Legislature Candidates Guide
ing slice. Smaller government is better govern- ment, and less government spending is better for us all. I have no desire to go to Juneau or to be in politics, but I see this as commu- nity service. We need to roll back the over-reaching arms of the government, both State and Federal, and I am in a position to do such a thing. I am com- mitted to seeing these things through if you see fit to help me through this election process. HOUSE CANDIDATES House District 1 Bart LeBon, Republican Candidate Having spent my entire working career in the private sector (banker for 42-years), I fully appreciate the value mining brings to our state, local com- munities and individual families. Alaska must create wealth in order to move our state forward and the resource develop- ment sector is a critical part of a suc- cessful state economy. If elected, I will be supportive of responsible resource development be it mining, timber harvesting or contin- ued oil field expansion activity on the North Slope. This type of private-sector economic activity is critical to our future success as a state and must be support- ed by elected officials at every opportu - nity. Thank you for this opportunity to voice my support of the Alaska mining industry. Christopher Quist, Democrat Candidate Christopher Quist is running for Alaska State House District 1. Quist was born and raised in Fair- banks and attended local schools across the city. He has worked a wide variety of jobs, and in many industries includ- ing food service, education, agriculture, information technology, and manufac- turing. Quist has started multiple small businesses, including a USDA Certified Organic coffee roasting operation. As an employer, Christopher implemented progressive compensation programs, and leveraged the organization’s re - sources to generate charitable contri- butions for local non-profits-- mainly in support of Breadline/Stone Soup, an organization the candidate remains an
active supporter of to this day. For the last 11 years Christopher has worked in public broadcasting at KUAC- TV/FM, a service of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Quist parted ways with the organization in September of this year in order to better pursue dif- ferent ways to serve the community. Quist has also served on the Fair- banks Borough Assembly for the last 6 years, most recently as the Presiding Officer. While on the Assembly, Quist has worked to improve local air quality, expand job training and apprenticeship programs, and generate new revenue by overseeing the development of the legal cannabis industry in the borough. As Fairbanks’ legislator, Quist will fight for strong education, fiscal sus - tainability, and affordable energy. Quist recognizes the deep connection between education and economic development and that the best way to support work- ing families is to defend their chil- dren’s future. He also understands the immense benefits of the PFD on our state and local economies, believing we can defend the program while simul- taneously putting Alaska on a path for long-term financial stability. A key part of this approach is making energy alter- natives, such as natural gas, cheaper for our citizens by supporting innovation at the state and local levels. I strongly support resource develop- ment in our state. I promise to continue push for active management, access to, and reasonable incentives for the re- sponsible development and utilization of Alaska’s natural resources as guaranteed in our Constitution. With significant opportunities on the horizon, we must continue to position ourselves to fulfill our obligation to de - velop Alaska’s resources for the benefit of our citizens. While mining has always accounted for a significant portion of our economy, over the last five years there has been a downward trend in the number of mining jobs in the state. I’ve consistently supported cooperation between state and federal agencies to support private partners and promote the development, extraction, processing, and production of mineral resources in Alaska. I’ll continue working to create opportunities that will benefit our state House District 2 Steve Thompson, Republican Candidate
LEBON
QUIST
THOMPSON
37
October 2020
The Alaska Miner
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