KUAC appreciates corrections to typos and misspellings in the transcription.
This recording is the section including candidates from House Districts 31, 32 and 33 in the forum held by the Tanana Valley League of Women Voters on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024. The forum was shifted from in-person to online at the last minute due to a storm coming through Fairbanks that day.
Cathy Hanks, League of Women Voters: As we begin our second round for candidates for three house seats, we welcome Maxine Dibert, and Bart Lebon for District 31. For District 32, the candidates are Gary Damron and Will Stapp and running unopposed for the District 33 seat is Mike Prax. Please introduce yourself by stating your name and the seat you're running for and a brief 30 second introduction of yourself.
Up first, Ms. Dibert.
[00:00:31] Maxine Dibert: Hi, good evening. Good evening, everyone. Um, thank you for hosting this event. My name is Maxine Dibert I'm running for reelection to represent House District 31, downtown Fairbanks, the town that I was born and raised in. I've had the honor to teach third grade for the past 22 and a half years, and the past two years it's been an honor to serve my community in the legislature, focusing on adequately funding our schools, economic development that grows our economy and provides good jobs and, um, addressing our high energy costs. Thank you so much.
Cathy Hanks: Thank you. Ms. Dibert. Up next. Mr. LeBon
[00:01:15] Bart LeBon: Yeah, thank you. And a good evening. I'm Bart LeBon I've lived in Fairbanks since 1972. I came up to attend the University of Alaska and rebound basketballs.
I graduated in 75 and began a long banking career that lasted 42 years. Upon retirement from banking, I sought public office winning my first election in 2019. I served for four years and I would like to go once again back to Juneau in 2024. Thank you.
Cathy Hanks: Thank you, Mr. LeBon. Mr. Damron.
[00:01:53] Gary Damron: Hi, my name is Gary Damron and I've lived in Alaska since 1967 with only a short break, going outside when my dad got stationed somewhere else.
I'm a product of the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District and the University of Alaska. I had an excellent education and I believe that it's only fair that the kids that are in school now get the same kind of education, the same opportunities that I have had. I'm running because I'm a student.
I have no agenda other than serving the people of Fairbanks.
Cathy Hanks: Uh, thank you very much. Mr. Damron. Um, Mr. Stapp.
[00:02:32] Will Stapp: Thank you so much for allowing me to be here. Well, my name is Will Stapp. I currently represent a House District 32; that's East Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright and Badger.
You know, I came to Alaska in 2006 when I joined the army, I served in the infantry. I did 2 tours to Iraq, 1 of which with the Airborne Brigade in Anchorage, where I was wounded in combat. Met my wife in Alaska. My wife and I have 3 beautiful children, Amelia, Abigail, and Atlas, and I've worked in insurance for over a decade, and I've been the Representative for east Fairbanks for 2 years.
[00:03:06] Cathy Hanks: Thank you, Mr. Stapp. And last, but not least, Mr. Prax. Prax, excuse me. Oh, you need to unmute yourself.
[00:03:21] Mike Prax: I need to learn how to run computers. But thank you. I'm Mike Prax, and I've been in Alaska for 50 years. Or a little more, we moved up in 69. I spent about 30 years working on the Trans Alaska Pipeline as a operations and maintenance technician. And I think those skills, in order to make a machine work, you have to understand its limits, and you have to take the time to really analyze what is wrong with it when it's not working.
[00:03:57] Cathy Hanks: Thank you very much, Mr. Prax. It's now time for our first question.
[00:04:04] Robyne: Good evening. This is Robyne from KUAC, and this first question actually was submitted by Girl Scout Troop 187, so I'll ask it on their behalf. Alaska has a growing population of people over age 65. How can the state handle the need for more care and housing for seniors?
Should there be more pioneer homes or other services for people that demographic? Oh, I'm sorry. First is Bart LeBon.
[00:04:34] Bart LeBon: It's appropriate that I'm first. I'm in that age demographic. So, yeah, if we're going to help seniors, the best way to do that is with local resources: the Senior Center, we have a Pioneer Home in District 31, we have Raven Landing - that's another senior community.
And the best way to do that is through support at the state level for essential funding. It could be expanding the kitchen at the Senior Center, which the legislature helped with that a couple years ago.
Um, Moore Street Apartments needed new windows and doors. We helped with that while I was in the legislature. That's an example of helping the seniors.
