Letter to the Editor
People for Wilson
Published Wednesday, October 21, 2009
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Stumble It!First, I want to thank reporter Amanda Bohman for setting things in a very clear light as to whom I should support in the coming election. (News-Miner, Oct. 20).
Government is supposed to be, “of the people, by the people, for the people.” By making it a government of the elite and politicians, and those who think they “know best” for us, we get the “culture of corruption.”
So, men and women, voters of Fairbanks North Star Borough, get out on Tuesday, Nov. 3, and vote for Tammie Wilson. She is backed by the people.
Community Discussion
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Politicians too often treat us like children or sheep. It's refreshing to have someone like Tammie Wilson who has none of the arrogance of the would-be managers and would-be taxers.
Nothing to be arrogant about--it does not look like she can even hold down a job for any length of time. She uses a Esro Road address but the property records show no structure on Esro Road. She is said to be a property manager but claims no employer and does not have a business license in Alaska so what property is she managing? Lots of gaps here. Remember this is not an election for someone to be a voice on the Assembly--this is the mayoral race. Someone has to be able to oversee a multi-million dollar budget and 400 employees. Wilson has some good ideas and lots of passion--keep her on the Assembly and vote for Hopkins.
I have to disagree. Wilson's record shows she only represents a fringe group and not the vast majority. She would steer the borough in a very detrimental direction. Vote Hopkins.
Members of our church have been doing homework on the two candidates for mayor with an eye on honesty. What we've been learning about Wilson leaves us very concerned. Those of us who have lived here long enough remember other Republicans who claimed to be fiscally conservative but who were not. Rhonda Boyles, Garry Hutchison, Ralph Seekins and Frank Murkowski, all betrayed us. Voters, having been burned by these RINO Republicans, tossed these phonies out of office.
One of the biggest costs of operating the borough government is with the salary and benefits for the employees. Those benefits are tied to three year contracts. On May 28 of this year Wilson voted twice to pass two very costly contracts that have benefits that far exceed what is paid in private sector employment. How generous was Wilson with our money in these contracts? The medical plan costs an employee only $20 to $50 dollars per pay period, and it provides:
$2,000,000.00 in medical coverage- a $1,000,000.00 increase over the last contract. The plan includes dental, vision, drug and alcohol treatment, and mental health care.
The contract includes the cost of participation in the Public Employees Retirement System for a paid retirement.
The contract includes lots of paid time off. 12 paid holidays per year plus another 36 days of paid leave for employees with more than seven years of service. If the leave was used creatively a employee could take almost two months off at taxpayer expense every year.
None of this is intended to slam borough workers, but only to challenge the very idea that Wilson is offering more than empty rhetoric when she claims to be a champion of lower cost government. The contracts Wilson voted for do not expire until June of 2012. Wilson would not be able to touch the pay or benefits of these workers in the three budgets she would be responsible for if she were elected to a three year term. To be fair, Hopkins also voted for these generous contracts, but he has never claimed to be a fiscal conservative like Wilson. The union contracts supported by Wilson are with the FNSBA Local 6125, APEA/AFT (AFL-CIO) and the Laborers Union 942 through Resolutions 2009-19 and 2009-20.
These contracts are legally binding so there is no way property taxpayers will see the fiscally conservative government that Wilson has promised.
Ya, I can't believe Tammie is even a viable candidate. I'm all for a regular guy running for higher office, but it's Luke who is the regular guy in this election. At least he's shown the ability to hold down a job. She hasn't even done that. How in the world is she going to be able to manage the borough?
There is no need for me to donate to any charities this year as the borough government has already distributed my property tax dollars to give their favorite charities millions worth of tax exemptions. Luke has voted in favor of all these requests while Tammie was more cautious about giving away other peoples money that did not belong to her, she voted no.
I'm voting for Tammie because I would rather decide which non-profits I would like to support. Maybe I would rather help out youth hockey rather than the drama association. This should be a decision that I get to make no the borough government.
Fairbanksgas- nailing it on the head as usual. Thank you.
*pfft* I'm voting for Luke!
fairbanks gas is right. vote for tammie and decide how to spend our own money or vote for luke and let the bourough get their hand further into your pocket.
