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Mary Marks: Juneau Assembly District 2 candidate
Age: 61
Occupation: Master’s studies in Rural Development Indigenous Peoples Law, Government and Policy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
You are the only Assembly or mayoral candidate supporting the Ship-Free Saturday ballot measure. Why?
Because I personally believe that the tourism is here in our community seven months and I don’t see that there’s a pattern other than chaos. If we’re going to have the tourism in my business, in my backyard so to speak, I think that we should close off South Franklin from the Red Dog Saloon all the way almost to the bus stop where the tram is, and just block that off and just allow the freedom of our tourism the guests, to be in that area of town. I believe that we have a lot of people that come from out of town to work for a seasonal job, and they don’t spend their earned money here in our community, they take it back to wherever they’re from. It makes me feel like the pipeline days. They were coming in from out of state, sometimes different countries, to come and worked on the pipeline, took that money and spent it wherever they’re from. That’s how I feel about the tourism industry. We don’t have our locals working down on Franklin Street. It’s all Princess Tours working in pockets spread out into our community. We get people off the ships coming in, going to Costco, to Fred Meyers, and taking items that they need in quantities, bulk items, and spending and taking it back to their countries or to their homeland. So I don’t see the benefits or the fruits being left here in our community.
A recent economic study showed the two economic engines doing well locally are tourism and Native Corporations. So if a significant limit is put on cruise tourism, what else can be done by local leaders to ensure Juneau has a sustainable economy?
I really do understand the economic value and the purpose of (cruise tourism). I guess for me as a community member and a citizen of my community sometimes I just want to go in my backyard, which is downtown, and I want to be a part of it. But I can’t because I’m so overwhelmed by our guests and they’re there for seven months, and then we don’t get to enjoy the fruits of our labor in our own communities.
I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around that, to have our community sustainable, because I look at it from my lens that I want a time and a place where I can do my own subsistence and I can’t do that because Statter Harbor is flooded with the tourism industry, I can’t go out and berry pick because I’m behind city or tour busses up and down the roads. So it’s hard to get from one place to another. So I guess from my perspective that’s where I feel like I want to be selfish is trying to meet my way of life, and I feel that I’m overloaded, overwhelmed.
What policies do you want to pursue as an Assembly member to make that way of life possible?
I don’t know what that proposal would be. I don’t know without having an opportunity to see those ordinances.
What do you think the city does efficiently and inefficiently right now?
I feel that with tourism, the monies that are coming in from that pocket, I don’t know where that money’s going. I don’t know how it’s allocated and I don’t know if that is going to the resources that are needed within our community. Where does it go? That’s of interest to me. Doing well, I feel that they’re collaborating more with our tribes.
The important thing that is not being funded very well is our education. We’ve had to consolidate again, meaning the high school they’re all back up in JDHS. There’s a high need of housing not being met. We’re getting people that are getting hired with SEARHC or even in tourism that they can’t find places to live, so they have to decline or not take the job.
As an Assembly member what would you favor to address your concerns about local schools?
Our schools are now consolidated. I know (there is) conversation of painting a pretty picture of bonuses and having housing for our teachers. If we’re going to do that, then meet the needs of housing for the rest of our community that are in dire need. We have children (and) our families are living inside vehicles. Some of the families are dispersed because of how housing is being found. Some places are already full — only moms and children can stay, but the dads got to go someplace else. So I think working together really finding housing because I know that I don’t own property. I don’t own a house. I would love to have a house, but I can’t afford it.
Housing woes have been discussed for many years. What should the Assembly be doing to address those?
I think it’s just the continuation of having the collaboration with your mayor and the administration, and really looking at what’s there and what’s not there.
Homelessness was a major issue during the past year due to problems at Mill Campground that resulted in the current “dispersed camping” policy, as well as controversy involving the operation of a cold-weather emergency shelter. What do you believe the Assembly should be doing to resolve those situations?
