Barbara Haney and Liz Reeves-Ramos vie for FNSB Assembly seat l

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (KTVF) - Barbara Haney and Liz Reeves-Ramos are running for seat I on the Fairbanks North Star Borough assembly.

Haney said she is running because she thinks the borough government can do better. “We can do some things in the borough to bolster our snow removal capacity in the outer borough areas. The state is going to have to work out its state issues, but we have areas in the borough that are the borough’s responsibility in the road service commissions.”

Haney said last winter has been hard for residents in the borough. “First off, we had the wonderful snow storm that pretty much locked up everybody in their homes. Then we had the huge rate increase in energy, and that was kind of reeling, and then you had the huge assessment surprises in the borough, and that really hit people very hard,” she explained.

She would like to see Fairbanks become a larger logistics capital for the Interior. “I think we should be fostering resource development, and I see a lot of people who are trying to kind of stifle that a little bit. Resource development is a huge component of our economy. If you take a look at the Tetlin Project, if you take a look at Healy, these are important factors that will help raise up not just those communities, but raise up the standard of living of Fairbanks as well, and I’m not really hearing those voices very clearly in the current borough assembly.”

Meanwhile, Reeves-Ramos said she is running because she believes our community is stronger when people take care of each other. “I’ve devoted my career to human services, which is helping others. I’ve been a court-appointed guardian for incapacitated adults who are no longer able to make decisions for themselves, and currently I investigate reports of harm on vulnerable adults who might be experiencing abuse, neglect or exploitation,” she explained.

Reeves-Ramos said she values local government and the impact it has on people’s lives. “I believe in financial sustainability within our government, and I know that this position is for the people of this borough and their overall interests.”

“If I am not familiar with an issue, I will make sure to educate myself thoroughly before making a decision, and if I can’t find the answer, I have no problem going to those I know have one,” she said, adding, “I don’t have aspirations of rising in government, but I do think that I could be a beneficial voice to have on the assembly.”

Reeves-Ramos said there is room for new businesses in the borough. “We need to make sure that we’re encouraging that growth. Ways that we can do that are by improving energy efficiency, supporting and growing our local agriculture, increasing our air quality and protecting our quality of life.”

She went on to say, “One way quality of life can be protected in the borough is by finding ways to mitigate these rising costs. If elected to the assembly, I will focus on finding ways to offset or lower energy, heating, and property taxes.”

Haney and Reeves-Ramos will appear on the ballot in the municipal election on October 4.

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