Perez-Verdia the right choice for West Anchorage

As the April 2 election approaches, the residents of West Anchorage have the opportunity to shape the future of our community. We believe that Kameron Perez-Verdia is the right choice for a safer, healthier, more prosperous city.

We’ve both had the privilege of working with Kameron, and we know firsthand that Kameron will bring compassion, thoughtfulness, and hard work to the Assembly. He has a knack for breaking down complex problems, making solutions within reach. He seeks out expert advice, listens closely and doesn’t just look for opinions that match his own. That’s why people of every political stripe who know and work with Kameron believe in him. We need that kind of open-minded leadership to tackle our challenges in Anchorage.

With more than 25 years serving in leadership roles at organizations such as Catholic Social Services and the United Way, Kameron brings the experience needed to solve our city’s most pressing issues, including homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, affordable housing, and economic development. Through his capable leadership as the president and CEO of the Alaska Humanities Forum — a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening and connecting communities across the state — Kameron embodies the belief that despite the division of today’s political climate, we really can come together to make our home a better place.

Kameron served as a member of the Anchorage School Board from 2013-2017. He navigated tough budget cuts while reducing harm to students — a skill that will serve him well on the Assembly. He knows what it means to keep a budget lean while sticking to our community values.

As Assembly members, we’ve partnered with Mayor Berkowitz to grow our police force and fight crime. We’ve found other creative ways to reduce crime, like establishing a fund to clean up vacant and nuisance properties that are susceptible to criminal activity. Our many efforts are starting to pay off. We cannot risk losing the ground we’ve gained, but that is what’s at stake in this election. Kameron’s opponent, Liz Vazquez, voted against funding for Alaska State Troopers while serving in the Legislature. We don’t think it’s surprising that our firefighters and police officers have endorsed Kameron for the West Anchorage Assembly seat.

We do not take the responsibilities of our positions lightly. We understand the weight of serving the people of Anchorage at a time when our city faces profound challenges. Between marathon Tuesday meetings, work sessions, committee hearings, public forums, community councils, and talking with and hearing from all of you, we’re trusted to listen to different points of view, learn the facts and figure out solutions for our community. We know Kameron will do just that. We’ll be mailing in our ballots for Kameron, and we hope you will too.

Eric Croft and Austin Quinn-Davidson are members of the Anchorage Assembly.

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