Politics

When the Homer City Council starts to wrestle with an issue, candidate Storm Hansen-Cavasos says she’s ready to go to the mat.
KBBI’s Kathleen Gustafson has this profile of Hansen-Cavasos.

Two seats on the Homer City Council are in contention for the October 1, 2019 municipal election. The seats are currently held by Tom Stroozas and Shelly Erickson. Both have filed for reelection. There are two new candidates for city council, Joey Evensen and Storm Hansen-Cavasos. 
 

Kenai Peninsula residents traveled from as far away as Soldotna in hopes of recalling Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy. Organizers from Homer set up tables in WKFL Park on Thursday, August 1. Between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. they collected over 400 signatures. KBBI's Kathleen Gustafson attended the rally to ask the people in attendance why they want to recall Alaska's Governor.

Thirteen senior citizens who live at Homer Senior Center facilities face eviction because of their inability to pay rent due to The State of Alaska’s elimination of the state Senior Benefits Program. KBBI’s Kathleen Gustafson spoke with Pat Melone, the president of the board of directors of Homer Senior Citizens Inc.  

District P Senator Gary Stevens of Kodiak called from Juneau on Monday after the senate gaveled out. He spoke with KBBI’s Kathleen Gustafson for this Legislative Update.

The Homer Legislative Information Office on Pioneer Ave was the site of a rally this weekend. Organizers from the community and local nonprofits set up a stage and a microphone in the parking lot and invited people to speak about cuts to the state budget. KBBI’s Zoe Cramer was there and heard from protesters, about how the budget cuts will impact their lives.

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Alaska State Representative Louise Stutes says that reversing budget cuts to the Alaska Marine Highway System is her priority this weekend. She spoke with KBBI’s Kathleen Gustafson for this Legislative Update. Representative Stutes’ constituents in Seldovia and Halibut Cove can contact her at rep.louise.stutes@akleg.gov. or call her office at (907) 465-3271. To join in Monday’s teleconference, the toll-free number to call is: 1 (515) 604-9000  - Access Code 279613.

The Homer City Council responded to the current state fiscal debate with a letter sent to the Alaska legislature and Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, outlining the impacts currently budgeted cuts would have on the city and region.The letter, approved unanimously by the council Monday night, noted that job losses from the $444 million in vetoes to the state operating budget implemented by Gov. Mike Dunleavy would impact the region’s property and sales tax revenues, which make up 72 % of the city’s general fund budget. 

The special session of the Alaska State Legislature is split between two cities. Most legislators are in session at the capitol in Juneau, but about a third of Alaska senators and representatives followed Governor Dunleavy to Wasilla, making an override of the governor’s budget cuts an impossibility. District P Senator Gary Stevens of Kodiak spoke with KBBI’s Kathleen Gustafson by phone from Juneau about the failure to override and about what comes next in the special session for this week’s Legislative Update.

Even on a slow day, the Homer Boat Harbor is a busy place. But if you are captaining one of the many 100-plus-foot vessels berthed there, navigating in water that is barely deep enough while avoiding dozens of small skiffs as you turn around, it’s far from ideal. Bryan Hawkins, port director and harbormaster for the City of Homer, addressed the Homer City Council Committee on the Whole meeting on Monday night.

Senator Gary Stevens spoke with KBBI's Kathleen Gustafson about the possibility of a special session in Wasilla and about his work as chair of the legislative council and education committee for this week's Legislative Update.

Republican nominee Sarah Vance and non-partisan incumbent Paul Seaton squared off Saturday in the Friends of the Homer Library's forum.   

Click on the audio file below to hear the  Homer City Council & Mayoral Candidates Forum sponsored by The Homer Chamberof Commerce, recorded at Alices's Champagne Palace in Homer on Tuesday, September 11, 2018.

Clink below to hear the Democratic party primary debate recorded on Tuesday, July 10 2018. Candidates Alyse Galvin and Dimitri Shein participated. The debate was moderated by Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Member Kelly Cooper.

Alaska State Representative Paul Seaton spoke with KBBI's Kathleen Gustafson about bills concerning school funding and about the current version of the state operating budget for this week's update.