Juneau’s candidates running for the Alaska Legislature appeared at a Native issues forum Tuesday to discuss their platforms.
Outgoing state Rep. Sam Kito III moderated the forum. The Juneau Democrat asked questions about issues relevant to Alaska Native and non-Native voters alike.
Among other things, the candidates were asked how they would support rural Alaska Native communities where unemployment and substance abuse are coupled with a lack of access to support services.
Jesse Kiehl, a current Juneau Assembly member running as a Democrat for Senate District Q, said a comprehensive fiscal plan would allow the state to fund better services. But he cautioned against having the state decide what they need.
“One of the most important things a state can do is remember that rural Alaskans have a pretty darn good sense of what’s important for their communities,” Kiehl said.
His opponent, independent Don Etheridge, agreed that better funding would help, but said more job training is also necessary to improve economic prospects.
“We got too many people coming into these small communities,” Etheridge said. “Every time there’s a little project, everybody imports their help instead of training locals to do the job.”
The local House candidates also appeared: Independent Chris Dimond and Democrat Sara Hannan running for House District 33, and Republican Jerry Nankervis and Democrat Andi Story for House District 34.
The forum was hosted at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall by partners in the Get Out the Native Vote initiative. Previous forums featured local assembly and mayoral candidates.
Their next forum in the series will feature gubernatorial candidates and is scheduled for next Tuesday.
Tuesday’s forum also coincided with National Voter Registration Day. The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 6 general election is Oct. 7.
You can watch the entire forum on the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s website.
