I’m Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. It’s been a complete privilege to represent Sitka and rural Southeast Alaska in the Alaska House of Representatives these last four years. I’m asking for your support to continue to serve on your behalf for two more.
Alaska is facing huge problems. More than ever, I believe in bringing a collaborative spirit to the Alaska Legislature. I am not a partisan person. I believe Alaskans working together first as Alaskans leads to the best outcomes.
I’ve brought that spirit to my public service these last few years, and I am actively supportive of a bipartisan coalition these next two in the Alaska House of Representatives to help the legislature become a more functional and cohesive institution.
Comments made in the last few weeks of the campaign by my opponent have occasionally taken a more charged and sometimes personal nature. This is not the kind of campaigning I believe in, and I don’t think it’s quality of civic dialogue we normally enjoy in Sitka.
While the views of sex offenders have been speculated on and it’s been suggested that I, quote, turn my back on fishermen — despite, I might add, having the endorsement of United Fishermen of Alaska — one theme has been especially persistent.
My age has become an issue in this campaign, as it did two years ago, as it did four years ago. Same as in previous campaigns, and I believe same for anyone, old or young, or really anyone in life who contends with stereotypes, I believe in being judged by ability and the quality of my work.
And to that end, I’d like to bring this commentary back to where it belongs: the issues we as Alaskans face and the solutions at hand to solve them.
I’m proud this year to have advocated multi-hundred million dollar reductions in tax credit subsidies for oil and gas companies. And I believe we need to do more. Especially if we are asking Alaskans to also make sacrifices.
To that end, I believe in a balanced budget. We will all feel some pain, and I am fiercely committed to achieving fairness and balance in a budget solution, but at the end of the day balancing the budget is an imperative for a prosperous future for our state.
Most of all, I bring a love for ideas and solutions to this work. I am disciple of all forms of strategic thought and I’m resilient and savvy to sometimes hard knocks world of Juneau politics, and these qualities are important for doing this job well.
But the fundamental reason I serve on your behalf is that I believe in making the world a better place, and I care about the future of our community and our state and I want to help make it better.
We as Alaskans have big problems to solve. I’m eager to help create and enact solutions. I’d be grateful for your support on Election Day to return to Juneau and bring a collaborative, problem solving approach for two more years.
