Another Haines election is upon us and as always, it’s generating some howlers.
Like a recent letter to the newspaper where a summer resident faulted a Main Street business owner as too inexperienced to serve on the assembly. I’m sorry. I don’t care how many summers you spend in Haines, seasonality still disqualifies you from challenging the legitimacy of a year-round, Main Street business owner.
Then there was a question at a candidates’ forum asking how candidates would support the local timber industry.
You’d have to go clear back to the 1970s to identify a “timber industry” in Haines. After that came 15 years of solitary mills struggling with energy and labor costs, variability of world timber markets, and a high rate of “defect” in our local timber supply.
Haines has three, separate businesses that manufacture alcohol. Maybe a question of how we should support the alcohol industry would be more appropriate.
Also, can we retire the question, “Why are you running for office?” A candle is more illuminating.
For the sake of getting down to something that matters, I offer the following questions:
“What level of cruise ship visitation do you support and why?”
“The price of every consumer item in Haines is determined by two unregulated, multinational monopolies that control our town’s fuel and freight. What are your ideas for addressing this imbalance?”
“The outgoing mayor found that affordable housing and reliable child care are among biggest obstacles to young people living in Haines. What are your ideas for addressing these stated needs?’
“How much should Haines Borough spend replacing the Lutak Dock?”
“What is the economic benefit to Haines of owning a freight dock compared to other communities where freight companies own and operate their own docks?”
“When was the last time you changed your mind on a borough issue? Name the issue and why you changed your mind?”
“Our schools now employ five teachers who are not certified to teach. Is this a concern for you? How would you address it? Would you support funding our school district to an amount above the state cap? If so, by how much?”
“Give your positions on the five ballot questions and explain them.”
“Do you support enforcing the plastic bag ordinance? If not, do you have any ideas for preventing microplastics from entering our wild fish and game?”
“How should the borough determine where future cell phone towers will be located?”
“Are you satisfied with the borough’s success in addressing major issues. If not, how can the government do better?”
“How many hours per week do you volunteer and for what local causes and groups?”
“Haines electric consumers have narrowly dodged giant rate hikes sought by the private, for-profit utility that owns our electric utility. What are your ideas for safeguarding citizens from usurious rates?”
Many more specific questions could be asked. Responses to them would reflect a candidate’s ideas and approaches. Candidates typically won’t express serious or specific ideas unless they’re asked forced to. Make them.