Republican Senator Gary Stevens has worked in Alaska state government for the last 16 years.
Stevens currently represents Kenai Peninsula communities in District P, including Homer, Anchor Point, Ninilchik and Kasilof. This year, he is running unopposed in the race for the District P Senate seat.
One of the biggest challenges facing the state is finding ways to trim the budget while maintaining important services, Stevens says.
“We’ve cut about a billion dollars out of our budget in the last few years. But we’ve taken all of the obvious reductions, we’ve done all the easy things so far. Now, we’re reaching a point where it’s going to be even harder and tougher. Because the impact that we will have will really hurt communities and schools and police departments,” says Stevens.
Stevens says that while Governor Bill Walker’s cuts to the Permanent Fund Dividend were unpopular, they were necessary.
“I know cutting that dividend from $2000 to $1000 has hurt a lot of people. It particularly hurts people who are on welfare who really need the money. I understand that, but we simply need to find a way to fund that budget,” says Stevens.
He also says there are other solutions that will help alleviate the fiscal crisis.
“I believe we need an income tax. As I’ve been around my district here for the last two or three years, I’ve always said that I would vote for an income tax, I would vote for use of the earnings reserve of the Permanent Fund. People haven’t ridden me out of town on a rail yet. I think they understand that if you want services, you have to pay for them,” says Stevens.
Stevens has supported Representative Paul Seaton’s efforts to introduce an income tax bill. He says cooperation among elected officials is very important, especially during challenging times.
“You may have a great idea, but if no one agrees with you, it’s going nowhere. So, that’s the hard thing to realize is that it takes compromise, it takes working with other people and that’s the job really,” says Stevens.
This year’s General Election is scheduled for Nov. 8.
Absentee voting began on Oct. 24 and runs through Election Day. Absentee ballots are available at the Homer City Clerk’s office, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm.