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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 include questions suggested by readers. Read all the mayor and school board candidates’ responses here.
Q: What other important issue would you like to discuss?
Did not respond.
We, as citizens of Anchorage, must decide what we want our government to do for us. Everything comes with a cost. I believe in a right-sizing government for those essential services we demand.
I cannot overstate that citizens of Anchorage want someone who isn’t polarized by divisive, hyperpartisan politics. With so many hyperpartisan mayors in the recent past, who really wants more Sullivan, Berkowitz, Begich style politicians in the mayor’s office? I am running to serve the people of Anchorage from the perspective of a normal person, with a good head on his shoulders, who will do the business of the people with a constituency of all the people, regardless of party, race, creed, color or sex. Anchorage needs a mayor invested in true, whole community governance. It’s time for a mayor that looks at things objectively, and not just from the perspective of the people they agree with and receive direct benefit from. I’m that candidate.
We all benefit by acknowledging and embracing the fact that we are on the ancestral and current homelands of the Dena’ina people, and that Anchorage is home to Alaska Native people from across the state. Building that recognition into the names of our public places, the history lessons we teach and issues we focus on will both allow for healing and deepen our connection to this place. On the Assembly I sponsored the first Indigenous naming ordinance, partnered with organizations working on the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and co-sponsored a law to establish government-to-government relations with the Native Village of Eklutna. There is much more to be done, and my administration will ensure that our Indigenous community has their rightful place at the table.
While living and prospering in a city that relies heavily on the oil and gas industry, we cannot lose sight of the opportunities that may arise in alternative energy technology and development. The world is very clearly moving in a direction that places greater importance on, and demand for, these technologies, and Anchorage should not view seeking alternative industry investment as contrary to current oil and gas development. As a city, we need to be searching the horizon for coming trends and opportunities.
The summer of 2019 should serve as a wake-up call for Anchorage about the increasing risk of wildfire danger. Anchorage has work to do to ready itself for increasing climate disruption — including building new secondary access roads and improving fire breaks — and to better position the city for the inevitable energy policy changes coming from Washington, D.C. Increasing our investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies will be key. As municipal manager, I increased the city’s use of rooftop solar arrays, hybrid vehicles, and supported a new “C-PACE” program to finance improvements at commercial properties. We should next investigate whether further legal changes can help independent power producers bring additional wind and solar power to the Railbelt energy grid.
I’d like to inspire other Alaskans to run for these political offices in future. It’s important. Right now, Alaskans from Alaska have barely a 1% voice holding a political office.
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.
Did not respond.
Nothing currently, but lots later if successful.
Read more questions:
Why are you running for mayor?
What’s the biggest challenge facing city government and how would you address it?
Describe how your administration would approach the coronavirus pandemic
Would you make changes to the Anchorage Police Department and policing policies? Why?
Is the Anchorage Police Department adequately staffed?
Describe, with specifics, how you would expand and diversify Anchorage’s economy.
What’s your vision for Anchorage’s economy in the future?
Is taxation in Anchorage too high/about right/too low?
Do you have ideas for alternative sources of city revenue? Explain.
Are there city programs or services you would cut? Explain.
Are there city programs or services you would expand? Explain.
What’s your view of current Anchorage land-use plans? Would you push for changes?
Name a program dealing with homelessness in Anchorage that you believe is working
Are there specific transportation projects you would initiate in the municipality if elected?