Anchorage

21 questions: Anchorage Assembly candidate Oliver Schiess

The Anchorage Daily News asked candidates for Anchorage Assembly in the 2019 election to answer a series of issue questions. Many of the questions were based on suggestions from readers. Find all candidates and their answers here. We did the same thing with candidates for Anchorage School Board.

Candidate: Oliver Schiess

Age: 39

Occupation: Substitute teacher, former senior logistics analyst, Marine Corps combat veteran

Current employer: Anchorage School District

Previous public offices held or sought/community leadership positions: Candidate for Alaska State Senate, November 2018; Eagle River Valley Community Council, active member; Eagle River and Russian Jack Rotary

Education: Bachelor’s in Mathematics with a Minor in Education, Georgia Southwestern University

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Website: Oliverforassembly.com

LONG ANSWER

What steps have you taken to prepare for this job? What strengths do you bring to office, and what in your life demonstrates those strengths?

I have spent the last 8 months knocking on nearly 5000 doors, attending local community council meetings and have met with Assembly Members to discuss the issues our city faces. I am a Marine Corps combat veteran and served as a drill instructor, an instructor at the Officer Candidate School and in acquisition and logistical management, where I planned and executed budgets for Marine Corps programs. I will bring my leadership skills and background in responsible spending to the municipality.

Describe an ordinance or legislative issue you plan to bring forward as an Assemblymember, and any funding it might require.

The most important issue to me is the municipal budget. The most pressing issue will be ensuring critical municipal services remain funded with the cuts coming at the state level. I will work to ensure our police, fire, teachers and transportation systems have the resources necessary to serve our city. To do this, our city is going to need to find efficiencies within our budget as well as new revenue sources which do not create unnecessary burden on the citizens of Anchorage.

What is the largest budget you’ve managed? State the amount, length of time and your level of responsibility.

In the United States Marine Corps, I served in Logistics and Acquisition management for my last 7 years, where I helped plan and execute budgets totaling over $250 million per year. In this, I was taught the principles of responsible spending and that the most common driver of wasteful spending is short-term and shifting budgets. My involvement included briefing milestones and writing checks in support of research and development, operations and maintenance, and procurement efforts.

Describe your position on policies that affect the way Anchorage grows in the coming years.

We will face serious obstacles over the upcoming years, particularly in mitigating shortfalls that will arise from budget cuts at the state level. One of my goals on the Assembly would be to manage dollars responsibly in order to ensure our police and fire have the resources to keep our communities safe, the Anchorage School District can provide a quality education for our students, we address the earthquake damages, and we can maintain an effective infrastructure and transportation system.

Do you support the alcohol tax proposed by the administration of Mayor Ethan Berkowitz? Why or why not?

Yes. The revenue from the alcohol tax is planned to be used on multiple fronts to improve public safety, address the addiction crisis our community is facing, and root out the causes of homelessness to address the issue long term. This would also provide an onsite medical professional in our CAP police teams, which would alleviate the burden placed on our EMTs, police, and fire who spend significant amounts of time responding to medical emergencies instead of actual crimes.

What should the city do to alleviate the problem of illegal camps in green spaces in the city?

As a city, we must end the cycle of homeless camp abatement which continues to lead to resettlement of a new area. This only serves to push these citizens into other areas, such as my community in Eagle River-Chugiak. Instead, we should be providing long-term solutions which address the homeless population. We should be working towards getting these homeless individuals, many of whom are families and children, to find livable jobs and long-term housing solutions.

The cost estimate for modernizing the Port of Alaska recently doubled. What do you think the city should do?

For a cost of this size, there needs to be an independent third party validation of the Port repair costs. If the cost estimates are accurate, then the city should lobby for both state and federal dollars to support this repair and modernization effort. The Port of Alaska is the lifeline for our city and state, providing our fuel, food and other resources as well as being a critical component for national security. The Port of Alaska is critical to our state and it cannot be ignored.

