The Wrangell sentinel., 1947-03-28
FRED CUNNINGHAM
 ISSUES STATEMENT ON
 NATIONALITY CAMPAIGN


 lowing statement in connection with his campaign for the towns highest office. He said.
 My name has been submitted and will appear on next Tuesdays ballot as a candidate for Mayor of the Town of Wrangell
 Tt is indeed gratifying, and l feel deeply honored, to be chosen as a candidate for this high office There will be many situations Of moment confronting our town ih the coming year and I appreciate the confidence shown in me
 Tt is my belief that problems Of a serious nature should be pre- sented to the public and considera- tion should be given by the coun- cil to their judgment. Local go5-I ernments are composed of repre- 8entatives chosen from the group of ordinary citizens. Those citizens not serving in the capacity of May CT or COuncilmen should have the same feeling of resonpsibility in the promotion of all city activities and improvements. In my estima- tion there is no single person on this earth so brilliant or qualified that he could consider only his own opinions against the know ledge and experience of an ady!seI group
 We have been waiting an inter length of time for tho change which is now taking place in our city. WrangeI1 is advancing as never before and is destined to become the lumber l of Alaska with approx imately three quarters of a million l dollars being spent in the con- of the most modern saw. mill in the territory, and which, | in the natural course of events, | will tend to lead other industries | into our city. An instance of this | interest is shown in the visit this | week of MT. Georges Frank who is Investigating the site in Alaska tor a furniture. factory details of " hich you can read elsewhere H. .ais issue of the paper.
 We are greatly in need Of housing and should encourage peo- ole to build by assisting them with proper water, street and sewage systems and offering city property to those who are willing to con. struct homes Immediately. This movement will pay the city invest nent back in the form of new tax ltion derived instead of continual Y increasing the tax of the pres ent property owners.
 New water and sewage systems will have to be planned in our de- and steps should be talk 9n to investigate these items ma find a method for their financing.
 Tn the past years all we have leard was that there was no mon- ey available to make improvements Tn our city, though no report has aver been made public of the con-. 1ition of the treasurer's finances after the 1946 taxes and license fees were collected I believe it Is the right of every taxpayer ana eitizen to know how the city af- fairs are managed and a statement published quarterly.
 An item of very great interest | to the citizens in the matter ot 'fty finances has been the laxity n collection of territorial refund able license money. The sawmil md shingle mill tax, which Is tnsed upon the yearly production of the respective mills, has never been, to my knowledge, refunded to the City. According to informa- tion l received on my recent trip te Juneau, the amount should be and should go long way toward the construction of new school building or addition.
 Since the City's business is o1,, of the largest in Wrangell, I cer tainly believe that it should be op- erated on a business basis, not on1y the general fund but also the pub lie utilities fund. The greatest consideration should be given to of large and costly items purchased outside of our city ana competitive prices should be de- manded.
 "One of our most serious prob- lens today is the overcrowdeu of our school, lack of facilities, and overwork of individ- ual teachers. There are some pro. jects that can be deferred from one year to the next, but the presen, school situation cannot be expelled from our minds. The education anu care of our children should be ex- pended to solve the present condi- tion and give our children the start in life which we, the parents, are responsible for Playground and gymnasium facilities should be included in our youth program From my observation, Wrange1l ls one city that has sadly neglected their children from the early year up to the teen age class in provid- ing places of self amusement