Wade Bryson

Why are you running?

Well, I really like helping people. And I see that service on the Assembly is a way that I can help the most people possible.

I’ve been the host of KINY’s Problem Corner for the last 10 years. And I’ve practiced listening to the issues of the community, the problems of the people. And I’ve begun to start helping people through that radio program. Whether it’s reaching out to the right entity or right organization, or simply helping sell something to so that people can make ends meet. And I saw that as great practice for being on the local Assembly.

Child care

What's the city's role in child care accessibility?

The overall cost of education, the lifetime cost of educating each student is lessened the more prepared that the kindergartners are going into elementary school. …

And unfortunately, the daycare system is broken here in Juneau. Logistically, or small business perspective, there’s too many variable factors. There’s too many increased costs. We can’t just translate the cost straight across the board — ‘Oh, just charge 10 percent more’ — it doesn’t work that way. And so we have a daycare system that traditionally isn’t profitable. …

So the city doesn’t necessarily have to dump a tremendous amount of money onto this project, but they do need to help the day care situation out, to make it where it at least pencils out so that private individuals can make a go of it.

Public safety

How can the city better address public safety concerns, and how would you pay for it?

The root of the problem is the flow of hardcore narcotic drugs into our community. No heroin is made in Juneau. But yet, it causes one of the largest problems that we have to deal with with public safety.

I’ve spoken with the chief of police a couple of times, and I strongly believe that a stronger fight for the flow of drugs coming into the community would lower the crime rate, it would lower the treatment costs. …

Once the drugs have gotten their hooks on somebody, even if they break that and they are able to get clean, the temptation of the drugs being around them is so great. … I’ve personally watched it happen time and time again. …

We’re not going to stop it completely. But if we put a giant dent into the supply of drugs coming into our community, the consequences of that will be beneficial to the community. … Increasing prosecutor funds and drug dogs I think would have the greatest impact on correcting this crime wave.

Affordable housing

Do you have any specific policy ideas for addressing affordable housing in Juneau?

I think one of the most effective things that we can do that would help families out the most but also bolster our local economy is first-time homebuyer assistance programs. Every family that we convert from a renter family into a home owning family provides stability for the family, … our local economy and our local population, provides stability for the school district.

Homeowners have more net worth at the end of the day than renters. … It solves so many of our housing issues when we take people out of apartments and put them into homes of their own. …

I figure there was some way that the city could help — without subsidizing — but the city could help with a program, either through education or some type of program that assisted first-time homeowners into becoming homeowners.