A Douglas resident is looking to unseat a two-term Juneau Assembly incumbent this fall.<\/p>\n
Arnold Liebelt, a 23-year Juneau resident, has announced that he will run for the open District 1 Assembly seat in October\u2019s municipal election.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve thought about running for Assembly for a long time now,\u201d Liebelt wrote in a release, announcing his candidacy. \u201cWith the current state budget crisis, and the resulting impacts on Juneau\u2019s budget, I feel like now is such a critical time for Juneau\u2019s future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Liebelt has worked as a planner and project manager for the state and as a senior policy analyst for the governor\u2019s Office of Management and Budget under the Sean Parnell and Bill Walker administrations.<\/p>\n
Liebelt\u2019s r\u00e9sum\u00e9 touts his ability to work with state government, handle large budgets and make \u201cdata-driven\u201d decisions. But the self-described \u201canalytical guy\u201d will still face a tough challenge this fall.<\/p>\n
Assembly member Mary Becker currently holds the seat Liebelt is after, and she announced last week that she plans to win it again come Oct. 4.<\/p>\n
[Becker to seek third Assembly term<\/a>]<\/p>\n The candidate-filing period for the fall election doesn\u2019t close until 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 15. Liebelt is out of town and plans to submit his candidacy paperwork on the last day of the filing period, he told the Empire Tuesday.<\/p>\n Official filing status withstanding, the Liebelt v. Becker race is the first \u2014 and so far the only \u2014 contested race of the fall\u2019s city election.<\/p>\n As of Tuesday evening, Assembly member Kate Troll<\/a> is running unopposed to win her second Assembly term and hold her areawide seat. Former firefighter and Glacier Auto Parts owner Beth Wheldon<\/a> is running unopposed for the District 2 seat, held by Jamie Bursell. That seat was formerly held by Karen Crane, who resigned from the Assembly in January to run in March\u2019s special mayoral election.<\/p>\n [Assemblywoman throws hat in mayoral race<\/a>]<\/p>\n Liebelt told the Empire Tuesday that he has long considered seeking a seat on the Assembly. In January, he applied to temporarily fill Mary Becker\u2019s Assembly seat \u2014 the same one he now hopes to win \u2014 when she became mayor for a short while after Greg Fisk died of natural causes in November. Liebelt was one of five applicants, and the Assembly ultimately decided to fill Becker\u2019s seat with Barbara Sheinberg.<\/p>\n [Filling a vacancy: Meet the five applicants vying for an open Assembly seat<\/a>] <\/p>\n Although it may be more beefed up than it was in January, Liebelt\u2019s platform has remained consistent. He told the Empire his primary goal is to create a \u201csustainable capital budget.\u201d And his life-within-our-means approach to the economy was made even more important after the Legislature failed to draft a sustainable budget during its most recent special session, Liebelt said.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we have some really precarious times ahead, and I think we\u2019re going to have to make some really tough and fiscal choices,\u201d he said in a phone interview. \u201cWith city finances, we\u2019ve got to keep our revenues equaling expenditures.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2022 Contact reporter Sam DeGrave at 523-2279 or sam.degrave@juneauempire.com.<\/p>\n Read more about Liebelt’s past Assembly attempt:<\/strong><\/p>\n Assembly vets candidates for vacant seat<\/a><\/p>\n Applicants file before D1-seat deadline<\/a><\/p>\n Read more news:<\/strong><\/p>\n One of Juneau’s oldest bars is getting a new name and new look<\/a><\/p>\n