Statewide issues were discussed as KSRM’s coverage of Decision 2022 focused on the Senate District C race. The Wednesday evening radio forum focused on the race to fill a four-year term seat for the Alaska Senate District D.
Tuckerman Babcock, Jesse Bjorkman and Andy Cizek spoke on issues impacting the State of Alaska and the Kenai Peninsula in advance of the General Election on Tuesday, November 8. There is no incumbent in this race.
The subjects discussed included the Ranked Choice Voting, long term fiscal plan, constitutional convention, education, senior citizen and people on fixed incomes, sustaining our halibut, salmon and crab fisheries and gas prices.
The candidates also discussed their proposed solution to paying a PFD and funding state services all within a balanced budget.
Jesse Bjorkman:
“Well this is essentially why we need to have a balanced plan and a fiscal plan that makes sense. We cannot keep making the same promises over and over and expecting different results. And if you had a plan that you put forward and then you failed to support that plan in the future, then you have no plan at all, right. So, ultimately what we need is a three prong approach, we need to reduce spending by gaining the efficiencies that talked about in my last answer, secure that spending with a spending limit that works. And then you have to look at your prioritization of how the state spends money. We need a PFD that we can count on. We should set that aside so that the people of Alaska can count on that payment and make a plan. Then we need to prioritize constitutional mandated services, roads and infrastructure. Prioritizing public safety and having high standards for our kids in school. Beyond that we need to make sure that Alaska is doing what we can represent the people.”
Andy Cizek:
“Ok, well that is a good question and it’s a fairly simple answer in my mind. Right off the bat there is a lot involved with it. But, the simple answer is follow the law. Ok, that is the simple answer. We have to many legislators down in Juneau now that do not follow that law. And, you know in reality our dividend isn’t part of the government budget. I mean it’s set aside for the people and the statues, there’s a formula that worked for forty plus years and you know what if it didn’t work, we wouldn’t be having this conversation on the PFD, would we. You know so, another thing we need to focus on is the government over estimates, Oh well I think that the price of barrel of oil is going to be a thousand dollars this coming year. And they put there budget on that. Do you know how many times I’ve heard an unrealistic number and then oh well we’re going to say it’s ninety but it falls to forty-five. You can’t do that, ok, shout for forty-five if it goes to ninety praise god. Ok, do it the other way around.”
Tuckerman Babcock:
“Well there a lot of candidates, I’m not naming anyone in particular, but a lot of candidates around this state that the first tax they want to go for is taxing the dividend. They want to tax every child, every retired person, every man, woman and child in the state in order to fund government. And the dividend itself is created by the realized earnings of permanent fund. The permanent fund comes from the royalty, the royalty belongs to the owners, who are the people of Alaska. The state already taxes seventy-five percent of your royalty. Twenty-five percent goes into a permanent fund by order of the constitution. And then by statue, fifty percent, approximately fifty percent of the realized earnings of the permanent fund are distributed to the owners, to Alaskans. Now, you can say government is more important than that and where going to have to tax them. But, the system worked for thirty-five years with no problem and then Governor Walker vetoed it, and we’ve had political football with you PFD ever since and it’s very difficult to get government to live within it’s means, again that’s why I say consider a constitutional convention so we can have a real spending cap and do away with this roller coaster budget.”
Click the player below to listen to the candidate election forum in case you didn’t have an opportunity to: