The Anchorage Daily News asked candidates for Anchorage mayor to answer a series of issue questions. Read all of them here.
GEORGE MARTINEZ | Occupation: Director of Leadership and Youth Programs, Alaska Humanities Forum | Age: 46 | george2021.com
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1. Why are you running for mayor?
I am running for Mayor to move Anchorage forward. By bringing diverse people together to roll our sleeves up and get things done, we can rebuild and rebound stronger, better prepared and more prosperous than before. A left-right tug-of-war has stunted forward progress in Anchorage. We went from being the city of lights and flowers with aspirations of getting the Winter Olympics and becoming the first city without prejudice to a finger-pointing, name-calling toxic political environment that led to increased vandalism, threats of violence and more economic uncertainty for working families. My vision is for a safe, connected and thriving city where our economy grows for everyone, where our neighborhoods and families flourish and our children are healthy and successful.
2. What in your background or experience sets you apart from the other candidates and makes you suited to be an effective mayor of Anchorage?
Throughout my 25 years across the public and private sectors, I’ve gained an unparalleled depth of lived and policy experience spanning urban and rural communities. I understand what makes communities thrive and how to effectively deal with urban challenges and have already begun to bring some of these strategies to Anchorage. I am the only candidate with university, diplomatic and community development experience. I am also the only candidate who has served in the mayor’s office as the special assistant to the mayor for economic development, youth development, education and diversity from 2015 to 2019. I know firsthand the challenges, successes and opportunities our city faces and I am prepared to lead on Day One.
3. What’s the biggest challenge facing city government and how would you address it?
The city government’s biggest challenge is restoring public trust and reducing the level of toxic partisanship that has grown increasingly more bitter and volatile. Over the last year, I’ve talked with hundreds of our community members who share the same growing concerns about their families’ safety, economic future and the level of political disfunction of the city. They are tired of Anchorage teetering between standing still or falling behind, and they are tired of excuses from ambitious leaders who don’t know what to do or who are unwilling to make things happen.
4. Describe how your administration would approach the coronavirus pandemic.
My administration will be proactive, culturally responsive, accountable and transparent. It is imperative that the mayor protects the public trust and operates from a place of integrity. While I believe in scientific/fact-based decision-making, I also recognize that all politics is local, and we must account for our culture, character and people’s capacity.
5. What’s your assessment of how Anchorage’s city government has responded to the pandemic over the past year? What, if anything, would you have done differently? Be specific.
The pandemic revealed that Anchorage is woefully underprepared for a prolonged disaster and has misaligned priorities. From the very beginning, we didn’t do enough to address the preexisting equity issues in our community concerning education, health care and the economy, which were made worse by the pandemic. First, I would have prioritized public education, outreach and mitigation support for our community’s most vulnerable members. Then, I would have then proactively provided technical assistance for small businesses, including disadvantaged business enterprises, making sure that every eligible business applied for the maximum amount they qualify for.
6. What role should city government play in repairing economic damage to individuals, businesses and community organizations from the pandemic?
First, the municipality should play a proactive role in providing technical assistance for individuals and small businesses, including disadvantaged business enterprises, to ensure that every eligible company or person applies for the maximum amount they qualify for. Second, my administration will help local businesses survive through digital adaptation and value-added growth opportunities. Lastly, we need to open the economy to get back on track safely.
7. Downtown Anchorage has been hit especially hard by impacts from the pandemic, with tourism, gatherings and events greatly reduced and many businesses and organizations struggling as a result. Another difficult summer with greatly reduced tourism appears likely. What’s your vision for downtown, and what specifically are your short-term and long-term plans for repairing damage from the past year?
My vision is for a safe, clean, colorful and cultural downtown. Over the last few years, I have begun deploying strategies to allow Anchorage visitors to stay longer and explore further. I am responsible for the emergence of art on downtown trash cans, which is now a collaborative project between the municipality, the Downtown Partnership and the Anchorage School District. This summer, I would continue creative street activation, continued public art installations and expanded Alaska Native placemaking. I believe that we can begin roaring back by the winter of 2021 and into the summer of 2022.
8. Would you make changes to the Anchorage Police Department and policing policies? Why? Please describe in detail.
The Anchorage Police Department is continually working to improve its policing policies. One example is that the chokeholds used in both the Eric Garner and George Floyd cases are illegal. Another example is that racially motivated stop-and-frisk tactics found in New York City or Los Angeles are not practiced here and are not part of our department’s culture. The immediate change that I want to see is building a strong recruitment pipeline from our most diverse high schools to grow a more culturally responsive and representative police force. We would work with UAA to create a degree pathway for those recruits.
9. Is the Anchorage Police Department adequately staffed?
According to the last PERF (Police Executive Research Forum) report, Anchorage should have approximately 450 police officers for a city our size. We are not at that level yet. I am committed to keeping APD at the level sufficient to support the effective community policing model.
10. Do you support the bond issue on this spring’s municipal ballot that would fund public-safety technology upgrades, including body-worn and in-vehicle cameras for police officers? Explain.
I support body cams for police officers. However, I do not support this bond item. I believe the body cams should be implemented as part of the regular APD budget process and not paid for by a special bond, which the administration and Assembly currently have on the ballot. This bond proposal unnecessarily politicizes the police.
