The Alaska Miner Fall 2024 30 structural deficit. We need a vision for long-term economic growth, which includes investing in infrastructure. These critical issues need a strong and dedicated advocate in Juneau. My background in public service and community engagement has set me up for success as a legislator. I've held various roles in government communications, served on several community and advisory boards, and been an active volunteer. These experiences have honed my skills in collaboration, solution-oriented thinking, and unwavering dedication to serving others. I'm ready to bring this experience and passion to represent you in Juneau, working tirelessly to ensure Alaska remains a land of opportunity and prosperity. HOUSE DISTRICT 17 DOWNTOWN ANCHORAGE Zack Fields I've had the honor of representing residents of Downtown Anchorage and surrounding neighborhoods for the last six years in the Alaska House of Representatives. My wife and I have two daughters, Zara, and Simone, who are four and six years old, respectively. Zara is in 1st grade in the Spanish immersion program at Government Hill Elementary, and Simone will enter kindergarten next year. I am very appreciative of the support and collaboration of leaders within the mining industry on a range of issues including support for critical minerals development, sustaining good union jobs for Usibelli coal miners, and supporting expansion of Greens Creek mine in public comment with federal land managers. Recent technological advances in renewable energy generation, electric vehicles, and energy storage create incredible opportunities for Alaska's mining industry. I hope we as a legislature can support mining opportunities associated with increasing demand for many critical minerals ranging from graphite to gold and silver. To this end, I think we should be more proactive in reducing electricity costs, as those mines on the grid would benefit from lower cost energy. We should also consider more aggressive capital investments in transportation infrastructure to reduce costs, including with northern rail extension to support Interior mines. Finally, we have to recognize that we have a role to play in providing environmentally-responsible gold production. It is unacceptable not to pursue projects like Donlin when other global gold sources such as from the Congo and Amazon basin have horrific environmental impacts and human rights abuses. We should be producing gold responsibly here in Alaska, and Donlin is a prime opportunity. We as a legislature can improve the economics of Donlin by aggressively supporting Cook Inlet gas production rather than leaving Donlin reliant on imported LNG. For too long, the legislature has allowed excessive spending on PFDs to leave us unable to invest in economic development, including public education and infrastructure for resource development. We need to have a positive vision for long-term job growth, and that requires investing in human capital and infrastructure. HOUSE DISTRICT 18, GOVERNMENT HILL, JBER, NORTHEAST ANCHORAGE Cliff Groh I’m a lifelong Alaskan, husband, father, former prosecutor, and co-creator of the Permanent Fund Dividend. I’m running for re-election to continue representing House District 18 (Government Hill, JBER, North Muldoon, North Downtown). Alaska’s economy is in trouble, and the Dividend and Permanent Fund have never been more at risk of going away. We need a comprehensive plan to fix our state’s finances and maintain funding for important state services, like good schools and fully maintained roads. We also need to diversify Alaska’s economy, and mining will help get us there. I support efforts to diversify Alaska’s economy and create high-quality jobs for Alaskans. My legislative priorities include: n Saving the Permanent Fund and the Permanent Fund Dividend. Alaskans rightly feel that the Permanent Fund Dividend has become a political tool rather than a sustainable guarantee. We must protect the Permanent Fund and guarantee that the Dividend is both sustainable and rising. n Diversifying Alaska’s state revenues and balancing the budget. Alaska will continue underfunding critical services like education and infrastructure until we find revenues to replace oil. I will continue to search for efficiencies in the budget and fight for a tightened spending cap in the Alaska Constitution like the one I introduced this year. n Increasing resources for our military and veteran communities. I am proud to have gotten my bill passed to create a Military and Veteran Family Help Desk as well as my successful fight to get a long-overdue increase in pay for Veteran Service Officers. n Fully fund our schools and address problems with teacher recruitment and retention and unsustainable class sizes. n Addressing public safety issues. I supported a $4 million allocation