KCAW AI Disclosure
Did you use artificial intelligence (ex. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) to complete this questionnaire?
Candidate: Yes
Please describe how you used AI here:
Candidate: I did some research and drafted it myself. Then I I used AI to help me make it more concise and improve overall flow.
Name: Kevin Mosher
Age: 52
How many years have you lived in Sitka and in Alaska? 33 years
Occupation:
I work as a staff accountant for Shee Atiká, Inc.
Family:
My wife and I have been married for nearly 30 years and have five children together.
Community involvement, past and present:
Serving on the assembly requires all of my free time at present. When our children were younger, we participated in school events.
Have you previously run for public office? When and what office?
I was elected to serve on the assembly for three terms, since 2018. I ran for mayor once in 2022.
Previous government or other relevant experience:
My government experience is primarily from serving on the assembly these 8 years. I served as Deputy Mayor, and as assembly liaison to the following boards and commissions, committees, and Government to Government relationships: STA, School Board, Investment Committee, Sustainability Commission, Parks & Rec Committee, Local Emergency Planning Committee, and SEDA.
Why are you running for the mayor’s chair this year?
I am running for mayor in order to provide stability, because we are in a time when leadership of the assembly and city staff is changing. The mayor is key to setting the tone for our local government, and I will keep that tone positive. I want to support our city staff as they continue to provide services and maintain city infrastructure. I would like to ensure that the assembly stays focused on key priorities, such as cost-of-living issues, which include housing, childcare, economic prosperity, and maintaining our quality of life.
What are your top priorities if elected?
To promote local economic vitality, address housing and and childcare affordability, and support public education.
Childcare Shortage
A recent report commissioned by the city shows Sitka’s childcare system has the capacity to serve only about half of the young children who need it. The assembly is considering a seasonal sales tax change to fund a $1 million-a-year plan to help address the childcare shortage. Do you agree with this approach? What further steps, if any, should the city take to address the crisis?
Childcare is a major obstacle to prosperity in Sitka. Market forces alone may not fully address this challenge, and some level of public investment may be warranted. I support the city being a part of the solution. We need more community discussion about the best way to do that, and I am prepared to lead that discussion at the assembly table. Several ideas have been proposed, and there is good momentum so far.
Budget:
How do you propose funding city government (including enterprise funds, electricity, water, etc.)?
First, the city should do its best to maximize efficiency in order to keep the cost of city government down. Second, we need to maximize outside revenue from state and federal grants, low interest loans, as well as tax revenue from visitors, while being mindful about the costs of tourism. Third, I support our general policy on enterprise funds, where users pay the costs of utilities and harbors. Finally, sales and property taxes will remain critical to providing general services, including public safety and education. I support having regular community discussions about our desired level of services, and the structure of our property and sales taxes.
Schools:
Do you support funding the Sitka School District to the maximum allowed by state law (a.k.a. the “cap”)? Why or why not?
Yes. Although there has been a recent increase in the base student allocation, it has not kept up with inflation. The school district has made painful cuts, and the city has taken on new responsibilities, such as maintenance of school facilities, to make sure our schools continue to offer an excellent education and critical activities-such as youth athletics and performing arts. Young families are critical to the health of our community, and to keep them here, we need to continue supporting our schools.
Affordability:
Affording daily life in Sitka is difficult for many, between rising fuel and grocery costs and housing and childcare shortages. According to a 2024 report by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Southeast Alaska’s overall population is projected to drop by about 17% by 2050 — or roughly 12,000 people. That’s about the populations of Sitka and Wrangell combined. As an assembly member, how would you work to address affordability for Sitkans
We should do everything we can to help, while acknowledging that some things are beyond the city’s control. We also need to be mindful about achieving a balance between short-term and long-term costs, and between costs and quality of life. For example, the Blue Lake Dam expansion was a major investment that increased utility rates, but now it is providing some protection from the major swings in the price of diesel.
The demographic reports show that almost all of the decline in population is among working-age residents and youth. That is a very worrisome trend. We need to focus on what we can do to keep Sitka affordable for young people and families. Subsidizing childcare is an important part of that. Many Sitkan’s have concerns about cruise ship tourism, but it has also created opportunities for many young people to start businesses that allow them to live here year-round.
The cost of housing in Sitka is driven by our limited supply of land, the cost of materials, and a shortage of construction labor. The city can provide some relief through zoning changes, by making city land available for development of housing that people can afford to pay for. Right now, the Planning Department is working on providing pre-approved home plans. I would be open to discussing options for addressing housing affordability through our tax code as well.
Tourism:
The commercial passenger vessel excise tax – also known as the CPV – is a “head tax” collected by the state and distributed to port cities. The funds are highly restricted, and can only go toward harbor or other infrastructure related to services or facilities used by cruise ships and their passengers. As an assembly member, how would you prioritize spending CPV money, considering the restrictions?