Hopkins = Whitaker and the good old boys club continuing the Status quo in this community. The fact is he isn't running for Mayor, but to be the chair of the Port Authority. Maybe with Wilson overseeing the Port Authority the facts will be made public as to who really runs this group. Fact is no public employee contract is legally binding. Look at local governments in the lower 48 where the economy has hit them. Their union public employees are finding out that when the money isn't there, the contract isn't worth the paper it is written on.
Honestly? I hunt and agree. I don't hunt for racks, I hunt for meat. A large rack is pretty much luck of the draw, as to which moose pokes its head out.
You don't typically praise or brag about luck.
The process as I understand it that the mayor presents a DRAFT budget to the assembly who then massage, tweak and ultimately pass a FINAL budget each year. The mayor will have a large plate full of issues and will not be able to engage in the same role they once did as an assembly member. You are electing a leader first and foremost who will serve at the pleasure of this collective community. No matter who is next mayor after the November 3rd election - please try and support that person so we can move the community forward in a positive manner. We owe the next FNSB mayor our support.
Charlie Boddy
Look this is supposed to be a nonpartisan election. What we are really doing is hiring a manager. Tammie Wilson is not even remotely quallified for this job. Nor Luke Hopkins. I say write in Mark Hamilton.
snowbilly- I was amused by your comment that you were surprised Tammie was still in the running and a viable candidate. Remember this, the same voters gave Frank Turney 30 some percent of the vote! Now that is scary. Puts things in perspective.
I'm voting for my friend Tammie
I still laugh when I think about the voters sending the owner and builder of a super-fund site to the assembly. So, I won't be surprised if the same fools elect Wilson.
star_trails seems to arguing that Tammie isn't conservative enough. If that's true, where does that leave the voters? What choice do we have? What church is so conservative that they see Tammie as being to the left of them?
Damn. My comment is on the wrong thread. argh.
What people is she backed by? Ignorant trailer trash? Seems like those are the only kind of people I run into who are backing her!
If you want Liberal Democrat special interest lobbies running the borough, Fluke Flopkins is your man. If you don't want the government nickle and dimming you to death, vote Tammie Wilson.
theabowman
10/21/2009, 5:11 a.m.
Nothing to be arrogant about--it does not look like she can even hold down a job for any length of time.
---------
When was the last time you worked for a living?
Catie Catie.. Meowwwwwwww HISSSSSSs
"alaska4obama
10/21/2009, 8:27 a.m.
snowbilly- I was amused by your comment that you were surprised Tammie was still in the running and a viable candidate. Remember this, the same voters gave Frank Turney 30 some percent of the vote! Now that is scary. Puts things in perspective."
--------- FYI
Voting for Frank was a wickedly severe rebuke to the other candidate.
When I went to college, a bull dog was elected student body president!
Plebian wrote: "Honestly? I hunt and agree. I don't hunt for racks, I hunt for meat. A large rack is pretty much luck of the draw.."
I'm confused...is this a vote for Tammie or Luke?
Voting for Hopkins is like voting for Whitaker! More government, more expenses and having a social agenda in a economic downturn that is here and will be here for awhile!
Tammie may not be the complete "package" but she offers hope for more of the FNSB residents than does Hopkins especially at this time of lost jobs, lower waqges and increasing borough expenditures!
Backed by "the people"...really? I guess we'll find that out on election day. But I can tell you that I'm one of the people who's going to vote for Luke Hopkins.
TunaFingers,
It was supposed to be on the "Be respectful" LTTE. Sorry for the mistake.
Apparently luke has the unions in his pocket, or perhaps it's the other way around. Too bad, theres already a string that ties him. Don't know much about Tammie, met her, liked her. Didn't think the same for Luke.
i usually vote for the large rack.
Plebeian ,
Makes as much sense as a lot of the other comments posted here !!!
"Honestly? I hunt and agree. I don't hunt for racks, I hunt for meat. A large rack is pretty much luck of the draw, as to which moose pokes its head out.
You don't typically praise or brag about luck."
Rack hunting, now there is a sport.
"Fluke Flopkins"
Really?
Really!?
Grow up people.
Oh, right, she's back by the "people" now I get it! because only those that agree with you count as people! Or, you're assuming that the only ones who would vote for Luke are gov't employees and other such bottomfeeders that certainly don't count as people...I know that typical right winger mantra...
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Still trying to figure out the new site.
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