IMG_3607

Orion Hughes-Knowles is one of four candidates running for two open seats on the Assembly. The municipal election is Tuesday, October 6. (Emily Kwong/KCAW photo)

Orion Hughes-Knowles was born on the north shore of Oahu, but grew up in Sitka and graduated from Whitman College in 2010. He’s running for assembly for the second year in a row — but this time for a regular seat rather than mayor. KCAW’s Emily Kwong brings us the third installment in our series of profiles of candidates for municipal office.

Downloadable audio.

Exactly one year ago, Orion Hughes-Knowles ran for mayor.

“I thought it was appalling that we had an incumbent mayor in a town of 9000 people who was running unopposed,” he said. “And I thought, ‘I could be mayor. I could be an effective mayor. I have a vested interest in the future of this town.'”

He lost the race. And that night, he decided next year to toss his hat in the ring for the Assembly. “I got 40 percent of the [mayoral] vote and afterwards, thought, ‘I can do better next time.’ As Hughes-Knowles puts it, “I’ve had a year to prepare and watch and listen and think about the state of the city.”

That included changing jobs from a cook at the Larkspur Cafe to a sales clerk at Spenard Builder’s Supply and following news of the Assembly more closely. The 27-year old wants to make his hometown a place that’s desirable not only for families to move to, but for their children to return to.

“One thing I remember, even back when I was going to school, is preventing the ‘brain drain’ from Alaska. You want to keep the kids here because those are the future business owners and the future politicians,” Hughes-Knowles said.

With that in mind, Hughes-Knowles wants to bring financial solvency to Sitka. And that includes bringing rates, such as water rates, up to speed. He said, “Rates will have to go up every year, unless you want the people ten years from now to pay for those rates that we’re not paying now.”

At this point in the interview, Hughes-Knowles produced a sheet of paper with Sitka’s water rates over the past four decades.

He read off the sheet, noting that from 1973 to 1991, there was no increase in water rates, nor from 1992 to 2001 or 2002 to 2009. If elected, Hughes-Knowles says he also wants to reevaluate how Sitka taxes property, which is fixed at six mills.

“That’s incredibly low,” said Hughes-Knowles. “In most other towns, two-thirds of a city’s revenue comes from property tax and one third from sales tax. Here it’s the other way around.  So what ends up happening is that people who are impacted the most are people with lowest incomes because they usually don’t own homes.”

Hughes-Knowles returned to Sitka in 2011. And while he doesn’t have direct experience in politics, he did serve on the finance committee of the Whitman College student body electorate, where he learned some valuable lessons. 

“You can’t rubber stamp everything ,” said Hughes-Knowles. You have to ask the tough questions of people who are bringing forth  budget proposals and are asking for money or asking for approval. You need to ask them, ‘What could you do with half of what you want? Give me more details.'”

Hughes-Knowles said he was often the only dissenting member on the committee that, in his words, “said yes to everything.” And by the end of the year, the committee ran out of money and had to borrow it from the college.

The experience he said, was comparable to how Sitka has paid for maintenance on city projects in the past, by borrowing money from the state. Hughes-Knowles said that, “While yes, [the state] gives us low interest loans, sometimes zero percent loans, they have to be repaid.”

In order to grow Sitka’s economy, Hughes-Knowles thinks it’s especially important to support local business owners in the marijuana industry. He points to revenues generated in Colorado and Washington and that while marijuana remains controversial, the business possibilities are worth exploring in Sitka.

“We should be as forgiving and as open-handed as possible to small business owners who want to get involved in that industry and work hand in hand with them,” said Hughes-Knowles. “We don’t want to scare investors off. Part of what makes Sitka great is our small business community and I think fostering that is always beneficial.”

Hughes-Knowles is studying for the law school entrance exam this December. Though he’s not sure he’ll pursue a career in law, he wants to have the option. This attitude mirrors what he wants for all young Sitkans. When asked if his age, a good six years junior to the next oldest candidate, would hurt his candidacy, he said it would not.

“I don’t own a multi-million dollar house. I don’t own a boat,” said Hughes-Knowles. “What I do have personal experience with is being a young person in this town. Seeing the opportunities around here. Seeing a lot of apathy. And also seeing people who just want something different. Who see a need for a fresh vision and want some young blood. Hopefully I can provide that. I think I can. I know I can.”

There are a total of nine candidates for municipal office this year — four running for two seats on the assembly, and five running for two seats on the school board. All are three-year terms. Raven News will feature a different candidate each day between now and the election on Tuesday, October 6.