36.0°

Age: 62

Occupation: Retired

Family: Wife, Kathy; children, Terry, Jason, Nathan

Education: Georgia State College, 1967-68, U.S. Air Force G.E.D., various management classes

Organizations and special interests: NRA, Union Sportsman's Alliance, Democratic Party, AARP, Sterling Senior Center

Previously held elected office and experience: Homer Electric Association Board of Directors, Kenai Peninsula Food Bank Board of Directors

Ways for voters to contact you: phone, 262-3734; cell: 398-9334; e-mail, EvansHouseDistrict34@gmail.com; Web, www.Tim08.com

1. How should Alaska position itself to ride out, or perhaps benefit from, the stark financial realities of the current economic crises, and what steps do you think the Legislature should take to help protect constituents?

Be wise. The legislature is charged with watching over the public interest, but just by virtue of how large government is, it is slow to respond. That is a good thing, a quick response is often the wrong response.

We hire professionals to monitor and manage our Permanent Fund and the legislature has to send a strong message to the Permanent Fund Board.

We should build the In-State Natural Gas Pipeline, it will provide the jobs that will directly affect our economy for years, the revenue to continue the public services we need and the opportunities for small businesses to grow.

Just as you and I do, the legislature has to form a budget to meet our "needs" and then if money is available, move on to our "wants."

2. Alaska is a resource state, but relatively little in the way of processing infrastructure has been built here that would allow Alaska to add value to those raw materials. What can and should the state do to change that?

Small businesses are the foundation of our local economy, the state needs to help with insurance. The owners I have talked to have all said that insurance, including Worker's Compensation, is a heavy burden. We need to streamline the procedure for Worker's Compensation claims that will reduce not only the cost of administration but also the stress that is placed on the employee and employer.

We need co-operatives for our timber industry, there are small "mom and pop" saw mills who could add a lot to our economy if we can help form a Co-operative to assist them in getting their industry off the ground.

Tax incentives seem to be the "buzz words" we hear most often, and we should definitely look at this. I believe we could develop a program that would allow this but tie them to local hire and local purchase of goods and services.

3. Surpluses from high oil prices have allowed the Legislature to increase funding to schools. What is your opinion of the current level of education funding and why?

Some years ago I saw a reader board at a local business that had this quote, "It is through our children that we speak to a generation that we will never meet." Our children are our legacy.

I believe we need to fund education to the fullest extent we can, increase the per student formula, and make sure that the formula is fair to all school districts. Our educational system should be expanded to include more early childhood preparedness programs such as Head Start, return vocational training to the high schools, support for advance vocational training after high school graduation, and student loan programs that won't be such a heavy burden on students and families.

4. What are you prepared to do to advance alternative energy efforts in Alaska, should you be elected?

Different areas of the state have alternative energy possibilities that relate better to them. Wind power is feasible in some areas, geothermal, hydro, tidal and I have even heard mention of nuclear.

The University of Alaska is equipped to research and advise on the economic feasibility of these options and we should certainly take advantage of this informational resource.

The development of these alternatives are years away and we should start now to set aside the money to fund their development. We cannot afford to put off this research and development; if we do, then we will find ourselves with our back against the wall facing more energy problems.

We must first start the construction of an In-State Natural Gas Pipeline to provide the energy and income we need to fulfill the future development of alternative energy resources.