Name: Sharli Arntzen
Age: 43
Occupation: Small Business Owner, REALTOR, Referee
Where are you from? How long have you lived in Ketchikan?
Ketchikan resident since 1988
What is your community involvement, past and present?
I have decades of experience in the community. Most recently, I serve on the Ketchikan Dribblers League board as the vice president and referee coordinator; and the vice president of the Ketchikan Association of Sports Officials. In my REALTOR capacity, I serve on the Professional Standards and Grievance Committee for the Alaska Association of REALTORS. And recently completed Mediator Training. During my time on the Assembly, I served on the Investments committee, the grants committee, the library advisory board, the city/Borough joint cooperations committee, and the school board liaison committee. I also have my third appointment to the national association of counties international economic development innovation council with this year’s theme being, to build better futures.
From being the executive director for a season at our local big brothers, big sisters, to being a ToastMaster, and serving on various boards in the community throughout the years, it all stems from my time and training as a student and graduate at White Cliff Elementary, then on to Kayhi and eventually deciding to return to Ketchikan after graduating from Eastern Washington University. And one other soul-filling thing, with the support of hundreds of volunteers, was putting together My Rock Festival, here in town.
Have you previously run for public office? When and what office?
I am coming to the end of my first term as an Assembly Member. Before being elected I spent 10 years serving on the Planning Commission and was the Chair, for 8 of those years.
Why are you running for borough assembly?
I’m running for Borough Assembly because I love this place. I love living here and I have a vested interest in this being a home my children want to live when they are grown. I bring a unique perspective with my rounded background, and want to reinvest what my community entrusted me with, back into the community. I never missed a meeting and would continue to commit to my role as a representative for Ketchikan locally, as well as on a State and National level.
What are your top priorities if elected?
My top priorities are to serve with diligence and care. Big issues before the Assembly include launching a Borough manager search beginning this fall, and rebuilding our financial efficiency and reserves. Communication between the School District and the Borough is critical to community success. Tourism management and economic development policies, to address quality of life for residents, and of course, housing and cost of living. Asking what is the minimum necessary to provide for our citizens, but also keep government spending and taxes down.
What is your position on the ballot proposition asking for the transfer of library powers?
My position on the library areawide powers ballot proposition is to see what is the will of the majority. This started because Borough representatives are concerned about the double-digit percentage increases of the libraries annual budget. So the Borough expressed to the City, we want to renegotiate the contract from 2018, as a 48% increase over seven years is unsustainable for Borough taxpayers. Especially while every other metric for facility usage is going down, other than digital checkouts. How does the City expect the Borough residents to pay 8% to 10% more per year for the library when wage increases average between 2 – 5%? And small business owners get little to no wage increases? The cost of the library adds to our cost of housing.
We can want something, but that does not mean that we can afford it. And we need to be able to have those conversations, not assume what other people can afford.
Our population is decreasing and aging. I think it’s up to the voters to decide. And like politicians do, we’re being told we have to pass it, to know what’s in it. We don’t understand the full impacts of what adoption of Library Powers means in terms of cost, timelines, and obligations. On the ballot is not a transfer of library powers, it is for the Borough to ADOPT area wide library powers. It’s important to be clear because there is a difference in how the Assembly would manage the timeline, the power and the asset. More information is needed.
Do you think the borough is doing an adequate job keeping up with infrastructure and community needs that come with increasing tourism? If not, what steps should be taken to address it?
My quick answer is sometimes. The Borough is utilizing CPV funds and transportation grants to help move people around the island and have less congestion and adequate emergency services for the amount of people. I think it’s time to take it to the next level so we’re not only reacting to the needs but planning and preparing for the needs. Pull out the tourism strategy and use it to inform the strategic plan. Or simply do the work of communicating with the stakeholders. The borough started some this year, by enacting limitations on commercial vehicles at Rotary Beach known as Buggies Beach, and South Point Higgins Beach. Results of the survey are expected. The Borough does not over regulate, allowing business to meet the desires of the consumer. However, citizens are frustrated by the disruptions to their daily lives and are asking for some mitigation of impacts.
Staff need to be able to answer the question, can we handle 2 million visitors a year (if the predictions are true?) If not, how can we afford to host that many, or does our community say, no we don’t want so many? And what does that look like for our community economically? We need to do better at upholding our quality of life, and economic development opportunities, without sacrificing the things that make Ketchikan great.
What are ways the assembly can address the housing affordability crisis?
The price of housing is determined by the market. Something is worth what someone’s willing to pay for it and someone’s willing to sell it for. To me the most organic way to address the cost of housing is to increase inventory. If demand for housing goes up, then supply also needs to go up. Because the cost of development inhibits our ability to add housing to the market. Borough policies need to promote development and expansion and inventory. The Borough needs to limit red tape and bureaucratic hoops for people who do the work, to actually get it done.
With my years in real estate and land development, let me give an example of why it’s good to have my experience at the table: We have the units in Saxman because when I sat at the meeting with Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, the mayors, the managers, and other fellow elected officials, I made the suggestion they don’t build an 8-Plex, subject to commercial building codes, but they build multiple four Plex or duplex units. The $4.5 million housing grant required eight housing units and Saxman was able to do 14 because of the partnerships that came from the heads sitting around that table. I like telling that story because it showcases how Ketchikan can do so much more with little. Since I’ve been elected, our market absorption rate has gone from three months of inventory to 11 months of inventory. While I know housing is still an issue for our community, we are seeing prices coming back down in terms of average sales price and sold price per square foot. And we are seeing increases in inventory across the board in our market. Policies need to reflect good planning for highest and best use, where there’s housing available for all sectors of our economic workforce.
What is your position on school funding? Do you think the borough should be funding the school district to the maximum allowable by state law?
I think financial care and diligence is critical. The money used to pay for our schools comes from our citizens. I don’t believe in throwing good money after bad. The system is failing our students and our teachers. I don’t believe in funding to the maximum allowed by law for the sake of saying, that’s what we do. I think citizens deserve to see the return on their investment. When our school systems are falling to the bottom of the stack nationwide, then powers that be need to recognize people are going to go elsewhere to get their education needs met. I don’t like the monetary system we are forced under with the Disparity Test determining school funding.
Our education system in Alaska is being beat down. We need to get away from the disparity test, fix teacher retirement and continue to advocate for more federal funding, due to vast majority of our land being tied up by the Federal government.
Describe one piece of legislation you would like to bring forward as an assembly member, and explain how you think it should be funded.
Legislation I want to work on takes time, more than money. One item I’d like to move is to increase land in private hands through what is called a 10/10/10 program. To address housing prices we need to add more houses. One hurdle is the cost of land and land development. I would propose the Borough develop a land loan program (when selling Borough parcels) where buyers could put 10% down, paying 10% interest, on a 10-year note. Land loans are difficult to get and often require 25% down payment. Then you also have the cost of developing the land. But this way, we could make land acquisition available for more people. It puts more parcels on the tax rolls. And an opportunity for people to build a future for themselves. This is a wonderful place to live, and I am grateful to call it home. It’s my desire to serve the others who also call it home.