There could be tough budget times ahead with state cutbacks. What can the city do to make up for those cuts?

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The city will need to implement a responsible budgeting process, while rooting out inefficiencies, but the likely outcome will be the need to increase revenue. The reality is that our communities cannot afford to defund critical municipal services (police, fire, education, transportation) and hope to sustain a high-quality of life for our citizens. We as a community will need to look at all avenues to fill the budget gap while limiting the tax burden on the people of Anchorage.

What did you think about Alaska’s efforts at criminal justice reform, which began in 2016 with Senate Bill 91?

There have been significant problems associated with SB91. Many have been successfully addressed through our State Legislature and our crime rates are beginning to decrease. The original proposal allocated resources to address our high recidivism rates as well as mental health and addiction for our state but lacked follow through. We must invest in our police and public safety officials, as well as support local community patrols which have been an effective resource to addressing crime.

Describe your position on crime in Anchorage.

Crime in Anchorage is a serious problem. We are beginning to make progress in reducing crimes within the municipality and should take steps to support our public safety officials as well as local community patrols. Beyond enforcement, to end the cycle of crime we must address the drivers behind it. The most prevalent drivers are addiction and untreated mental illnesses.

How do you feel Anchorage performed in the recent 7.0 earthquake? What can the city government do, or what would you do on the Assembly, to improve seismic safety or emergency preparedness?

Overall, our city has responded very well to the 7.0 earthquake on Nov. 30. In the future, I would work to ensure that public buildings, particularly our schools, are built in order to sustain intensive seismic damage, such as with Eagle River Elementary and Gruening Middle schools which suffered severe infrastructural damage.

What do you think of the job Ethan Berkowitz has been doing as mayor?

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Mayor Ethan Berkowitz has been an effective leader and weathered through some of the most difficult obstacles or city has faced. I look forward to working with Mayor Berkowitz to continue to improve our municipal government’s activities.

Overall taxation in Anchorage is....too low? Too high? Just right? Explain. If taxes are too high, what would you cut? If taxes are too low, what would you raise?

The current level of funding has been adequate. According to Anchorage Sen. Bill Wielechowski, the cuts [proposed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy] to the Anchorage School District alone would cost the average Anchorage property owner over $14,000 per year to fill the budget gap. As a city, we will need to budget responsibly and eliminate inefficiencies but the probable outcome to continue to fund critical services would be to find new revenue sources.

Tell us your ideas about transit and infrastructure in Anchorage.

Public transit is a critical topic for my district. The Anchorage public transit routes were recently cut from the Eagle River - Chugiak area and directly impacted many families, particularly the elderly who depend upon these critical services to live healthy and productive lives. I fully support expanding public transportation to our community.

What other important issue would you like to discuss here?

Our city has been moving in the right direction in terms of paying down debts, lowering interest rates, and reducing crime. I would like to highlight how harmful Gov. Dunleavy’s budget proposal would be to our economy and overall public safety. Mass layoffs in turn lead to increased crime, lower home values, and a decreased quality of life for Anchorage residents. I urge all citizens to contact their legislators to oppose these budget cuts which jeopardize Alaska’s future.

SHORT ANSWER

What is the most pressing problem facing your district?

Proposed cuts to education and earthquake repairs.

Would you support a law allowing on-site consumption of marijuana?

Yes. If steps to ensure public safety are taken.

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What three places would you pick when highlighting Anchorage to tourists?

Eagle River Nature Center, North Fork & Mt. Baldy.

Would you take steps toward reversing Anchorage’s plastic bag ban?

No.

Do you support the Berkowitz administration’s efforts to create a climate change action plan?

Yes. Climate Change is a real and undeniable fact.

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If you were asked to cut the city budget by 10 percent in the coming fiscal year, in which three areas would you recommend cuts?

This wouldn’t be realistic or fiscally responsible.

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