[00:05:21] Robyne: I failed to mention to you, you have 45 seconds to answer this question, but you made it. So next is Gary Damron. Hi,
[00:05:31] Gary Damron: can I get you to repeat the question one more time?
[00:05:36] Robyne: Yes, this was submitted by Girl Scout Troop 187.
Alaska has a growing population of people over 65. How can the state handle the need for more care and housing for seniors? Should there be more Pioneer Homes or services for people in this group?
[00:05:55] Gary Damron: There should be. There should be more services for this age group. My mom lives with me and she's 87 years old.
Um, Not enough is being done in terms of activities or other programs for seniors. The Republican legislature did away with the longevity bonus years ago. The senior benefits now, they should be expanded to everyone so that they can afford to live here and they don't have to eat the cat food. Um, is the way I see it.
If you, if you come here, you work here, you live here, then you should be able to retire here and be comfortable.
[00:06:42] Robyne: Thank you, Gary Damron. Will Stapp.
[00:06:46] Will Stapp: Thank you. What an excellent question from our Girl Scout troops. So there's different fundamental aspects and challenges that we face. Alaska has an aging population, which means there's going to be a ton of folks who are going to be needing these services.
So I'm a firm believer that our elders in our community should be able to be have live a dignified life, and especially to be able to stay. in their home as long as possible. So one of the things that we've pursued in the last legislative session and hopefully something that we can expand upon with the 1115 waiver process with Medicaid is home health care, i.
e. giving caregivers who provide services to seniors in their own homes the types of resources that can empower their living so they don't have to transition at a nursing home and they can stay in the care of their loved ones as long as that's possible.
[00:07:36] Robyne: Thank you, Will Stapp. And now, Mike Prax.
[00:07:40] Mike Prax: Well, thank you.
That's a very interesting challenge that we face. I'm in that group as well. Um, but I kind of want to expand a bit on what Representative Stapp said. The, the problem is the lack of available caregivers, be that, uh, in home care, whatever, all the way to doctors and hospitals. And I've been doing a lot of work on making it easier to obtain a professional license.
That will enable us to, um, get people employed faster. There's a lot of people come up from the military, et cetera. Uh, and I think if we focus on that, we can reduce the cost of caring for everyone, not just seniors, but all of us and reduce the expenses for living up here and everyone benefits.
[00:08:29] Robyne: And last is Maxine Dibert.
[00:08:34] Maxine Dibert: Yes, thank you so much for the question. As I've talked to many folks in my community at the doors, I've, I've had lots of conversations with our elders in our community and what comes to mind are 3 simple things. Um, I just spoke with an, um, an elder over on Lemeta.
Transportation was a huge issue. Um, also a lot of folks really love the Meals on Wheels program. And most importantly, like my own, my own mother, she would like to live the rest of her life in her own home. And we need to make that available to our elders, where they can age in grace in their own home, where they're comfortable and it's a place that they know.
So I support any legislation there. Provides help with Meals on Wheels, so people are checking in with their elders while also providing a meal and also
[00:09:30] Robyne: Representative Dibert, sorry, time's up. Thanks very much.
[00:09:41] Jack Barnwell: Question 4. You will have 45 seconds to respond. We will start with Gary Damron. How could the legislature work to stabilize and improve school funding so that school districts do not have to give out pink slips to teachers and staff each spring?
[00:10:01] Gary Damron: Oh, one of the best things that I heard was The two year funding of schools at a time, that way they're, they know what their budget is going to be.
They know the, um, revenue that they're going to have, and they have a pretty good idea of the number of students they're going to have. So I think that is, that is one of those things that needs to really be looked at hard, um, is forward funding education. I think that the state of Alaska is on the hook for education.
It's in the constitution. It's a mandate. It's one of the few things that are in there. Um, that they require local areas to be funded with state dollars. Um, I just think that's imperative. Everybody needs to take a hard look at it.
[00:10:49] Jack Barnwell: Thank you, Gary. Will Stapp.
[00:10:51] Will Stapp: Thanks. Excellent question. Well, so we can't do biannual budgets in the state.
It's against our state's constitution. So, each individual budget cycle has to be for that appropriation year. But what we can do is something that we actually attempted at the beginning of the last year of the 32nd or 33rd legislature, which was to actually start the education funding. Um, conversation at the start of the legislative session, rather than the end.
So, when you look at the, when school districts do their budgets, they do them toward the mid time frame of the legislative session. So, what we can do in Juneau is we can either do a separate appropriation that's just for schools and school funding that we pass early in the session, or we can ensure that the number that our educators and our teachers and support staff are going to have to rely on it in the administration is codified ahead of time.
[00:11:40] Jack Barnwell: Thank you, will Stapp. Mike Prax.
[00:11:43] Mike Prax: Thank you. I think I go along with what representative staff said again in the, we, we cannot obligate a future legislature. That's against the constitution. So forward funding has limited. Availability unless we want to change the constitution, but what we can do. Is get the, well, we could get the whole budget passed in 90 days.
Uh, kind of like the citizens told us to. And if we can't do that, pass the school budget in 90 days and that gives the governor time to review it. And if we don't like his line item vetoes, uh, we have time to override it. And the decision is then made in the middle of May and we should be able to avoid it Pink slips.
[00:12:29] Jack Barnwell: Thank you, Mike Cronk, Maxine Dibert.
[00:12:37] Maxine Dibert: Well, as an educator, um, in this community for over the past two decades, there's no other policy more important to me than, um, the care and success of our youth. And, um, when I go and talk to families in this community, they want three simple things. They want moderate class sizes. They want the brightest and best teachers.
And they want those teachers in our community for a long time, so that not only they're like teaching siblings. And then lastly, they want sort of, um, of a variety of electives for their, for their children. I grew up where I learned violin in fourth grade. I took art classes, home ec, great science classes, and this could only be done.
[00:13:30] Jack Barnwell: Maxine, I think you're out of time. Thank you. Bart LeBon.
[00:13:35] Bart LeBon: Yes, thank you. 24 years ago, I was school board president and I was traveling to Juneau to promote exactly the early funding for education for our own purpose here and setting a budget in Fairbanks. So I absolutely. endorse that idea. But you have to keep in mind that some folks down in Juneau want to use education funding as a political tool to get their own way on other issues.
So the success of early funding education is also predicated on folks’ understanding that it's a priority and that it should be funded early and not used as a political football for some other issue, because that does happen down in Juneau.
[00:14:22] Jack Barnwell: Thank you, Bart LeBon.
[00:14:27] Robyne: Okay, and the next question is, you only have 30 seconds to answer this question. Do you support Alaska's ranked choice voting system? Why or why not? And start with Will Stapp.
[00:14:42] Will Stapp: Oh, thanks. Excellent question. I'll do my best to answer it in 30 seconds. So, no, I do not support Alaska's ranked choice voting system, although I do like open primaries and other aspects of the ballot measure.
Primarily reason I don't support the ranked choice voting as subscribed in our ballot measure is they're just fundamental, better ways to do ranked choice voting. If you want majority outcomes, have an actual runoff like Georgia does or Louisiana does use a condor say method or a board account. You know, the folks who authored our initiative, in my opinion, they chose the worst counting method.
You could choose and ranked choice voting. So that's why I don't support
[00:15:16] Robyne: Thank you, Will Stapp. Next up is Mike Prax.
[00:15:25] Mike Prax: No, thank you for the question. I am not in favor of ranked choice voting. I think, uh, what we had in place prior to that worked better. People make different calculations. And when you have, if your choice really doesn't matter, if you don't care about Crabs more than fish or trout more than salmon, um, Ranked choice is fine, but when you're making a real serious calculation And you have just one chance every couple of years to make that decision, You think about it differently.
And I, I think that the process worked better prior to the
[00:16:03] Robyne: Thank you, Representative Prax. Uh, and Representative Dibert.
[00:16:10] Maxine Dibert: Uh, thank you. Yes, I support open primaries and ranked choice voting. So, I am opposed to repealing it. Um, therefore, I'm a no on Number 2. Uh, the Alaskan voters approved this system four years ago.
Uh, people like to vote for whomever. Um, they want to, regardless a party, um, I, I talk to a lot of people and they like it. Um, I like being able to vote for, and also after elections, it also creates civility in, um, the way you problem solve down in Juneau.
[00:16:45] Robyne: Thank you Representative Dibert. Bart LeBon.
[00:16:49] Bart LeBon: Yes, if you want evidence of what's wrong with ranked choice voting, look at our general election ballot has a felon who lives out of state in a prison in New York and is one of four names on that ballot.
So, I would suggest to you that that whole system is broken. That individual should have had to stand in a primary vote and, and win that vote to be a Democratic candidate on that ballot. So that's one thing that's wrong with it. So I'm a yes on ballot measure two.
