Austin Cranford
Age: 27
How many years have you lived in Sitka and in Alaska? 11-12 years
Occupation: I am a IT professional at the University of Alaska with expertise in systems infrastructure, data management, and cybersecurity. My responsibilities include not only maintaining the functionality of critical systems but also implementing solutions that improve efficiency and security for the entire institution.
Family:
Have you previously run for public office? When and what office?
Previous government or other relevant experience:
While I have not held an elected public office, my experience in governance and leadership is highly relevant to a government role. Serving as a trustee, chairman, and vice president, my responsibilities have included fiduciary oversight, policy development and governance, and consensus building and representation. This experience has provided me with a deep understanding of how to manage complex organizations, make difficult decisions, and serve the interests of a community, all of which I believe are essential for effective city assembly work.
Community involvement, past and present:
My community involvement is a direct application of my professional skills to civic issues. I have a history of using my research and investigative abilities to perform citizen investigations and file public records requests. This work demonstrates my dedication to ensuring government transparency and accountability. While I have also done minor volunteer work, my primary focus is on empowering the public through access to information and promoting a more open government. I also currently play softball.
Why are you running for a seat on the Sitka Assembly this year?
I am running for a Sitka Assembly seat because I am committed to addressing the fundamental issues that impact the quality of life for every resident, particularly the high cost of living, government transparency, utility rates, and housing. My professional background has equipped me with the strategic problem solving skills to analyze complex data and manage large scale projects, and my experience in organizational leadership has prepared me to work with diverse groups to find common sense solutions. I am running to ensure that Sitka remains a vibrant, affordable, and transparent place for everyone not just those that can afford to live here.
If elected, my top priorities will be to tackle the cost of living, champion government transparency, and find long term solutions for our utility rates and housing challenges. I will advocate for policies that make housing more affordable and available for Sitka families, while also conducting a thorough review of city spending and revenue streams to manage our local economy more effectively. Furthermore, I will champion initiatives that make government more open and accessible, from improving public records processes to ensuring city data is more readily available, so that every citizen can hold their government accountable and trust the decisions that are made on their behalf.
Ballot Propositions
Proposition 1: This fall, voters will consider a ballot initiative to amend the city’s Home Rule Charter and direct future surplus revenue from the Sitka Community Hospital Dedicated Fund toward new and revitalized athletic and recreational facilities. Do you support this proposal? Why or why not?
My position on Proposition 1 is one of fiscal caution. While I fully support the development of athletic and recreational facilities for our community, I believe that we must prioritize our existing financial obligations before taking on new debt. This is the second time the city has tried to remove the tax after it failed to pass last year, and our city still faces an immense amount of debt from the Blue Lake and Green Lake dam projects, along with other significant long term obligations. Redirecting surplus funds from the Sitka Community Hospital Dedicated Fund for new facilities would likely require us to take on additional debt at a time when we can ill afford it. We must first address our current financial liabilities and secure a stable financial future for Sitka before embarking on new projects that would place an additional burden on our taxpayers this is even more paramount with the current national and global outlook on the economy.
Proposition 2: Sitkans will vote on a ballot measure this fall that would require future citizen initiatives to include economic impact studies, paid for by the initiative’s sponsor. Do you support this proposal? Why or why not?
I believe that requiring citizen initiatives to include an economic impact study paid for by the sponsor is the wrong approach. While I fully support providing voters with comprehensive information on a ballot measure’s potential economic effects, this particular proposal places a significant and potentially unconstitutional financial barrier on the right to petition the government. This kind of high cost requirement could effectively prevent grassroots efforts from reaching the ballot, disproportionately favoring well funded groups and undermining the very purpose of a citizen initiative. Instead of placing the financial burden on residents, the city should explore alternative ways to provide this crucial economic information to the public, ensuring that every citizen has an equal opportunity to participate in our democratic process. I believe that if this is passed as is it will almost certainly be struck down by a federal court for first amendment violations.
Tourism
Last year, the Sitka Assembly approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the local cruise ship operator. Is that MOU working? Are there any changes you would propose?
It is too early to definitively say if the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is working as intended. While some initial work, such as the implementation of crossing guards, has been put into place to address tourism’s impact, a full assessment requires more time to evaluate the long term effects of the agreement.
However, I still quite commonly hear complaints about noise, speeding and other factors that impair quality of life if not outright create a public safety risk and that even some of our measures such as the speed bumps and crossing guards are half measures. I see with my own eyes tourist ignore the crossing guards they should be empowered with the ability to issue fines for jaywalking and that is a change I would support as i’m aware that our police dpet is thin as is.
Any other changes would require a thorough review of the data and public feedback.
What other steps should be taken, if any, by the Sitka Assembly to address Sitka’s tourism growth? Please explain.
The Sitka Assembly should not have a primary role in supporting one economic sector over another. While I support local businesses, including those in tourism, the assembly has a responsibility to maintain a diversified economy. There is a significant risk in putting all of our eggs in one basket, as an over reliance on tourism could leave our community vulnerable to economic downturns. Therefore, we should continue to support our historic fishing fleet and other vital sectors when possible, ensuring our economy is resilient and balanced. My priority would be to create a stable economic environment for all businesses, allowing them to compete and thrive on their own merits.
Budget
BUDGET: How do you propose funding city government (including enterprise funds, electricity, water, etc.)?
I propose funding city government through a combination of fiscal responsibility, budget review, and strategic investment in our key revenue generating enterprise funds. Having run on a platform of reviewing the city budget and cutting utility rates, I understand the need for a balanced approach. To fund our city government, including the enterprise funds for electricity and water, my approach is simple:
First, we must conduct a comprehensive review of the entire city budget to identify areas of inefficiency and wasteful spending. This process is critical for ensuring every tax dollar is used effectively and will be the first step in creating a more sustainable financial model.
Second, we must address the financial challenges of our enterprise funds. While my goal is to reduce utility rates for residents, I recognize that these funds must also remain financially sound to cover their operational costs, maintenance, and the immense debt from our hydroelectric projects. This will involve exploring strategies to increase efficiency and revenue, a significant opportunity for this growth is the potential for on shore power for cruise ships, which would allow them to shut down their engines while in port and purchase power from our local grid.
This would provide a substantial new revenue stream to help offset existing debt and, in turn, help lower rates for all residents. By focusing on both smart spending and strategic revenue growth, we can secure the financial health of the city and its essential services without disproportionately burdening taxpayers.
School District
What’s your philosophy on school funding? Should we fund the Sitka School District to the maximum allowable by state law, or “the cap”?
My philosophy on school funding is that we should always prioritize our children’s education and ensure they have the resources needed to succeed. Therefore, I support funding the Sitka School District to the maximum allowable by state law. This commitment is rooted in my professional experience at the University of Alaska, where I have seen firsthand how inconsistent and uncertain funding can severely harm an institution’s ability to plan for the future, retain staff, and provide essential services. When funding is consistently at risk, it creates a cycle of instability that undermines goals and erodes staff morale. By providing the maximum local funding to our schools, we can help our district avoid this instability, attract and retain educators, maintain and upgrade facilities, and offer comprehensive programs that benefit all students. While I am committed to fiscal responsibility across all city services, I believe that investing in our schools is one of the most vital investments we can make in Sitka’s future.
Housing
What tangible actions can the Sitka Assembly take to ease Sitka’s housing crisis?
The Sitka Assembly can take several tangible actions to ease the housing crisis. We must work with state and federal partners to open up new land for development, ensuring any new housing aligns with our comprehensive plan. Additionally, we need to incentivize the development of new housing units by streamlining the permitting and zoning processes to reduce costs and timelines for developers. This could include fast-tracking permits for new construction and offering incentives for the creation of multi-family homes or new apartment/condo complex’s. Sitka already has community projects in place, and we should continue to support these efforts. By focusing on smart policy, governmental partnerships, and supporting community projects, we can expand our housing stock and make Sitka more affordable for everyone.
Policy
Describe one piece of legislation you would like to bring forward as an assembly member, and explain how you would fund it.
I would like to bring forward a piece of legislation to establish a city budget oversight board and a separate investigations commission.
The oversight board would enhance the existing city portal by conducting deeper reviews of expenditures, looking for waste, fraud, and abuse at the itemized list/receipt level that they may refer to the assembly for further review. By investigating one dept. per quarter it would allow the board to finish its initial review in 4-5 years where it could then repeat and it would support the assembly and the yearly audit with accurate up to date data.
The investigations commission, on the other hand, would have the independent authority to conduct investigations and refer findings to the appropriate authorities, removing this crucial check from the sole authority of the city administrator preventing another PD or Animal shelter fiasco that has happened in recent years.
As these would be volunteer boards and commissions, they would not require new funding for salaries or departments. The initiatives would be fiscally responsible, leveraging existing city resources and expertise to support their work, rather than creating a new expense for the city. This is about reallocating resources toward a more open and accountable government.
