Bart LeBon is a Republican candidate running for Alaska House District 31. He previously served two terms in the House from 2019 to 2023, as well as six years on the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Board of Education.
LeBon’s 2018 House campaign was a notable one, as he won by a singular vote over his then-Democratic opponent, Kathryn Dodge.
“Dodge and I made Rachel Maddow’s national news show,” LeBon said. “The New York Times was calling me. My sister is watching me in Florida, and my phone started lighting up.”
He is living proof that a single vote matters.
Now, LeBon said he’s running to continue his work in Juneau.
“I wanted to do three terms,” he said. “There’s a learning curve, and by the time I had served four years in the statehouse, I had navigated that learning curve.”
Originally from South Dakota and later California, LeBon moved to Fairbanks in 1972 to play basketball at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
After receiving his degree, he began a long career in the banking industry in Fairbanks.
“We were trying to save 10 grand and move back to Southern California,” LeBon said. “It was a dynamic period. Alaska was the place to be. We decided to buy a house and our two daughters were born in quick succession. I tell people I’m on year 52 of a two-year plan.”
LeBon worked with National Bank of Alaska (NBA) for 25 years until the financial institution was purchased by Wells Fargo in 2000.
“I wanted to work for a bank that had community connections to Fairbanks,” He said. “The first day that [NBA] became Wells Fargo was the day that I left.”
He retired in 2017 as executive vice president of Mt. McKinley Bank to run for office.
What should the state’s budget priorities be?
We need to continue reducing the outstanding liability amount now existing in the state’s defined benefit retirement system. The state Constitution mandates that program benefits are guaranteed to the participants so this will always be an annual budget priority. After an appropriate budget contribution is made to close this underfunded amount, budget support for education, public safety, Alaska roads & facilities along with the University of Alaska will always receive higher priority status. Of course, all other state agencies should be funded appropriately along with our annual PFD payment. Balancing the needs & wants of all Alaskans in the annual budget approval process is not an easy task but I do have four-years experience on the House Finance Committee so this task is very doable for me.
Education funding was a top concern in the state last session. How would you support education at the state level?
The first action I would take would be to roll over the one-time education funding in the 2025 budget as a permanent increase to the BSA. After that, any additional increase to the BSA will be subject to education performance measures and program accountability. Just throwing more money into the BSA is only part of supporting education at the state level; we also need to hold school districts accountable for student outcomes and teacher/administrator performances.
What steps can the state take to support available housing?
Support budget funding for the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation and their many programs designed to bring affordable housing to all of Alaska. They are the experts and I would work closely with AHFC leadership to fund any needed programs that will accomplish this goal.
What role do national culture war topics have in the Alaska Legislature?
I really don’t t understand the nature of this question so until I am provided further clarification, my answer is none.
How would you work across the aisle with other lawmakers? Would you join a bipartisan coalition?
I built a reputation during my four-years in office as being someone that was very approachable regarding law making activities. I passed two Bills during my last term in office as a member of the House Minority. This can only happen if I was able to secure support from Majority members which I was able to do. I sense that the Majority in the Alaska House will be mostly Republican so yes, I will join that bipartisan coalition.
How should the state address outmigration and make Alaska more attractive to potential residents?
Jobs and quality of life. Alaska is a resource state and we need to actively develop those resources be it oil, gas, coal, fisheries, timber, etc. while also working toward reducing the cost of living in Alaska through cheaper energy sources to potentially include nuclear along with hydro, wind, solar and gas. Fairbanks is successfully moving toward this future with the Interior Energy Project plus a quality education system to include our close relationship as a community to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.
With a shortage of available natural gas in Cook Inlet and the lack of a pipeline to the North Slope, how would you address high energy costs in the Interior?
We will truck our natural gas from the North Slope. Planning is now underway to do so by 2026. Fairbanks Natural Gas could provide you with the specific details regarding the cost of this energy source plus the environmental benefit Fairbanks would enjoy from burning more gas for heat versus oil.
What are your thoughts on ranked choice voting?
RCV needs to go away. Proof that this voting system is flawed can be seen by the presence of a convicted felon, who is now serving a 10-year prison sentence in New York and has never stepped foot in Alaska, being on our General Ballot in November. A traditional party primary vote would have kept this individual off the general ballot.
What would you do to foster a northern rail extension?
We could pass a resolution in support of the concept but the real work would be by the federal government with Alaska acting as a support player. Any requirement for matching funds should be part of our capital budget should this project find a pathway forward.