It’s time for Page Two: news that might not make the front page on Monday, October 20, 2025.
Big Cabbage Radio live-streamed Flip the Script: Mat-Su Election Connection last Thursday night. Citizens across the Mat-Su had a front-row seat to this civic event hosted by the Mat-Su Sentinel.
About 150 Mat-Su residents gathered at the Palmer Depot for the forum which featured eight candidates for the Borough Assembly and the Mat-Su School Board races, along with Borough Manager Mike Brown.
Unlike a traditional forum, During Flip the Script Mat-Su Sentinel founder Amy Bushatz invited candidates to introduce themselves and then listen.
Audience members then spent about 40 minutes responding to live polling questions about local taxes, spending, and priorities. Candidates reacted to the results and engaged with residents in one-on-one conversations throughout the evening.
The Mat-Su Sentinel reported that most participants want the borough to explore alternatives to relying solely on property taxes. When asked to rank spending priorities, residents placed roads first, followed by schools, emergency services and safety, parks and recreation, and public transportation.
When asked how the Mat-Su Borough School District could make registration more attractive, most said the top change should be adding more career and technical education programs.
Other priorities included expanding parent choice options, flexible scheduling, improving facilities, and lowering graduation requirements.
Candidates also offered ideas for new borough revenue streams. Brown discussed the upcoming advisory vote on a proposed motor fuel excise tax.
“Flip the Script was a chance to get a wide variety of folks together in a constructive, respectful, and fun way around something that impacts all of us but is often so divisive,” Bushatz said.
Following the event’s success, the Mat-Su Sentinel plans to make Flip the Script an annual gathering focused on strengthening civic connections across the Mat-Su.
The video recording is available on bigcabbageradio.org.
Big Cabbage Radio also streams Palmer City Council, Borough Assembly and School Board meetings, to keep you connected to your local government.
Speaking of local government, borough elections are on November 4.
Early in-person voting begins today at these locations:
- The Mat-Su Borough Building from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday- Friday
- The Division of Elections Mat-Su Regional Office at 1700 E. Bogard Road from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday with weekend voting on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.
- And at Houston City Hall, Talkeetna Public Library, and Trapper Creek Public Library during regular business hours Monday through Friday.
By-Mail Absentee Ballot Requests are due to the Borough by October 28. YOu can get download the application from the borough website at matsugov.us/elections
Tonight is history night with the Palmer Historical Society at 7 p.m. at the Palmer Moose Family Center at 7p.m. Historian David Reamer will take us on a fascinating dive into two true crime stories from Alaska’s past—cases where the killers were known, but justice was never served.
The Palmer-area open house on the Fuel ExciseTax is on Wednesday October 22 at 6 p.m. at Mat-Su Central School.
Page Two articles are written by Emily Forstner and Lee Henrikson. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
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That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Monday, October 20, 2025.