to continue funding a homeless shelter in Anchorage, and this money will help keep homeless people off of our streets and out of our parks. I support continued efforts to reform our criminal justice system and enact stronger punishments for dangerous criminals. NOTE: David Nelson did not submit a profile HOUSE DISTRICT 19, MOUNTAINVIEW/AIRPORT HEIGHTS NOTE: Kaylee Anderson did not submit a profile Genevieve Mina I'm a proud daughter of Filipino immigrants who bought their first home in Airport Heights. I grew up in my family's assisted living homes, graduated from our public schools, and am now a homeowner in Mountain View. I love Alaska dearly and I can't imagine living anywhere else. I am running for re-election because House District 19 deserves representation AND results. As a vibrant voice in Alaska's capital with nearly a decade of political experience, I was one of the most effective freshman legislators. I pushed for better snow plowing and passed three policies to enshrine Filipino American History Month, allow Medicaid to pay family caregivers, and improve SNAP by promoting self-sufficiency while reducing government bureaucracy. Our state needs a comprehensive fiscal plan to fund public education, rebuild our workforce, and protect the PFD for our most vulnerable Alaskans. So long as I feel the absence of friends who have left the state and the cynicism of neighbors towards their home, I will step up to champion a better Alaska. I know there's a future here if we have a functioning government that listens to communities, protects civil liberties, and supports opportunities for Alaskans to succeed. My priorities: n Protect the Permanent Fund and PFD by passing new revenues n Fully fund schools from Pre-K to UAA and trades n Address high costs of child care, housing, energy, and health care n Improve government services and pass pension reform for state employees n Strengthen neighborhoods through safe streets and parks n Support local business and grow Alaska's workforce n Invest in renewables and preserve our lands and waters I would be honored to continue serving the area that raised me and fight for the needs of Airport Heights, Mountain View, and Russian Jack as your state representative. Maraming salamat for your vote. NOTE: Russell Wyatt did not submit a profile HOUSE DISTRICT 20, U-MED Andrew Gray I was first elected to represent Anchorage’s U-Med district in the State House in 2022. I serve as co-chair of the Freshmen Caucus, a bipartisan group of legislators committed to collaborative solutions for Alaska’s problems. I carried legislation to mitigate the housing crisis, protect foster children from inappropriate admission to psychiatric hospitals, and improve our elections (to name a few). My first session, I shepherded a bill across the finish line requiring that all people released from incarceration have a valid photo ID (signed into law by Gov. Dunleavy), and this past session I made it so all points-of-sale of alcohol warn that alcohol can cause cancer, including colon and breast cancer (vetoed). Outside the legislature, I am a physician assistant at a local urgent care, and prior to that at the Alaska VA and with the Alaska Army National Guard with whom I deployed to Kosovo. I have a son who is a fifth grader in the Anchorage School District, so I am personally invested in making sure that our public schools perform well. NOTE: Scott Kohlhaas did not submit a profile HOUSE DISTRICT 21, SOUTH MULDOON Donna Mears Donna has spent her career building Alaska as an infrastructure engineer, engaged parent, and community volunteer. Throughout the past two and a half decades she has built water and sewer systems throughout Alaska, been a leader advocating for, developing, and working in our local recycling industry, led the parent effort to construct a new charter school on the east side, and stood up for East Anchorage during the political redistricting after the last census. In the Legislature, Donna is committed to leading collaborative solutions for supplying reliable, affordable energy to the state. This is important for homeowners, and businesses, but is particularly critical for the mining industry. This is one of many issues the Legislature deals with, and Donna is committed to solutions in all areas that promote the future of Alaska by building the infrastructure and supporting the people that make up our great state. NOTE: Aimee Sims did not submit a profile HOUSE DISTRICT 22, NORTH MULDOON Ted Eischeid Hello, I’m Ted Eischeid, a proud Alaskan running to represent State House District 22 in Northeast Anchorage. After completing a 25-year career as a science teacher, I started a second career as a long-range planner with the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. I retired
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==