Wrangell Sentinel -

Sentinel writer

Matt Olsen, the Democratic candidate for the District 33 seat in the Alaska House of Representatives was in Wrangell last weekend for a last minute campaign stop to meet with voters.

Olsen made an appearance at the Stikine Inn where he greeted citizens and spoke about his plans should he be elected to the seat.

“One of the main things Southeast Alaska is missing is the utilization of its resources,” he said. “If you look at timber, it’s one of the big ones that we’re not really utilizing. Fishing is hanging on, and we need to make sure it stays that way, but we need to look at energy first.”

According to Olsen’s platform, the Southeast Alaska Power Agency is nearly tapped out in terms of its ability to supply power to the region – and he believes an expansion of electrical output is needed to grow the economy.

“If we are going to bring on any type of industry, at this point, we need to provide more cheap electrical energy,” he said. “To do that, we have to expand Swan Lake and Tyee, as well as utilizing the Whitman Dam and Mahoney Lake down in Ketchikan. We need to develop those quickly and bring them onboard. Even to grow your boatyard, here in Wrangell, is going to require more energy.”

Another aspect Olsen added that he believes is of major importance revolves around training the youth of Southeast for future career paths.

“We need to increase spending in vocational technical training at the high school level,” Olsen said. “We seem to have forgotten that it’s okay to teach the vocations in our high schools. It gives an avenue to not only a job, but also well paying jobs. It’s a great idea for all of us to go to college, but we have to remember the backbone of the economy is blue-collar jobs. You can’t get through life without an electrician or a plumber or a welder.”

Olsen said he believes such educational paths would mitigate the seasonal nature of the economy in the region.

“If we can provide workers in good paying jobs, especially in the mining industry, we can see growth rather than the seasonal, cyclical cycle we’re stuck in with tourism. Tourism is great, but the whole point is to get away from peaks and valleys in our economic outlook,” he added.

The new district Olsen is running for was created when Ketchikan’s House District 1 and Wrangell’s House District 2 were combined to form the new District 33.

He added that he feels the voters of Wrangell should vote for him because of his experience and deep ties to the region.

“I grew up in southern Southeast Alaska and I feel, with my background in commercial fishing, working with the Forest Service, as well as living my life here, so I feel like I have more of a connection to the region,” Olsen said. “The other part of it is that I have served on local governments and I know the funding issues local governments have. And, they are struggling over taxes, whether to raise or lower a tax to provide a service.”

Olsen is a Ketchikan City Council member and teacher at the Tongass School of Arts and Sciences.

The 2012 general election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 6