We have the opportunity to evaluate two candidates for mayor and select one on May 5. We voters are the selection committee to hire the CEO of a billion-dollar city enterprise that will affect 300,000 of us who live from Girdwood to Eklutna.
What criteria should we use to evaluate the applicants? What skills, experience and knowledge do we seek in our CEO?
The Anchorage Municipal Charter is the constitution of our city government and states the job this way: "The executive and administrative power of Anchorage is vested in the Mayor. The Mayor shall appoint all heads of municipal departments." This includes a manager, a chief fiscal officer as well as chief of police, director of public works and Anchorage port director.
The mayor prepares and submits a budget to the Anchorage Assembly and is responsible to manage the money when appropriated. The mayor maintains communication with the Assembly because it writes laws and adopts the budget. The mayor also coordinates city actions with the Anchorage School District, whose annual budget is approved by the Assembly. The local cost of schools is paid through property taxes levied and collected by the municipality.
I've been a part of local government since 1976, by serving on the Charter Commission and later on the Assembly for six years, when I served during the administrations of Mayors George Sullivan and Tony Knowles. I have known and worked with most of the mayors of Anchorage.
I think the mayor's most important responsibilities are to:
• Lead the city of Anchorage and manage the government.
• Engage our citizens and represent the community to the rest of the state.
• Serve all of Anchorage -- all neighborhoods and people from all cultures, ethnic backgrounds, religious faiths and values.
Specifically, the mayor should:
• Ensure public safety by providing resources to the police and fire departments
• Maintain streets, parks, trails, and public facilities.
• Apply rules for development consistently among all.
• Support public education for all children.
Essential criteria for evaluating applicants for this job include: time and type of previous public service, experience in management, time in the private sector, and type of experience in making difficult decisions. The person we hire to be our CEO should have both a record of ethical behavior, and a vision of how we make Anchorage a great place to live, work and play in the coming decade.
Success in this job is not a function of being "conservative" or "liberal." Success is a function of competence and character. We should ask which candidate has the experience to select and direct the best staff. Which candidate will be most open to citizen involvement to restore trust? Who will best lead Anchorage in these challenging economic times?
I am casting my vote for Ethan Berkowitz for mayor because he has more experience in public service and business than his opponent. I believe he will hire smart professional managers and will best represent Anchorage. Berkowitz has demonstrated ethical courage while serving in the House of Representatives, particularly in 2006 when he declared the House chamber to be the "peoples' House," not in control of lobbyists.
Unlike his opponent, Ethan has experience making public decisions during the last period of decline in oil prices. He knows the importance of fiscal constraint, as well as the critical contribution of efforts to diversify the economy. He knows the value of reliable infrastructure for business expansion and advocates energy efficiency and expansion of fiber-optic telecommunications capacity for community growth.
I believe Ethan has also become very familiar with the range of opinions held by our community through daily work as a radio talk show host for the past year. He has been actively listening to Anchorage citizens for decades and has demonstrated his capacity to lead our community. He has earned my vote.
Please consider casting your vote for Ethan Berkowitz for mayor.
Jane Angvik is a former member of the Anchorage Charter Commission and former member of the Anchorage Assembly. She has contributed money to the Berkowitz campaign, but is not working for it.
The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, e-mail commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com