[00:17:24] Robyne: Thank you, BarLeBon. Nick, Gary Damron.
[00:17:28] Gary Damron: I'm in favor of ranked choice voting.
I think, um, open primaries are phenomenal. That's what Alaska used to have. You could vote for the person and not the party. I think party politics is Just awful in this country right now and it takes more people who are moderate instead of having the far right or the far left get elected to these.
Positions are in to move forward on the ballot. Um, to address Mr. Um, LeBon's concern, a felon should have never been on a ballot, period.
[00:18:04] Robyne: Very much to Gary Damron.
[00:18:09] Liam Wade: I'm Liam Wade of North Pole, representing Kid's Voting. You are allotted 45 seconds for this question. As a state which allegedly imports up to 95 percent of its foods and only has a two week supply of food readily available for its residents on grocery store shelves, what are some measures you would support Alaska take to become more food sovereign slash secure?
Mike Prax.
[00:18:36] Robyne: Representative Prax, you're muted.
[00:18:41] Mike Prax: I think that we are doing some good things currently. They've opened up some more agricultural land on Nenana. Uh, excuse me, we have, um, tried to make kind of a futures market, I guess, for Alaska, uh, to support grain elevators, to stabilize the growing market. The, and we have We have to solve the problem with the meatpacking plant down in Palmer, which I understand somebody else has taken that over.
So I think we are doing some things and making that a little more marine and will improve.
[00:19:24] Liam Wade: Thank you, Mr. Prax. Maxine Dibert.
[00:19:29] Maxine Dibert: Uh, yes, thank you for the question. And, um, I'll go ahead and start by saying that I'm proud of legislation that we passed last session, um, regarding food security. We passed the, um, the SNAP benefits where more people can get access to food, especially in rural Alaska. Um, it will help with folks who have to buy.
Like a boat or four wheelers to get out to their subsistence lands. Um, you don't have to record that and it'll help get people, um, get access to food out there. Um, also, uh, I sat on the house natural resources committee and we got to discuss some great agricultural legislation that I'm excited to get back for free elected to, um, figure out our, uh, Our food source, because right now.
[00:20:22] Liam Wade: Thank you Ms. Dibert. Bart Lebon.
[00:20:25] Bart LeBon: Economics matter, folks would develop food resources if they could economically do so. So, unless the state wants to step in and subsidize. The process in some manner, then the free market system will tell you whether you're going to do a dairy farm or whether you're going to do any other type of farming activity.
I'm, I'm encouraged that the additional ag land that's becoming available in the Nenana area will help with food security, but it's still economics do matter. So, uh, we'll see if, um, farmers are interested in developing that land. And are able to do so profitably.
[00:21:11] Liam Wade: Thank you, Mr. LeBlanc. Gary Damron.
[00:21:15] Gary Damron: Thank you for the question.
I think it's imperative that the Alaska government invests in, um, storage of, like, warehouse space and things like that, that they've done away with since the 80s. I guess they started doing away with them. It's, it's time to rethink that calculation, because it takes so long for food to get here. Um, and it can drive up the cost.
Exorbitantly when there's so much competition for each individual item that's on a grocery store shelf. So I think that long term storage needs to be invested in by the state. I think more agricultural products need to be made here. I think it's a, uh, good thing for, um,
[00:22:04] Liam Wade: thank you. Mr. Damron
[00:22:05] Will Stapp: Will Stapp. Hey, thanks.
Another excellent question. Uh, as former Rep. LeBon said, uh, economics do matter. So, my opinion, there's really 3 things here. 3 things that you can do to increase domestic production. 1st would be get land out of state and municipal hands and into private sector hands of Alaska's farmers. 2nd thing would be to look to expand the railroad to Delta Junction to unlock the amount of agriculture.
Full tons that you can transport to Alaskan consumers on the rail belt. And of course, the 3rd thing is something I'm sure we'll talk about in the future, which is energy, energy, energy input costs matter. If the state were to make investments in the energy sector to dramatically drive down the cost of Alaskan residents in terms of heat.
Being electricity, you would see more people invest in the agricultural sector. So we would import less and use more domestically. Thank you.
Robyne: Thank you. And thank you to Kids’ Voting. This next question is, um, uh, 45 2nd answer and it's, uh, The 1st with Maxine Dibert. The long discussed question of getting a supply of in state natural gas to the interior has been joined with a prospect of dwindling production of natural gas in South Central. How will you address this challenge if elected?
