has been declining. I would put the project on hold for a year or so.
Question 5: Which mega-projects do you support, if any, and which would you rank highest? A. Highway to highway freeway project? B. Susitna dam? C. A gas pipeline to Anchorage? D. Knik Arm Crossing?
Answer: Gas pipeline = 1. Knik Arm Crossing = 2. Susitna dam = 3. Knik Arm & Susitna dam can wait. With the rising energy costs, getting gas to Anchorage to help lower energy costs is tops.
Question 6: Should liquor stores be required to card everyone?
Answer: Yes.
Question 7: Personal fireworks on New Year's Eve - yes or no?
Answer: Yes.
Elizabeth (Liz) Vazquez
"I am deeply concerned about a number of actions taken by the Assembly in recent years. I disagreed with the approval of the union contracts in 2008 believing them to be overly generous and unsustainable. In addition, I believe the Tax Cap needs clarification and should be part of the Municipal Charter."
Occupation: Administrative law judge (hearing examiner), State of Alaska
Neighborhood: Kincaid/Sand Lake
Education: BA- University of New York at Albany; JD - Cornell School of Law, Cornell University; MBA - Alaska Pacific University
Experience: Former criminal prosecutor, former State Assistant Attorney General; former Chair and Current Director - Chugach Electric Association Board; current member, city Budget Advisory Commission; former member, Municipality of Anchorage School Board Advisory Committee and Anchorage Equal Rights Commission
Website: www.lizvazquez.us
Not in my official bio: I love living in Anchorage. As a transplanted New Yorker and former Washington, D.C., lawyer, I appreciate our quality of life, our beautiful surroundings and opportunities.
Question 1: The Assembly told the school district it would accept only a 1.6 percent increase in property taxes for the upcoming school budget. As a result, the district raised class sizes and reduced summer school offerings. What's your opinion of this situation?
Answer: It is an unfortunate, yet currently necessary decision to protect Anchorage taxpayers while balancing the interests of our school district. Again, the key is to grow the private sector because it is the source of the tax dollars used to pay for public education.
Question 2: A consultant once said Anchorage's commercial zoning law has a "Wild West" feel because pretty much any use is OK. If you could change one aspect of the way Anchorage looks, what would it be?
Answer: This is an old quotation, and Anchorage has zoning laws and the like. We need a careful audit of current zoning laws and property use regulations leading to the adoption of a rational and coherent land use plan to maximize new business investment while maintaining our unique quality of life.
Question 3: Rank the following from highest importance to least: A. Improving bus service; B. Upgrading and maintaining parks; C. Modernizing city zoning code; D. Adding police officers; E. Continuing senior citizen property tax exemption.
Answer: A. Improving bus service. - 3
B. Upgrading and maintaining parks. - 4
C. Modernizing city zoning code. - 2
D. Adding police officers. - 1
E. Continuing senior citizen property tax exemption. - 5
Question 4: The Port of Anchorage is in the midst of a $1 billion-plus dock replacement, but needs hundreds of millions more to complete the project. What action would you recommend?
Answer: Considering that the commercial value of the port in its entirety is approximately $135 million and its annual revenue is approximately $15 million, this project has far exceeded what I believe many thought was the original scope. Furthermore, the legislature's "cool" reception of the Port's $300 million request this year is an indication that we may be forced to re-scale this project.
Question 5: Which mega-projects do you support, if any, and which would you rank highest? A. Highway to highway freeway project? B. Susitna dam? C. A gas pipeline to Anchorage? D. Knik Arm Crossing?
Answer: All of these projects could have merit. However, I believe the most immediate problem facing Anchorage is the dwindling natural gas supplies in the Cook Inlet region. For that reason, as the Chair of Chugach Eclectic, I testified in the legislature in favor of the building one of the two proposed large scale hydroelectric projects.
Question 6: Should liquor stores be required to card everyone?
Answer: No, this is overly burdensome for retailers and has not been shown to have an impact on preventing the problem it is intended to solve.
Question 7: Personal fireworks on New Year's Eve - yes or no?
Answer: Yes, within reason. There must be a compromise. I encourage reasonable and safe celebration; however I do think that some of our residents abused the lifting of the ban.
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