First, we should continue to get reimbursed from CPV money for all the services that the city offers to tourists, including but not limited to increased police, fire, and other emergency services, as well as personnel costs associated with managing tourism.
I also support working collaboratively with the tourism industry to find other uses of this fund that will benefit visitors and tourists alike, such as Lincoln Street improvements.
The city has expanded its tourism management in recent years, adding a tourism commission and hiring on a new tourism director in response to growth in the sector. From your perspective, what should be the city’s role in tourism moving forward?
The city should be very active in managing tourism. By working with residents, the tourism commission, business owners, the tourism industry at large, Visit Sitka, and city staff, we should continue to make sure that the community derives real value from tourism and that visitors continue enjoying Sitka. Not every single person will be happy, but if we work together, we can find a balance.
Artificial Intelligence:
The use of artificial intelligence has proliferated over the past several years. It’s reshaping how people work, learn, and participate in daily life. What are your thoughts on using AI in your role as an assembly member or to write legislation?
I believe AI can be used as a helpful tool to work more efficiently. I have used it to help me draft assembly memos. In those instances, I did not ask it to do everything for me. I took my notes from meetings with other assembly members, city staff, and members of the public, independent research I did online, and then used that to help me craft a document that could articulate the purpose and flow of the agenda item. Then I reviewed the draft to make sure it was accurate and that it made sense. I haven’t used it to write legislation. As technology develops, I’ll continue to look for ways to use AI ethically.
Municipal Administrator:
The city has been looking for a new municipal administrator for about a year now. You would likely be part of that hiring decision. What qualities would you look for in a leader?
I am looking for someone who knows how to work collaboratively with people in an open, friendly way, and who will interact with staff, the assembly, outside entities, and the public respectfully and effectively. We need someone who has either worked as an administrator before, or who has worked in a capacity that has demonstrated and developed leadership ability, an understanding of how city government works, and the ability to learn quickly. Problem solving, financial management, and skills are essential.
Mayor:
How do you envision your role as mayor will be different from that of an assembly member?
The mayor represents our assembly and the community. The person in this job sets the tone for local government and presides over meetings. The current mayor has set a good example by being respectful, running orderly meetings, getting business done, supporting the administrator and city staff, and focusing on local issues while avoiding hot button political issues that divide people. I intend to follow his example.
Questions from the Daily Sitka Sentinel:
A group in Sitka is laying the groundwork for new city recreation facilities, such as an upgraded track and field complex. How do you feel about developing new recreation infrastructure and expanding capacity for recreation in Sitka?
I support maintaining and upgrading Sitka’s existing facilities, including recreation and athletic infrastructure. As a community, we need a clear path shaped by public input and guided by our asset management system, which prioritizes repairs based on safety, urgency, and long-term need.
Regarding the track and field complex, I know there is strong interest in improving a facility that is difficult to maintain and can pose safety issues.
Proposed upgrades should go through a full public process and align with the recreation master plan, which is currently being developed. The advocates for this upgraded track are focused on securing outside funding, such as private grants and government programs dedicated to recreation infrastructure, rather than drawing from the city’s general fund. Given our long list of aging facilities that need repair, I support this approach.
Do you think the city general fund is at a healthy level? How would you cut or add spending?
I think we are at a fairly healthy level and we should try to stay there by being thoughtful about how we allocate our city’s resources.
What are your ideas for stemming the decline in Sitka’s population, particularly the loss of young families, and the associated decline in Sitka School District enrollment?.
Addressing the affordability of housing, childcare, and other cost of living issues to the extent that our city government has any control over them is key to stemming the decline, particularly with the loss of young families.
The city has long deferred a project of improvements along Lincoln Street. Should the city prioritize this project, and if so, what changes should be made along Lincoln Street?
Yes, it should be a priority. The assembly recently directed the Administrator to sign a letter to apply for grant funding to support Lincoln Street improvements.
The public should be very involved with the development of plans. There will be a variety of opinions about changes, and trade-offs will be required. I support a public process to get to an outcome that most stakeholders support.
Do you believe that the city should keep Lincoln Street open to vehicle traffic throughout the summer cruise ship season, or close the street to vehicles on some days? Why?
My priority on this issue is public safety. If the data shows that keeping the street open on peak days is not creating safety issues, I support that outcome.
How can the city provide adequate restroom facilities for tourists? Do you think the city should continue operating portable restrooms throughout the summer, and if so, where should the portable restrooms be placed?
There is no ideal location. We should continue to do end of season surveys and make extra effort to make sure that as many people as possible get to share their opinion.
How do you see the role of public safety and policing in keeping our community safe?
I believe the role of public safety is very important and should be supported wholeheartedly. I think a community policing model is important. The philosophy of building relationships, problem solving, visibility & accessibility, and building trust is important.
