Tim Pike
Age: 55
How many years have you lived in Sitka and in Alaska? 25 years
Occupation: Proudly a Sitka High School teacher of Autos and Metals
Family: Beautiful wife and four amazing grown children. One brilliant grandchild.
Community involvement, past and present:
Member
Previous government or other relevant experience:
President of Sitka Education Association
Have you previously run for public office? When and what office?
Not run, appointed to fill out Dave Miller’s term until the next election
Why are you running for a seat on the Sitka Assembly this year?
To be a thoughtful voice on the issues facing us.
What are your top priorities if elected?
Electricity- generating more, efficiencies, weatherization and lower costs
Infrastructure – improving and repairing. GPIP haul-out
Schools – Funding to keep and improve the excellent schools we are fortunate to have
Affordability – Childcare, housing, police and young families
Ballot Prop 2
Do you support Ballot Prop 2, which would establish a permanent 1 percent seasonal sales tax and direct the funds toward school infrastructure repairs and replacement. Why or why not?
Absolutely in favor. We have great needs for repairing and improving the school infrastructure. This could allow the school district to stay ahead of wear and tear on the buildings.
If Ballot Prop 2 fails, is there another route the assembly should take to shore up infrastructure money for the school district?
Try to pressure the state to step up and fund capital projects. If that is not successful then we will need to look at what we might need to reduce elsewhere to make funds available.
Ballot Prop 1
Do you support Ballot Prop 1, which would allow municipal employees to serve on the Sitka School Board, provided they are not school district employees. Why or why not?
I am in support and a sponsor. I do not see a reason that they cannot serve on a separately elected and financially independent body that affects their children.
Tourism
What role should the assembly play in limiting cruise tourism in Sitka?
Unfortunately the assembly has fewer tools to deal with this than the citizens of Sitka appear to want them to have. The assembly has taken steps to gather community input and that process has some way to go before it yields answers. At that point it will fall on the assembly to decide the process to set and get us to the desired number.
More tourism means more sales tax revenue. Where should the assembly direct these additional funds?
Infrastructure, Affordability, Electricity, and Schools
Energy
Sitka has been using Department of Energy grant funds to research energy alternatives, including wind and tidal power. Do you feel any of these alternatives should be developed?
Not sure yet. It remains to be seen what efficiencies and weatherization does to our consumption. But we should be setting up for the future by exploring the feasibility and costs of the options.
Haulout
Sitka voters last year approved spending over $8 million on a new marine haulout at the Gary Paxton Industrial Park. Nevertheless, the funding is still far short of what’s needed to build a haul out and boatyard. How should Sitka make up the balance?
The GPIP group seems to be doing well at breaking it down into bite-sized pieces that we can add on as money becomes available. Grants and general fund money will be needed to complete the project.
