Stephanie Nowers

Growing up in a military family, I learned the value of pinching pennies and getting the most out of a dollar. With variable oil prices and inflation, we need to make sure we live within our means. As an Assembly member, I keep a sharp eye on the pocketbook, and also look to the future to ensure we don’t shortchange our future by making decisions that undercut our ability to grow. 

The borough needs to do a better job of informing and listening to residents on important issues. Current public notices are still too often vague, hard to understand, and lack clear maps that show the location of proposed actions. Busy residents and business owners deserve to know what their government is doing without having to dig through agendas or decipher nearly hieroglyphic notices. I am a strong proponent of  increasing public notice, and work to see that notices are clear and easy to understand so residents know about proposals that affect their property values, businesses and livelihoods. One step in the right direction has been to allow residents to call into meetings, giving people a way to communicate without having to drive to the borough.

The Valley is the fastest growing place in the state. When I moved here in 1995, there were under 50,000 people living in Mat-Su. Now we are over 110,000 and still climbing. That growth has brought prosperity but also new challenges. I have worked to encourage growth, but also keep the way of life that drew us here in the first place including the affordable housing, good schools, and access to trails, hunting and the outdoors. 

I‘m a proud supporter of our public schools with two daughters who attended Academy Charter and graduated from Palmer High School. On the Assembly, I have worked to maintain strong schools, and encourage the district to continue to offer a variety of educational opportunities so students can take advantage of and meet the evolving needs of the workforce.

The level of crime has been rising. The causes are complicated with drug use and mental health issues playing a role. A mix of solutions is needed that includes effective enforcement and treatment. Borough task force has explored options including adopting police powers. I will continue to look closely at ideas for improving enforcement and the feeling of safety in the borough. 

I am pro-2nd Amendment. I voted to give 200 acres of borough land off KGB to the AK Scholastic Clay Target Program for a youth shooting range and I voted for the Jonesville Public Use Plan in Sutton, which includes plans for a shooting range. Find my full record at https://www.nowersforassembly.com/second-amendment

The Matanuska Greenbelt system which includes the Crevasse-Moraine trails, Matanuska Lakes State Rec Area and the UAF Experiment farm is a huge asset to residents in the Palmer area. On the Assembly, I have opposed efforts to put a gravel pit in the middle of this trail system near Long Lake and worked with the university to find other ways to monetize their property. I have also opposed legislation that would have cut the public out of having input from sizeable gravel pit operations near their homes or on the trail system. Specifically, legislation was proposed that would have increased to 20,000 cubic yards, or roughly 2,000 dump trucks a year, the size of gravel pit that would require no public input. Current rules require public input on any gravel pit over 7,000 cubic yards and administrative review for any pit over 2,000 cubic yards.