Q&A with Alaska Senate District Q candidate Robb Myers

The Alaska Beacon asked Alaska’s legislative candidates to answer a 15-question survey about their positions on a variety of issues. Read all of their responses here. Answers have not been edited.

Robb Myers, Republican candidate from North Pole

Yes/No questions

The Alaska Constitution allows legislators to call a constitutional convention at any time. Are you interested in calling a convention?

Yes

Would you be willing to join a coalition majority in which the opposite political party controls a majority of seats?

No

Should new public employees have access to a pension?

No

Should the state take over the federal permitting process that regulates construction in wetlands?

Yes

Should Juneteenth be a state holiday?

No

Open-ended questions

How should the state of Alaska set the amount of the Permanent Fund dividend each year?

A PFD formula needs to set into the state constitution. We won’t stop fighting over it until it is.

What’s the biggest need in your district, and how would you address it?

The biggest need right now is a long-term sustainable fiscal plan, including certainty for the PFD. I support the framework created by the Fiscal Plan Working Group to address that need.

What policies and laws should Alaska follow with regard to abortion?

Abortion should only be legal to save the life of the mother.

How should the state reduce the threat of gun violence and mass shootings?

Until we find the source of violence, anything that we do will be little more than a stopgap measure.

How much should a legislator’s faith or religion determine state law and policy?

We all have to find a way to determine right from wrong in determining policy. A person’s faith is one source of that determination.

What should the state do to improve retention of public employees, including teachers?

While the lack of a defined benefit program is often brought up as the problem to retention, I haven’t seen data yet to support that. We need exit interviews and other data showing why people are leaving before we can solve the problem.

What does an ideal state ferry system look like?

The ferry system needs to be run more like a business. A state-owned corporation is likely the best model to move towards right now.

What, if any, changes does the state need to make to ensure voting is equitable and secure?

An expansion of early voting locations would help expand secure access to voting. We also need to implement signature verification for absentee ballots.

What do you intend to do about the poor returns of salmon in the Yukon and Kuskokwim drainages, and what are the main causes of the problems?

This is not a topic that I know much about, but it seems to be clear that whatever is happening is likely outside of state waters. Whether the problem is bycatch, climate change, illegal fishing, or anything else, we’re going to have to work with the federal government to solve the problem.

What constitutional amendments, if any, do you support?

We need constitutional amendments to give us certainty on the PFD and prevent unsustainable run-ups in spending during periods of high revenue.