11. Describe, with specifics, how you would expand and diversify Anchorage’s economy.
I have a seven-point plan to expand and diversify the economy.
1) Open for Business.
2) Ready to Build – Getting to Yes, Responsibly and Efficiently.
3) Destination Anchorage – For Us and Our Visitors.
4) Creative Economy and Innovation Industries.
5) Workforce Development.
6) Regional Development.
7) Attract New Global Investments.
12. What’s your vision for Anchorage’s economy in the future?
Strong jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities to support improving the quality of life for working families and individuals. Anchorage is one of the most diverse cities in the country, and with this diversity comes an inherent economic power. I am focused on restarting the city’s economic engine through innovation, education, infrastructure and tourism to build a stronger, more prosperous and inclusive economy with employment and business opportunities that support improving the quality of life for individuals and families.
13. Is taxation in Anchorage too high/about right/too low? Explain.
We have a tax cap that limits the amount of taxes the municipality can collect. However, with limited alternative revenue sources, property taxpayers pay the bulk of the amount. Most importantly, it is critical for people to understand that we pay for the level of services that we want. I do believe we can improve service delivery without raising taxes, but to do more, we will need to be creative with new revenue sources.
14. Do you have ideas for alternative sources of city revenue? Explain.
The traditional levers are new taxes (gas tax), increased fees and economic growth, bringing new industries and commercial property taxes to the city. Strategic entrepreneurial investments can also yield a higher rate of return, like licensing deals and intellectual property agreements.
15. Are there city programs or services you would cut? Explain.
We must practice fiscal responsibility, operating within our means, and rejecting unfunded mandates. There are also many opportunities for decreasing costs through shared-service agreements and other cost-reducing strategies. I would audit the cost-effectiveness of every nonessential program to determine the magnitude and impact of pursuing those cost savings strategies, knowing that we must also maintain the highest core function delivery and operational transparency levels.
16. Are there city programs or services you would expand? Explain.
Yes, here are five services that we could expand.
1) I would expand the job shop program to help displaced workers get back into the workforce.
2) Public transportation (buses) to help people get back to full employment
3) Youth Employment in Parks is the premier youth employment
4) Firewise Home Assessment Program
5) Revamp Grafitti Busters
17. What’s your view of current Anchorage land-use plans? Would you push for changes?
The Anchorage land-use plan is a road map that is effective but requires resources and plans to move things forward. I support new elements to the plan like “reinvestment focus areas,” or what I call master development zones, regulations around allowing mother-in-law apartments or “accessory dwelling units” and planning for density corridors as well.
18. Homelessness remains a persistent, significant problem in Anchorage. What specifically would you do differently from previous administrations?
A Rapid Impact Plan that will transform our homeless situation:
1) Get people off the streets by activating a clinical transportation program for assisted living, supportive housing and shelter clients.
2) Build paths to dignity and independence with a daily dignity jobs program with wrap-around services.
3) Fixing data gaps to improve coordinated entry and resource tracking.
4) Expand the independence plus scattered-site model of services with limits of 20 beds to increase accountability and improve outcomes. We could have 200 stable beds for less than the cost of current strategies.
5) Ensure that all services are culturally responsive and trauma-informed.
6) Never pit community members against the unhoused through bad policy design and faulty implementation.
19. Name a program dealing with homelessness in Anchorage that you believe is working.
The Mobile Intervention Team is highly effective and is now funded through the alcohol sales tax.
20. Please discuss your commitment to transparency and openness in Anchorage municipal government. Do you have suggestions for improving either?
I am fully committed to transparency and openness and will do everything in my power to ensure that municipal officials are responsive and accessible. I believe that the Municipality of Anchorage must deliver high quality public services for all people in every neighborhood; work hard to create economic opportunities for residents and businesses; prioritize community participation and inclusion for all; and make policies and decisions that create a stimulating and enjoyable lives for residents while limiting the growth of unnecessary government bureaucracy.
21. What’s your assessment of Anchorage’s transportation infrastructure? Do you have a plan to improve it? How?
Anchorage’s transportation infrastructure needs significant investments and realignment toward our vision of economic growth. I believe that we have a tremendous opportunity to use the expected federal infrastructure and recovery resources to build it out.
22. Are there specific transportation projects you would initiate in the municipality if elected? Explain.
Yes, I would work to expand public surface transportation, non-motorized/pedestrian corridors in the downtown area, and use federal infrastructure and transportation resources to explore the opportunity for regional commuter rail service.
23. The past year has been marked by increasing civic discord in Anchorage. What would you do to reduce frustration, distrust and anger that increasingly has characterized civic conversation?
Effective leadership brings people together through authentic listening with empathy, clear work plans for collaboration and room to disagree with dignity but still find a way back to collective work. Too many leaders are ready to point fingers and call the opposition names. This is an error in judgment. As a diplomat with deep community relationships, I am the most qualified person to decrease discord and increase collaboration. Bipartisan endorsements from community leaders like former Mayor Rick Mystrom and school board member Margo Bellamy speak to my ability to build bridges of understanding and opportunity for people to work together to move Anchorage forward.
24. What other important issue would you like to discuss?
To reopen the economy sooner, we need to jumpstart early childhood education and “promise” programs for our youth, including pre-K and after-school networks. Anchorage is one of the first cities to tax recreational cannabis and now is one of the last to use any amount of those funds to support early childhood care and after-school programming.