Mark Farmer
Born: 1962, Fullerton, Calif.
Length of residency in Alaska and Juneau: 25 years in Alaska, 18 in Juneau
Education: Sierra College, Rocklin, Calif., 1980 to 1983
Defense Information School, Ft. Ben Harrison, Ind., 1985, 1986
University of Alaska Southeast, Juneau, 1988 to 1991
Occupation: Retired/disabled U.S. Coast Guard, writer, photojournalist and military/media affairs consultant
Family: Laika, an 11 year-old Shetland sheepdog
Community service: Chairman of Mayor’s Bear Committee, 2002 to 2003; Public Affairs Director of the Southeast Alaska Regional Airshow, 2000
Other experience: Participation in local and state politics, 1989 to present
Candidate’s questions and responses provided by the Juneau League of Women Voters. The public is invited to comment to the candidate’s response. Please click on the question to comment.
What do you envision Juneau’s recycling program will look like in five years?
In five years we should be shipping south all our sorted plastics, metals and toxic wastes for reuse/recycling. Glass and masonry trash can be used in paving and for fill. Paper, wood, building waste and the like should be used for generating power at peak usage loads and when the main transmission line is inoperative. Plant waste should be composted. I’ll work hard as I can to ensure an effective recycling program is in place within my first term as mayor.
What approach would you take to deal with possible budget deficits?
I would favor hiring freezes, offering early retirement to upper-level management types and increasing sin taxes and user fees. We have our emergency savings (which should be increased when possible) and I’m sure we could get some help from the state and federal governments. If that doesn’t take care of it, then sales and property taxes would have to be raised and I would advocate new tourist industry taxes/fees. Not a popular political answer, but that is how I see it.
How can CBJ make it easier and more attractive for young adults to stay in Juneau?
Back in the day, we relied on growth to provide decent jobs for young people. Those days are history. Part of the situation will fix itself as the baby boom generation retires. However, the biggest problem facing young people (and not only them) is the high cost of housing. Face it, you just can’t live in this town on an entry-level or low-paying job (or even two such jobs). I’m not currently advocating rent control measures but it would be something I’d consider should things not change.
What solutions would you propose to address local concerns about solid waste management?
First we need to realize that waste is not without value. All the paper and wood we throw into the landfill is fuel that could be used in a minimally-polluting incinerator to produce electricity during peak loads or when the line is down. Next, we have to educate people to produce less garbage. We may have to close the landfill and ship our trash south (along with other Southeast communities) or we might need to rework the existing landfill. I don’t have the answer now, but it is one of my priorities.
What ideas do you have to minimize “capital creep” and to secure and maintain Juneau as the capital?
Juneau has done a poor job educating our fellow Alaskans that we are not the cause of bad state government — that is the result of the actions of a few people in a building at Fourth and Main. We must implement a wide-ranging public affairs offensive letting people know just how good a capital we are. Gov. Parnell seems to want to run state government from Juneau. As mayor, I’ll do all I can to ensure that happens.