I think it’s really important to look at the lands and the properties that we do have available, and having that conversation with our private sector to come to a happy medium that we build these homes for our homeless population. Like another Forget-Me-Not Manor — I think we’re pretty lucky to have one and they’re building onto that building. Currently it may be only 32 rooms, but that’s more than what we currently have. It’s not going to meet all the needs, but it’s a start. I really believe talking with the tribe and other possibilities. I know a lot of our churches were a lot of help.
What I do know and what research I do know is to find monies and help, even grants. Talk to Alaska Housing Finance Corp., you know, say “can we partner up with the (Tlingit and Haida) Housing Authority?” What can we do to partner up to have these housing needs met for our homeless population?
What about housing concerns of people affected by flooding from Suicide Basin, who say there aren’t the workers and materials needed to rebuild damaged homes before winter — plus the worries about more damage occurring during a flood next year? What should the Assembly be doing to address their concerns?
I know that a report came out and it was presented to the Assembly board, and I was disheartened by that report because there was no indication of what the helicopters are doing to our glacier. I think there’s at least four helicopters that fly over our community over to the glacier, and all of those helicopters their blades are moving rapidly, and the heat from the helicopters are produced, and projecting down into our glacier and causing vibrations into that glacier. And I really believe that this is a part of our climate change, and when and who allowed these helicopters to do this business? We have climate change taking place and our glaciers are receding rapidly, and I feel that this is just inviting for our glacier to continue receding at a quick pace.
What about the concerns of people trying to rebuild their flood-damaged homes and protect them next year?
That report that was presented to the Assembly gave some thoughts and gave some ideas as to what can be done. And I think that the Assembly needs to have that conversation together (with the community).
What are your thoughts about Juneau’s property assessments and mill rate in recent years?
Other than hearing the community’s very upset because the mill rate is constantly going up and the cost of it being very high, I’ve done some research into it, and am still trying to wrap my mind and understanding of the mill rate and how it affects. Like I said, I don’t own a home, I don’t have property. I’m a renter. So I all I can see is just from the heartache and the disappointment that our tribe, that our citizens here have of the mill rate.
If you’re running for Assembly, the presumption is you’re dissatisfied with something local leaders are doing and/or you believe you have better or different things you’re hoping to achieve for the community. What is it you’re seeking to achieve?
I don’t think it’s a matter of who’s doing this wrong or that wrong, or if I can do something better. I believe in myself, that I’m a team player, that I can I can sit down and, if I don’t know the answer, I’m not afraid to say I don’t get it but I’m willing to learn. And not only that, but I believe having former Assembly members that were Alaska Native from our community here has plowed a way for other Native entities to be a part. And that’s what I want to do. I want to continue shoveling, if you allow me to say that, to make it possible for another Native to come in and represent the Native population. Because I would like to see the more continued opportunities for Alaska Native representation serving. Because when I’m in the community and been to these different forums I’m not approached by the community members. I don’t know if it’s because they don’t get me or they don’t understand me, but I just feel that I’m not approached, I’m not asked questions.
It’s disheartening for me and so trying to make that opportunity for our Native people’s voices to be heard I feel that I’ve got my work cut out. I’ve got to continue educating and sharing with them the importance of what our Assembly does and help educate them as to why it’s important to pay attention what’s happening.
Why do you feel you’re not approached and such issues aren’t raised at forums?
Racism. It’s prevalent, it’s obvious, it’s an area that I’ve had to live with all my life, and it’s an area that I continue to advocate and push for. I have ideas. I may not be the smartest person in all the Assembly questions, but I’m not afraid to sit at the seat and be asked those questions because I get to learn from hearing the other candidates. as well as community members, speak about different issues that I never thought of, or would have had a conversation about. So it’s just different, it’s a new way of learning to communicate about different ideas that I was unaware of. So I’m learning.
What else do you want voters to know?
That I’m a willing citizen that wants to represent District 2 members, to allow me the privilege to be a voice. It may not be spot on, but I really want to be that advocate. I really want to be a voice and I’m a willing participant. I want to learn more about the different ordinances that passed. I did serve on the community council in Hoonah, so I had a taste of the ordinances, and even though Hoonah may be a first-class city like Juneau the needs are different, very different. So I do have some skills and experience in running for office.
