Candidate Forum Brings Legislative Candidates to Girdwood

Candidates attending Monday night's Turnagain News Forum include, left to right, Ky Holland and John Boyle running for House District 9, and Gretchen Stoddard and Cathy Giessel running for Senate District E. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

By Soren Wuerth

TNews Editor

Candidates for districts that include Girdwood squared off in the community hall Monday night in a forum hosted by Turnagain News. 

Throughout the forum, the four candidates—two running for an open Senate seat in the Legislature and two running for a House seat—mostly gave similar responses on issues affecting Girdwood and Turnagain Arm. 

All the candidates, for example, indicated their displeasure with plans by the transportation department for a four-lane divided Seward highway.

John Boyle, a Republican is running against incumbent and Nonpartisan Ky Holland for the House seat, said, among other things, access needs to state park trailheads needs to be improved with better parking.

Holland said, though people are "painfully aware" of safety concerns and delays, he doesn't support a divided highway, and, instead, the DOT could add features like turn-out pockets. 

At another table, incumbent Republican Cathy Giessel sat beside challenger Gretchen Stoddard, also a Republican. Giessel, who serves as president of the Senate, has served 16 years in a district that has shifted boundaries four times, she said.

First-time candidate Stoddard said she has worked for Alyeska Pipeline and Hillcorp and "intends to stay with the Republicans". Giessel joined a more moderate caucus that includes Democrats when a Republican split in 2020 drove some "to the far right". 

Giessel said she doesn't support the proposed $1.5 billion "Safer Seward Highway" project and that "input was not taken seriously". 

"I agree with my constituents who are not fans," she said. 

Stoddard, meanwhile, admitted she hasn't been involved in the discussions on the project and would like to see improvements just "not to the extent they're proposing."

Turnagain News moderators David Nyman and Tim Alderson offer questions and keep time during Monday's forum. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)

On other topics, from education (all candidates wanted to bolster state funding), to the role of taxes and the Permanent Fund Dividend in balancing the state's budget (most said lawmakers need to examine new forms of revenue), to the viability of a liquid natural gas line ("we've been talking about this for 20 years," Giessel said) and to the dilution of power of local governments ("Girdwood needs a voice," Boyle said), the candidates gave various representations but did not diverge significantly in their views.

It was during a "lightning round"—in which candidates could answer only "yes", "no", or "maybe"—where sharper divisions were defined. 

In a question on whether the candidates believe that "human activity is a significant contributor to climate change", only one candidate, Holland, agreed. The others replied, "maybe".

Two candidates, Holland and Giessel, will vote "no" on Ballot Measure 2, which repeals ranked-choice election reforms, closes primaries and does away with campaign disclosure laws. Stoddard and Boyle will vote "yes". 

Boyle and Stoddard do not support a statewide income tax, but Holland does and Giessel would consider it.

Boyle and Stoddard would also oppose a defined-benefit pension system for Alaska employees, though Giessel and Holland embrace the move.

In response to a more light-hearted question, candidates gave different answers on their favorite local restaurant. Giessel chooses Chair 5. Stoddard likes Seven Glaciers. Boyle goes for the Double Musky Inn. And Holland enjoys dining at Jack Sprat.