August 09, 2019
Friday AM

Hello Fellow Ketchikan Community Members,

I am writing to announce my candidacy for Ketchikan Gateway Borough Mayor. My name is Sidney, and I have been a Ketchikan resident since spring of 2010. I am originally from the Columbia River Gorge in Washington State. Since moving to Ketchikan as an 18-year-old, I have worked in customer service at Tongass Marine Store for six years, then spent a half year at Gateway Center for Human Services in the children s department, and I will be entering my fourth year with Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District, where I have been working as an Intensive SPED Para. I am currently a UAS student, pursuing my degree in Alaska Native Languages and Studies. I received my Associate s Degree this past spring, and am close to completing my Bachelor s Degree. My history in political affairs lie in advocating for the Linguistic Emergency declared in September of last year, my recall petition against Trevor Shaw last summer, and most recently, my efforts in assisting with the Dunleavy recall in our local area during the Blueberry Festival.

I would like to take the chance to answer why I am running for Mayor, and introduce my stance on a variety of local issues. First, I feel that an uncontested campaign for Mayor neglects the local's right to choose. Ketchikan community members deserve options to make a conscious decision of who might be a face of leadership in their town. Further, I believe Ketchikan needs a leader whom advocates for our schools, our educators, Alaska Native language immersion, and the use of our tax dollars. I do not believe those areas are currently being prioritized at the level they need to be.

As it stands, the tobacco tax is entirely going toward our education fund, when it could be supporting other areas of our community. I also feel that the marijuana tax should be going to areas of our community we can physically see. I feel that expanding tourism to Ward Cove is not a direction Ketchikan should be going, and that our community should effort to preserve its authenticity. I do not support raising property taxes, but I know that when Dunleavy addressed our community, he stated that because he lowered state taxes, he is essentially forcing municipalities to increase taxes to compensate for the state s resignation of such. I absolutely oppose all of Dunleavy's budgetary cuts throughout our state, and have signed the application to petition a recall.

If presented with gifts and trips, I would reject them because I do not believe our local tax dollars should be going toward luxury. I do support funding our schools to the budget, and that we need to keep Ketchikan relevant so we can retain choice educators. I believe that Ketchikan Indian Community and our school district should be working toward strengthening the Alaska Native presence in our curriculum, and working to advance our students in retaining a strong indigenous knowledge base, including language, to address the current linguistic crisis.

Moving to Ketchikan as an 18-year-old, I have lived out my entire adult life years, growing into the person I am today. I have vested myself in this community for the past decade by working and serving Ketchikan locals in our Tongass Marine store, issuing fishing licenses and helping our locals for six years. I have worked alongside your children, both in mental health services, and in your school district for those with academic needs. I became a mother in this community almost six years ago, and have been raising Alaskan children. I go to school full time, while juggling a full-time job and raising children to become Ketchikan's future front-runners. I do not have any hidden agendas, and I have nothing to syphon from Ketchikan's essence. Many can say they have spoken for Ketchikan, and spoken for its people. I am here to set a precedence as the people. I am in it every day. I am Ketchikan, and I will effort to lead our community without bipartisan politics.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Sid Hartley
Ketchikan, Alaska

Editor's Note:

The text of this letter was NOT edited by the SitNews Editor.

Received August 07, 2019 - Published August 09, 2019

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