Former corrections officer Gary Damron, a Democrat, is seeking to represent Alaska House District 32, which includes East Fairbanks and Fort Wainwright Army Base.
Originally from Texas, Damron moved to Alaska in 1967 and grew up on Eielson Air Force Base. He graduated from Ben Eielson Jr./Sr. High School and the University of Alaska Anchorage.
He spent more than 20 years working as a corrections officer throughout Alaska.
“Every day was different,” he said. “I have to admit, I threw off the covers and jumped out of bed on the days I got to go to work.”
He retired due to a work-related injury and has lived in Fairbanks since 2010. He has one daughter — who lives in the house next to his own.
Damron said he decided to run for HD 32 after encouragement from friends.
“The day before the filing deadline, some friends called me up at about 9 p.m.,” he said. “They leaned on me pretty hard to run for this seat.”
If elected, Damron said he wants to bring in anyone who thinks they have a good idea on how to make Alaska a better place to live.
“I am not tied to any particular ideology,” he said. “I think government can do good things. I think government should do good things. I’m ready to listen to anybody. I’m ready to try and solve these problems that have been plaguing Alaska since I was a child.”
What should the state’s budget priorities be?
The state budget priorities should: The protection of the public is the number one priority of any government. Not only from crime, but also for the mitigation and recovery from natural disasters, protection of the public from bad air or bad water, bad corporate actors who pollute or take advantage of Alaska’s citizens. Funding all of the states constitutional mandates, including education, which has been neglected for far too long. Protection of the permanent fund corpus and continuing the PFD program.
Education funding was a top concern in the state last session. How would you support education at the state level?
Education is a State responsibility and should be fully funded for all areas of the state by the State. I will work with anyone and everyone to make Alaska’s schools the best in the nation. I am a product of Alaska’s education system from Grade 4 through my Bachelors degree, of which I worked to earn from both UAF and graduated from UAA. Great schools are the basis for great communities and not funding them properly will lead to further outmigration. As Alaskans we should quit routinely shooting ourselves in the foot.
What steps can the state take to support available housing?
The State should be promoting housing throughout the state in every way possible. One of the things that can be done is to meet local communities halfway, when those communities underwrite new development tax incentives. The local government could pick up half the cost of tax deferments and the state could pay the other half. The State should also be responsible for paying tax exemptions like the disabled veteran and senior citizens exemptions.
What role do national culture war topics have in the Alaska Legislature?
The “culture wars” are a dog whistle to create outrage against a particular group of our friends and neighbors. That energy that is being spent on these things is a complete waste. They have no place in conducting the business of the state.
How would you work across the aisle with other lawmakers? Would you join a bipartisan coalition?
I will work with anyone who wants to properly conduct the business of the State at any level. If anybody has any ideas on how to get the Legislature’s business done economically and efficiently, I am willing to work with them.
How should the state address outmigration and make Alaska more attractive to potential residents?
One of the best and easiest things to do is to properly fund public schools, keep taxes at an appropriate level for all, and make sure the roads are paved. Finally prevent the rip and strip of Alaska’s resources.
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?
The shortage of natural gas and high energy costs throughout Alaska is, and has been, a problem for decades. Even when oil was refined in Fairbanks, gasoline and fuel oil were more expensive than in the Lower 48 or even in Anchorage. Alaska has an abundance of renewable energy products and they should be fully exploited to reduce the costs of energy statewide. Tidal, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric should all be used to make the Interior a more affordable place to live. The bridge energy is natural gas. Alaskans have hoped for a natural gas pipeline from the North Slope to tidewater since the TAPS project was being planned. As a bridge source of power to renewable energy, maybe it’s just time to finally get it done.
What are your thoughts on ranked choice voting?
I think the term “ranked choice voting” is a misnomer. It should be called what it is, instant runoff elections. It has certainly led to more people getting along and more work getting done in the Alaska Legislature.
What would you do to foster a northern rail extension?
A northern rail extension and an extension to the Trans-Canadian system is long overdue. I’m a big fan of railroads and their ability to move large amounts of goods inexpensively across long distances. Adding any mode of transportation to goods will reduce the costs for Alaskans across the state and across all modes of transportation. I have to admit that I became addicted to railroads as a much younger man, having spent six summers working for The Alaska Railroad.