[00:23:30] Maxine Dibert: Yes, thank you. This is a great question. Um, I sat on the natural. Resources committee, and we had a lot of discussions about natural gas and in the interim this summer, I got to visit the LNG facilities over in South Fairbanks and over in North Pole. It was great to see the trucks and we'll be. With the opportunity of trucking our natural gas from up north, which could help Fairbanks and also Anchorage, but I also support the, um, the natural gas, uh, That we're infrastructure that we're deploying out here in Fairbanks.
Robyne: Thank you, Maxine Diberg, Bart Levon.
[00:24:17] Bart LeBon: Yes, the supply will probably pivot to the north slope. Fairbanks natural gas is in the process of securing a. Resource from the North Slope at probably a year or maybe two at the most away from being able to truck natural gas down to the interior gas utility. The system of supply has been growing every summer for the last several years actually goes back.
Up to 20 years that Fairbanks natural gas has been developing the system. And more and more Fairbanks folks, particularly House District 31 residents are hooking up to natural gas, and that needs to continue.
Robyne: Thank you very much, Bart LeBond. Will Stapp.
[00:25:14] Will Stapp: Yeah, I didn't predict this question ahead of time. I promise from my previous answer, but I will say that, you know, last, let's say, instead of. Uh, session, I, I led the charge on, um, investment in IGU's mainline expansion. Okay. Expanding the mainline for Fairbanks residents is critical because when more users of the interior switch over to natural gas, uh, and increase the demand.
Uh, the supply to everyone in Fairbanks will be cheaper. That's kind of the law of economics. So we're transitioning our supply of natural gas from South Central to the Harvest LNG plant on the North Slope. That'll go on live next year. But the real issue, and the critical choice in this election, is what's going to happen in Juneau, right?
Are we going to subsidize LNG imports for South Central residents, or are we going to invest in a gas line for everybody?
Robyne: Thank you very much. Will Stapp and I actually skipped over Gary Damron. You're next.
[00:26:10] Gary Damron: Well, that's a, it's an excellent question because it's something that's been going on since they built the trans Alaska pipeline system.
I remember bumper stickers begging for another pipeline at a big gas line running alongside. The, the oil pipeline, the rights of way are already owned by. Um, it shouldn't be that hard to build a gas line right alongside the oil line. It's something that has been an Alaskan dream forever. It's time we finally accomplish it.
Robyne: Thank you very much, Gary Damron. And lastly, Mike Prax.
[00:26:56] Mike Prax: Yes, thank you. Um, our internet connection is a little poor. This is not working so well. At any rate, the AGDC,
Alaska Gas Line Development Corporation, just came out with a report that looks like The in state part of their, uh, complete natural gas project will provide natural gas at a lower rate than importing. That's very good news. They're going to come out with the final report in about a month, and I'm encouraged that we will have a better supply of natural gas in the near future.
Not tomorrow, but in the near future. Thank you.
Robyne: Thank you very much, Mike Prax.
[00:27:46] Mark Rippy: You're listening to the League of Women Voters of the Tanana Valley to Candidate Forum here on KUAC 89. 9 FM Fairbanks.
Jack Barnwell: Next question, um, does the legislature have a role to play in improving North Pole and Fairbanks winter air quality problems in the face of promised loss in federal highway revenue?
You have 45 seconds to respond, starting with Bart Lebon.
[00:28:13] Bart LeBon: I missed the very first part of that question.
Jack Barnwell: Does the legislature have a role to play in improving the North Pole and Fairbanks winter air quality problems in the face of promised loss of federal highway revenue?
[00:28:27] Bart LeBon: Well, we have to be on our game if we're going to secure our share of federal highway dollars.
While I was in the legislature, this wasn't a problem. We always secured our fair share and we just have to do what we can as a legislature to, to make sure that we Secure those funds, uh, whatever split they may be between the state and the federal government. Um, and, and as far as helping Fairbanks and Norco, absolutely.
Uh, the stiff process is a sound one and we just have to make sure that it's followed so that we don't have this kind of surprise where we lose funding.
Jack Barnwell: Thank you Bart LeBon. Gary Damron.
[00:29:13] Gary Damron: The loss of the revenue coming in because the STIP wasn't appropriately filed in time or wasn't filed properly, um, is a huge mistake on the part of the state, Alaska needs to step up its game.
