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Senate District J: Tom Begich (Democrat)

Party: Democrat

Age: 56

Occupation: Musician/Consultant

Current Employer: Self Employed Owner CW Communications

Employment history: Owner, CWCommunications (1999-present)/The Research Group (1990-1999)/Alaska Research Associates (1983-1990); Professional Musician 1999-Present; Executive Director Nick Begich Scholarship Intern Fund 1993-Present; Government Affairs Director, Coalition for Education Equity 2010-2016; Director/Facilitator, United Way of Anchorage (Anchorage United for Youth and Reclaiming Futures, 2006-2009; Village Services Director, Cook Inlet Tribal Council, 2002-2005; Restorative Justice Program Coordinator, Alaska Native Justice Center, 2001-2002; Community Justice Coordinator, Alaska Division of Juvenile Justice, 1997-2001; Publisher/Columnist, POL Magazine, 1992-1998; Community Organizer/Manager, Partnership for a Healthy Community, 1994-1996; Political Director, IBEW L.U. 1547, 1991-1994; Legislative Assistant, Office of the Alaska House Majority Leader, 1987, 1988, 1999; Special Assistant, Alaska Department of Administration 1985; Chief of Staff, Alaska State Senate Majority Whip, 1983

Previous public office: No elected office-Served as member of The Alaska Juvenile Justice Committee from 1986-2004, 2015-Present. Currently Chair the Committee and have charred it twice in the past. Also was CHair of the National Coalition for Juvenile Justice in 1997 and served for years on their National Board.

Previous unsuccessful runs for office: None

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Postsecondary education: Bard College, BA History 1980-1982; University of Alaska/Anchorage Community College, AA History 1978-1983; University of Alaska Anchorage Coursework in Education 1986; University of Oxford, Lincoln College, Course work in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics 1989/90

Military service:

Spouse's Name: Sarah Sledge

Children:

Website: www.tombegichforalaska.com

Why are you running?

I have spent my professional career working in the areas of equality, justice, and education together – because they are all linked. If we are to succeed in building a just society, we must ensure our citizens are educated, that they have equal opportunities for success, and that the political system acts as their voice. All my life I have fought for these values, and now, more than any other time, these are the values I think Alaska needs most.

What was the last book you read?

"The Dramaturges of Yan" and am currently reading "From Eternity to Here"

The biggest problem facing the state of Alaska is _______

Resolving our budget situation without further damaging our economy and ensuring we have an Alaska with a strong education system, decent quality of life, and a vibrant economy.

Describe three ways you think the state should try to grow and diversify Alaska's economy.

1. We need to explore ways to lower the cost of energy in rural Alaska through alternatives and long-term energy storage to ensure that viable, local economies can thrive. 2. We need to strengthen our University system to ensure our residents have an opportunity to be part of an educated workforce. 3. We need to maintain strong schools so that those companies interested in investing and locating in Alaska have a compelling reason to do so.

Unemployment in rural and off-the-road Alaska is a major issue. What are your ideas for growing a sustainable economy in areas of Alaska that are inaccessible by road?

We need to rethink how we do energy in rural Alaska. Lowering the cost of energy through alternatives and energy storage, offers a greater opportunity for development of more locally-grown jobs and small businesses. Cheaper energy means lower fixed costs. This leads to increased viability and profit that can be used to hire local residents for developing opportunities. Incidentally, this lowers operating costs for education as well, allowing for more instruction and better local ed. outcomes.

What's one idea you have for improving Alaska's schools?

Establishment of universal voluntary Pre-K that works with our existing early childhood programs, and that is rigorous and evidence-based. I would also support efforts to provide incentives to retain teachers, ensure learning environments are safe and technologically upgraded, and forward fund education to provide greater school district certainty in planning.

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The current University of Alaska budget is:

Too low

The state's minimum public-school size of 10 students to receive state funding is:

About right

Describe your vision of a long-term fiscal plan for Alaska.

We need to end oil tax credits to the richest corporations in the world while encouraging independents; adopt an income tax/percent of value use of the Permanent Fund earnings similar to that proposed by Rep. Seaton; preserve the PFD so that it continues to create a bond between Alaskans and the Fund, though we may have to adjust the formula used to calculate it; and increase the corporate income and other like taxes. Combined with current oil revenue, these will balance the budget reasonably.

Do you think that the state should make reductions next year from this year's $3.86 billion agency budget?

No

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The Legislature's line-item operating budget for each agency program run by the state is here: http://www.legfin.akleg.gov/BudgetReports/LY2016/Operating/Enacted/Stwd-AllocationSummaryUGF.pdf. If you think the state budget should be reduced, tell us which three line items you'd reduce most, and by how much. (Use specific line items from the budget)

I don't believe this is how you approach budgeting. Identify what you want the state to provide. What is the service you want to provide and how do you get there? As stated above, I do not believe the agency budgets should be reduced at this time, though they should always be under review.

What sources of revenue, if any, do you support using to balance the state budget for the next fiscal year?

I have cited those above. We should be aiming for a $4.3-$4.7 Billion Operating Budget. This will likely also entail some use of the Constitutional Budget Reserve this coming year before revenue options adopted come fully on-line. That reserve is near exhaustion. It is imperative to adopt revenue measures this session to ensure that we maintain our basic levels of services and continue to provide a decent quality of life for Alaskans and that attracts investment.

What will you do differently from our current Legislature that will get a workable budget passed?

Work to build a non-partisan Senate Coalition with a Joint Ways and Means Committee to actively address fiscal plans in both bodies. We must all be willing to give-even on things that we do not want to. We must do so based on a belief that oil will likely level off at $60 per barrel or less over time (the fracking price point is between $50 and $60-expect fracking production to increase when oil is selling above this amount, thus adding to surpluses and driving prices back down).

Would you vote to use Permanent Fund earnings to balance the state budget?

Yes

If yes, what is the proper proportion between using fund earnings for state revenue vs. using fund earnings for dividends?

The PFD must continue based on earnings and must not be the 1st thing on the table. See Seaton plan.

Taxation on oil and gas production in Alaska is:

Generally lower than it should be

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What is your position on oil tax credits?

Should be eliminated for the Majors, revisited to ensure exploration & development by independents.

Taxation on other Alaska natural resource industries, like mining and commercial fishing, is:

Generally lower than it should be

Taxation on individual citizens in Alaska is:

Generally lower than it should be

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What should state government do to reduce high rates of sexual assault and domestic violence in Alaska?

Ensure that victims of sexual assault and domestic violence have access to support services and shelters. Legislation like Erin's Law and Bree's law-that helps teach our children about sexual and date violence -is critical and must be enforced, reviewed, and augmented when necessary. Mental health funding must be made reimbursable at an effective rate to ensure access by all, and repeat offenders must be held accountable. A healthy economy and low unemployment will also help.

The number of Alaska State Troopers and Village Public Safety Officers is:

Less than necessary

If you answered less than necessary or about right to the above question, how would you pay for additions or for keeping the status quo?

I've described this above. We must stop cutting necessary services and protect public safety.

What is your position on abortion? 

I am Pro Choice.

Do you anticipate advocating any legislation, policies or budget proposals that would change the status quo regarding abortion in Alaska? If so, what?

No

Do you believe that humans have played a role in climate change or global warming?

Yes

If yes, what's humanity's role in causing it? If not, why is Alaska warming?

Use of greenhouse gases by humans has been verified as a cause of global warming.

What measures should the state take to respond to climate change?

We should increasingly shift to use of alternative energy and long-term storage of energy through new, developing, battery technology. Increasingly the developed world will move away from extractive carbon-based fuels. We should take advantage of the next few "transition" decades to develop our own locally-sourced energy and seek to serve as a testing ground for alternatives as these technologies emerge — much as we served as a telecommunications testing ground when those technologies emerged.

Are there specific wildlife and fisheries management concerns that you intend to focus on as a legislator?

Not at this time.

Who are you voting for in the presidential election? In one sentence, why?

Clinton. While flawed in some ways, I believe she will make significantly better supreme court choices than her opponent, and that will have a greater impact on us than President for generations.

What are you going to do about health care costs in Alaska?

I'll seek to develop a Northwest states compact to create a high-risk pool shared by other states, to reduce the cost for providing health care to insurers hopefully inducing insurers back into the market. I'll look for continued expansion of Medicaid where appropriate and where federal receipts continue to help us offset these costs. I'll petition our congressional delegation to support lowering prescription drug costs (federal issue). And I'll listen and learn from others.

How do you get your health insurance and what's your monthly premium?

I receive my health insurance at present as a retiree through PERS.

Should the state provide additional resources to help Alaskans with substance-abuse problems? If yes, what specifically?

Yes. We should stop cuts to treatment programs/funds that support programs that are doing their job. We should determine what we have done or are doing that is effective, and fund and replicate those. Too often we seek funds for new efforts, without fully analyzing what we are doing effectively. Lets be smart about how we invest resources. I'd also seek more internal collaborations between agencies serving the same people through multiple portals to ensure more effective deployment of resources.

Would you vote for legislation repealing, in whole or in part, the citizens initiative that legalized marijuana sales and consumption in 2014?

No

Does the Legislature's current organization of majority/minority caucuses work? Is there another way the Legislature could organize itself?

I know the current leadership is not working, but the system is more complicated. I have been supportive of a unicameral, non-partisan system like Nebraska's for years. Such a system would limit party discipline, but might encourage more fruitful majority/minority caucus development. Any system needs built-in checks and balances which protect minority voice, so I would not want to lose that.

Should the law allow a lobbyist to buy you dinner if you are elected?

No

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