Frankie Pillifant vies for District 1 Assembly seat

During her first term on the Juneau Assembly, Frankie Pillifant pushed improvements to Capital Transit and a long-range tourism plan. If re-elected to the District 1 seat, she'd like to continue a community conversation about ways to balance prosperity and quality of life.

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"I am still very involved in trying to keep the vision of a healthy community in front of us all," said Pillifant, a minerals development specialist with the state. "That may be as easy as connecting neighborhoods, making sure we have legal right-of-way between cul-de-sacs so people can get around their community by foot, in a wheelchair, on a bicycle or with a baby stroller."

Along those lines she has tried to promote safe routes to schools and neighborhood parks, she said.

Pillifant voted against renovating Juneau-Douglas High School before pursuing a second high school, siding with Juneau School Board members. Since the Assembly vote went the other way, however, the renovation project needs to be "closely followed and encouraged," she said.

For more Juneau Empire coverage of the October 1 municipal elections, please visit the Juneau Empire Elections Guide.

She supports a second high school, and is encouraged people are asking for demographic projections and what the cost to operate and maintain the two schools will be, she said.

"Overall, the voters voted to support a second Valley high school and I have a lot of respect for the voters so I support a second high school," she said. "The size? The functions of it? We need to be looking at that."

Pillifant said she has worked hard to get to know and communicate with Juneau School Board members during her time on the Assembly. Relations between some Assembly members and the School Board were strained following the JDHS renovation vote.

"I think we need to respect them as elected officials who are charged with decision-making capacity and skills," she said.

Pillifant voted against a motion before the Assembly earlier this month that called on the state to complete a Juneau Access study and its preferred alternative - a road. In an advisory vote in which more than 11,500 Juneau residents cast ballots two years ago, a narrow majority supported improved ferry service, not a road.

"It's something I honor that we took the trouble to ask the question and voters took the trouble to come out on it," she said. "We should honor that."

An amendment to the Assembly's motion this month that mentioned access instead of specifying road access would have had broader support from the community, she said.

Juneau's battle against capital and legislative session move efforts needs to be ongoing, she said. The city's contributions to "Gavel-to-Gavel" TV coverage and streaming audio online have been beneficial, she added.

Pillifant was a dogged advocate for half-hour bus service and reduced-fare youth passes on Capital Transit. Both have been extremely popular, bringing increased ridership and revenues, she said.

"My interest in transit is to improve the choices for getting around Juneau," she said. "It's sad to know that kids can't go here or there because there's no way to get there. ... We've been able to reduce congestion on the roads in Juneau by improving transit service."

Frankie Pillifant

Age: 43.

Lived in Juneau: 11 years.

Immediate family in town: Husband Odin Brudie, son Elliott, daughter Aldyn.

Occupation: Minerals development specialist with the state.

Education: Bachelor's degree from University of Alaska Fairbanks and graduate work in geology.

Offices and organizations: one term on the Juneau Assembly; a founder of the Juneau Community Charter School; chairwoman of the Assembly's Public Works and Facilities Committee; member of Mayor's Task Force on Youth.

Hobbies: Leading the 4-H cross-country ski club, bicycling, walking, hiking, camping and traveling.

Current funding for bus service comes from a variety of sources including user fees, state grants, taxes and cruise ship passenger fees, and Pillifant said she's exploring ways to fund additional improvements. People forget sometimes that taxpayers also subsidize parking, junk cars and highway improvements, she said.

Pillifant voted for a city-wide smoking ban and against exemptions for restaurants with bars. She also voted against putting a $15 million bond proposition for harbor, water and sewer improvements that is on the October ballot.

"I think the timing is poor on it," she said. "There's constant pressure to simply raise the mill rate, and I think we have to be very vigilant and working hard not to have that happen. Although a lot of the projects are fine projects, I don't think they were well-defined."

Pillifant has raised about $7,000 in her campaign for Assembly, a number she expects will grow to $10,000.

Joanna Markell can be reached at joannam@juneauempire.com.