Contributed by Tam Boeve
My name is Tam Boeve. I live in Willow and I represent Assembly District 7, an area that covers 2/3 of the Mat-Su Borough. It’s a big district, and a big job, and something I take very seriously. That being said, I never intended to run for public office. 10 years ago, I wasn’t overly interested in who our elected officials were, or what was happening at the Assembly meetings in Palmer. I was content working behind the scenes- picking up trash along the highway, attending community council meetings, and helping to organize a community park.
There is a long story about how I decided to run for the Assembly in 2018- and it involves the Willow Fire Department and the Sockeye Wildfire and my family somehow getting caught up in the drama and politics of our local community. But the short version is- that it didn’t take very long for me to realize that our small towns depend on the local government for support- for funding, for land, for legislation. And that without involved and responsive representatives, we were pretty limited in what we could do for ourselves. Fortunately for us, we had an elected Representative who listened and cared. When his seat was vacated, I stepped out of my comfort zone and ran for office. Not as a politician, but as a citizen who wanted to see increased community involvement in the Borough decision-making process.
But I didn’t have a personal agenda. And I still don’t. My communities set my priorities. Which is why it is so important that I take the time to attend local road and fire board meetings, community council meetings, and neighborhood gatherings, to hear firsthand about local concerns. I have been working pretty much 7 days/week for the last 3 years advocating for the communities in District 7 and am proud to have helped with the following projects and legislation:
Decreased the areawide and non-areawide tax mill rates
Allocated $10 million for small businesses impacted by the COVID pandemic
Improved winter parking on Oilwell Road in Trapper Creek
Eliminated sales tax on utilities in the Talkeetna Water and Sewer district
Advocated for additional Career Tech programs at the new Houston High School
Appropriated funding for the future Jonesville Area Shooting Range
Secured land for a future 40 acre park in Caswell
Rehabilitated the historic Willow Log Community Center
Facilitated community meetings with AST and MSB Code Compliance to address neighborhood crime issues
Helped organize a volunteer Fire Department in Trapper Creek
Increased the license plate tab fee allocation for the city of Houston and local road service areas
Testified before the State Board of Fisheries on proposals for improved Mat-Su salmon returns
Cleaned up metal debris after the McKinley wildfire
Built a new library in Willow and remodeled the Community Center
Constructed the A Street Trail in Talkeetna
Increased the number of full-time staffed ambulances from 5 to 8
Opposed the gravel pit in the Sylvan community
Constructed the Trapper Creek Water Distribution Point and provided grant funding for free potable water
Rebuilt Shirley Towne Bridge
Worked with MSB Solid Waste to provide free beetle kill tree disposal sites for residents
Sponsored legislation to decrease property taxes for families affected by natural disasters
We were able to accomplish a lot of positive changes in the last three years, but there is more work to do. There are roads to repair and bridges to build, emergency apparatus to upgrade, code compliance cases to clean up, and parks to build. We must continue to support our local schools and staff. We need to prioritize firewise homes and neighborhoods. And to do so- we need a representative who attends our meetings and listens to our concerns. We need someone with the experience to help us find the solutions to our problems.
I have already proven I can do that. I show up. I work hard. I care.
The Mat-Su Borough Election is November 2nd and I would appreciate your vote. Thank you.
Tam Boeve
Tamboeve.com