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In advance of the April 6 Anchorage municipal election, the Anchorage Daily News asked candidates running for Anchorage mayor a series of issue questions. These includes questions suggested by readers. Read all the mayor and school board candidates’ responses here.
Q: What’s your vision for Anchorage’s economy in the future?
It would be a city where you would be able to open a small business, or a large one, with a minimum of municipal regulation.
My objective for Anchorage is that it becomes a place that people want to live, work, and play. We do this, in part, by reducing the costs of doing business. We must make building the homes that we need less expensive and time-consuming. We always remember that the business of Anchorage is business. When our businesses are prosperous, our economy thrives. Attracting quality workers is also key to a prosperous economy. We will launch a remote work initiative to connect prospective job seekers with jobs and interns with companies.
If we all work together we will find solutions to our challenges, and Anchorage will be a thriving community. We must face the future head-on and look for novel solutions. Anchorage will continue to thrive, but with new generations, and new ways of looking at things, and we have to embrace change and accept that things aren’t going to be the same way they were 30 years ago.
I believe an economic boom is coming for Anchorage should we seize the opportunity. We can be a vibrant city that attracts and retains a trained and talented workforce with world-class outdoor recreation opportunities and walkable, bikeable neighborhoods where our cultural diversity is on full display, where child care is accessible and high-quality and housing is affordable. Anchorage can be a city where students get a top-tier education, starting with pre-K. We can be a city that exports value-added products, while importing visitors from across the world who will add hundreds of millions of dollars by staying longer. And by engaging every part of our community, we can ensure that benefits of growth are shared equitably across the municipality, without leaving any neighborhood behind.
I believe that the 21st century is tailor-made for Anchorage to succeed. The digital age has reduced the burden of distance and allows Anchorage to compete for certain jobs and industries in ways it never could before. Capital and people are much more mobile than ever before and “lifestyle” plays a much greater role in which cities attract investment and people. Anchorage, with its remarkable natural amenities, is extremely well-positioned to succeed in this environment. In order to do so, however, we need to effectively solve our homeless problem, significantly reduce the level of crime and ensure our schools are producing excellent results. If we do that, the coming decades will be Anchorage’s best.
My vision is of an Anchorage that has played to its strengths as a headquarters city, a health care stronghold, a logistics center, a hub for tourism and a university town, and that has continued to make the quality-of-life investments that attract and retain new talent in the post-COVID, work-from-anywhere, Zoom-enabled economy. Anchorage is a city of unrivaled community, beauty and opportunity; we should assume our position as world-class, premier City of the North. As the oil sector declines, we should be encouraging a culture of innovation and homegrown entrepreneurialism, in close collaboration with our local universities. There is no world-class city that is not also a “university town,” and the greatest economic returns will come from greater investments in our human capital.
Financial district. Larger companies coming here for the logistical advantage and locals being hired for skilled labor jobs.
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.
I see a diverse economy that has broken its dependence on Juneau and the energy sector. I see Anchorage as the medical destination for our state and the corporate headquarters for every major company in Alaska. I see an economy that is vibrant and growing.
I was born and raised in Anchorage, my family started in the late 1800′s in Juneau and then moved to Fairbanks and finally Anchorage in 1930. I had three uncles who were all pioneer multiple business developers and owners in Anchorage. I have continued this as well during my life, I want Anchorage to become vibrant economically. I want people to want to move to the city from the Lower 48, I want the city to meet the needs of the people and to also become a more beautiful city.