Election forum: Candidates for mayor take questions

Mayoral candidates Hughes-Knowles (l) and McConnell (c) (KCAW news/Emily Kwong)

On Wednesday, October 1st, the candidates for mayor convened at KCAW for a lively discussion about the city’s state of affairs and their vision for the Mayor of Sitka. Mim McConnell, the incumbent elected as mayor in 2012, faced political newcomer Orion Hughes-Knowles. For 90 minutes, they took listener’s question about municipal matters and leadership style. Hosted by Rachel Waldholz.

Elections take place Tuesday, October 7^th.

Candidates McConnell and Hughes-Knowles were invited to make an opening statement.

Question 1: What do you see the role of the Mayor as being? And if elected, what kind of mayor would you be?

Question 2: Orion, talk to people in Sitka about what kind of experience you bring and what qualifies you for this position.

Question 3: Would you support a city owned haul out facility for Sitka’s fleet?

Question 4: What if any are your suggestions for reducing the city’s expenditures in both the near and long terms?

Question 5: Do you support the idea of the motor vehicle registration fee?

Question 6: Will you be voting yes to legalize marijuana? And do you think that that might be a source of revenue for the city?

Question 7: What should and/or can the city do on affordable housing?

Part 1

Part 2

Question 8: How should the city balance the interests of businesses and the interests of residents?

Question 9: What can the city do to make Sitka a place that is attractive to young people to return to and to stay?

Question 10: Regarding school funding, do you think that we should be funding the district all the way to the Alaska state cap? We are $1.4 million below the cap. Is funding sufficient, or somewhere in between?

Question 11: How do you know when to bend to constituents and when to stand your ground?

Question 12: Would you support taking fluoride out of Sitka’s water source?

Question 13: Would you be open to the city collaborating with the Forest Service on refurbishing the Artesian Well?

Question 14: The city of Sitka has a government to government relationship with the Sitka Tribe of Alaska. Do you think that relationship works well? Do you think it should improve? What should that relationship look like?

Question 15: What is your feeling on the Senior Citizen exemption from sales taxes? Do you think it should be repealed?

Question 16: Sitka’s LGBTQ community currently has protections against discrimination or hate crimes. Would either of you consider implementing policies to protect city employees? And support a voting process for city-wide protections in the future?