Every year for the past 60 years, probably the STIP has been one of the things that has been critical to getting those federal highway dollars into Alaska and not having a STIP that was approved is tragic. In my opinion, it should have never have happened. The state needs to work with the federal government to figure out what they want in terms of, um getting these highways dollars out so that the roads can be developed here.
Jack Barnwell: Thank you, Gary. Will Stapp.
[00:30:05] Will Stapp: Can you just clarify is the question pertaining to the air quality freeze or to the STIP? I'm just can I thought I heard air quality freeze, which is separate from the STIP. Could you just ask the question again?
Jack Barnwell: Does the legislature have a role to play in improving North Pole and Fairbanks’ winter air quality problems in the face of promised loss of federal highway revenue?
[00:30:24] Will Stapp: Okay, so it is pertaining to the air quality issue. Okay. Well, a couple of things just to give a little back story to folks, um, this is what happens when you are subject to regulatory authoritarianism from a little intellectual elite in a capital 4,000 miles away from Fairbanks.
Okay, what do I mean by that? So, everyone in this community bent over backwards and we invested in wood stoves that were cleaner, uh, than, uh, The previous source of heat. All right. So the EPA arbitrarily decided that they would just revoke our air quality wood stoves after we invested in them, and then change the standards in which they judge air quality.
So, when you have to deal with 1 hand federal overreach and 2, investment, like I said, investment in natural gas changes the game for us, not only in costs, but in air quality as well, because it burns cleaner.
Jack Barnwell: Thank you. Will Stapp. Uh, Mike Prax.
[00:31:16] Mike Prax: Yes, thank you. This, uh, air quality is an issue I have been working on now for about 15 years, and the, uh, there are some areas around North Pole in the, uh, Hearst and Dawson Road area, and I think if we focus on fixing the air quality problems in one area at a time instead of borough wide, I think we can, um, we can fix it.
We, we need to start with that. Where the regulatory monitor is right now, and the, the only way that's going to happen is if the state puts money in that doesn't have the strings attached that require investment, borough wide, we need to focus on one area at a time, and go to take care of the worst one and go to the next one and eventually we'll fix it.
Jack Barnwell: Thank you, Mike Prax, Maxine Dibert.
[00:32:09] Maxine Dibert: Yes, thank you so much for the question. Um, it is truly, really horrible, um, with the funding for our highways that slipped through, um, I think going forward, we really need to listen to our Fairbanks FAST group that, uh, really watches, hey, we need funding for highways, um, and we need to do whatever we can to also fix our clean air.
Um, I know. It's too bad that folks that don't live in this community don't realize our inversions in our, in Fairbanks. We have these cold winter inversions and, but I would moving forward support more legislation in projects to have natural gas where it is the cleanest, um, uh, and I, and the infrastructure for that.
Jack Barnwell: Thank you, Maxine.
Robyne: Okay, this next question is a 30-second answer. A maximum permanent fund dividend now or a modest dividend distribution for long term sustainability? Which is your preference and why? Start with Will Stapp.
[00:33:21] Will Stapp: Uh, well, it's an interesting question, right? Obviously, I believe in responsible budgets and balanced budgets.
On my time in the House Finance Committee, I've, I've passed two balanced budgets. What that means is you don't actually have to draw from savings in order to fund things. Um, so it, the conversation doesn't actually have to be the PFD versus the state or the PFD versus that. It should be about responsible government, right?
So, last session, I offered H B260, which was going to eliminate a program that no Alaskan had participated in three years, and our wonderful folks in the Senate couldn't pass it, right? So responsible governments.
Robyne: Thank you very much to Will Stapp. Next is, Mike Prax.
[00:34:07] Mike Prax: Well, thank you. Um, there's two things. I, I favor the percent of market value distribution from the earnings of the, uh, permanent fund, or rather the market value of the permanent fund, and split that 50 50 between state spending and the dividend.
And I also introduced a bill that would just remind everybody, really, that if, if you don't want your dividend, you're welcome to send that back to the state. And you can even designate whatever program you want with it. So that should be able to make everybody.
[00:34:44] Maxine Dibert: Next up is Maxine Dibert, please. Yes, thank you.
My view on the PFD is that it's been a part of my entire life. I've grown up with it. It's helped my parents. It's helped me get through school. It's now helping my, my own children and I want the PFD to be sustainable. Um, have it be the largest PFD that we could afford while also, uh, funding essential services like having good schools, um, good roads, and good public safety in our communities.
Robyne: Thank you, Ms. Dibert. Bart LeBon.
[00:35:31] Bart LeBon: Yes, I support the governor placing the statutory PFD amount in his December budget. That's, that's our starting point in the debate. The House Finance Committee, the Senate Finance Committee will hammer on their, their budget plans and the PFD will be part of that debate.
What comes out of it, I hope, would be in respect to the percent of market value draw that was referenced earlier, that we don't overdraw the earnings reserve of the permanent fund and impair the fund itself. So we, we have to be cautious.
Maxine Dibert: Thank you, Mr. LeBon. Gary Damron?
[00:36:07] Gary Damron: I think that the corpus of the fund should grow and be protected at all costs.
The permanent fund dividend is a subject that is very touchy. A lot of people use it more and need it more than others. Um, I think that the maximum dividend should be whatever the legislature decides it's going to be, um, and pass it that way, but government needs to be funded.
Jack Barnwell: All right. Now it's time for a 3 second closing comment from each of you.
I will see you have 30 seconds. We will start with Mike Prax.
[00:36:47] Mike Prax: Well, thank you again for having this forum and giving us a chance to get ideas out to the residents. Um, I am running unopposed, but I'm still interested and would appreciate people voting because it is good to know that people are listening and, uh, that they're paying attention enough and exercising their right to vote.
So be sure, whatever, good, bad, or indifferent, be sure and cast your vote in this election. Thank you very much.
Jack Barnwell: All right. Thank you, Mike Prax. Maxine Dibert.
[00:37:21] Maxine Dibert: Yes, thank you. Thank you to the sponsors of this event. My promise to all my constituents is that I will serve you and protect your best interests. If you send me back to Juneau, I will continue to fight for working families.
I will fight for excellent schools, economic development that grows our economy and provides good jobs and to work on lowering our energy costs. It's the number one issue in my district. Uh, please visit maxineforalaska. com to learn more about me and hopefully I have your vote November so that I can return to Juneau.
Jack Barnwell: Thank you, Maxine Dibert. Bart LeBon.
[00:37:59] Bart LeBon: During my four years in Juneau, I was a member of the Parkville House Finance Committee and that was whether I was a member of the majority or the minority. It didn't matter. I secured that seat. During my last two years in office, I was able to pass into law bills that helped the University of Alaska secure financing access to the Alaska Municipal Bond Bank, provided financing support for regional health organizations, and helped with state banking law changes that assisted Denali State Bank and Mount McKinley Bank to serve our community.
Thank you.
Jack Barnwell: Thank you, Bart LeBon. Gary Damron.
[00:38:36] Gary Damron: My name is Gary Damron and I'm running because nobody else was. I'm not, um, beholden to anyone. I am not going to toe the party mark when they lean on me if I don't think it's in the best interest of my constituents. Um, I believe that my opponent is going to do whatever his party tells him to do anytime they tell him to do it and that's wrong.
We're supposed to be, um, doing what's best for individual Alaskans and that's what I hope to do.
Jack Barnwell: Thank you, Gary. Will Stapp.
[00:39:11] Will Stapp: That's interesting. Well, you know, when my party told me to sustain the governor's veto, I chose to override him. So, I wouldn't say that that's really a fair criticism, but I will say that it's been an absolute pleasure to be able to be here.
Uh, thanks for all the folks to tune in listening. I hope that you go vote. Like I said, at the end of the day, I'm a simple guy. I came to Alaska in the army. I served in the infantry as a paratrooper, I did two tours to Iraq, I've been in insurance for over a decade, now I've served in the State House for two years and still do that.
But my most important job is raising two girls and a boy, and my wonderful family out here in Badger Road. Thank you.
Jack Barnwell: Thank you, Will Stapp.
Cathy Hanks: Thank you all. Here is some more useful election information.
Mark Rippy: On this year's ballot, there'll be eight presidential candidates. Because we have no August primary for president, you're free to choose only one candidate or rank two to eight of them.
It's your choice. There'll also be two ballot measures. Ballot Measure 1 would raise the Alaska minimum wage to 15 an hour and provide for up to seven days of paid sick leave. For Ballot Measure 2, a yes vote will repeal open primaries and ranked choice voting, and a no vote will retain open primaries and ranked choice voting.
More information about both measures is available in your State of Alaska Voter Pamphlet or online at the Alaska Division of Elections website. For KUAC, I'm Mark Rippy.