 Wildlands How will you provide adequate funding for the University of Alaska without giving away public land in the process? The University of Alaska has received less than adequate funding over a long number of years. During those years, proposals have been put forward in the state legislature and in Congress to give hundreds of thousands of acres of state and federal land to the Institution for the purpose of drawing income from large-scale development on those lands. Those activities include mining and clear-cut logging. Giving these lands to the University would take away citizen oversight that normally occurs on state and federal lands. The University already owns land it has been developing and there have been many complaints about the management of those lands, including clearcutting operations along the Gulf of Alaska coast. A steady revenue source provided by the legislature to the University would be the correct course to prevent this giveaway of public lands. Environmental Justice How will you see that there is a guaranteed right to Subsistence in rural Alaska when fish or wildlife are at low levels? Native Alaskans in rural areas have traditionally used the fish and wildlife in those areas for survival and as a way of life.The state constitution allots these resources to all residents equally.Many urban hunters and fishermen do not want to see a priority guaranteed to one user, regardless of the tradition or need.Several attempts to place a constitutional amendment on the state ballot guaranteeing a rural preference for Subsistence have been thwarted over the years. A constitutional change will be the only way to guarantee a right to the Native way of life in rural Alaska. Fish and Game What is your view on whether citizens should be able to bring forward Initiatives on wildlife issues? An amendment to the state constitution that will prohibit citizen initiatives on wildlife issues has been placed on the Fall ballot by the legislature. Wildlife Initiatives have been used only twice since Statehood. The first time was in 1996 when Alaskans voted to ban the practice of shooting wolves on the same day as having sighted them from an airplane. The second time was in 1998 when Alaskans voted against a ban on snaring wolves. The Board of Game is in charge of making decisions on wildlife issues. The state legislature is the other body that may pass laws regarding wildlife. Both of these governing bodies have emphasized the need to increase the number of prey animals such as moose and caribou while allowing maximum human hunting opportunities. At the same time, efforts are being made to decrease the natural predator populations, especially wolves. If this ballot measure passes, citizens will no longer be able to adjust wildlife laws put forward by these two bodies, thereby permitting increased hunting of wolves and other predators, who would suffer the consequences. Back to Alaska state page
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