OPINION: I’ll be ready to lead as Anchorage’s mayor on Day 1

There’s no denying that our community has been through some tough times lately. There’s been a lot of drama that has distracted us and diverted resources from the important work we need to do, and Anchorage’s full potential has been stifled for the past two years. Instead of moving us forward, Mayor Dave Bronson is moving us backward. We’re all paying the price for lost economic opportunity, unplowed roads and needless lawsuits.

With all our assets and strengths and with our combined talents and love for our community, we can have a bright future. However, it’ll take a mayor who can get to work immediately. We need someone who understands municipal operations and is invested in the future of our entire community.

I’m running for mayor because I love Anchorage and because I believe that the only way we can reach our potential is through competent, ethical leadership, good governance, and teamwork. We need to get our nonpartisan municipal government working for all of us so that our entire community, from Girdwood to Chugiak, is safe, welcoming, and able to thrive for generations to come.

My Assembly experience, my relationships with past and current municipal employees and partners, and my 25 years of work in the private sector in project management, budget management and people management have prepared me for the job of mayor. I’ll be ready to hit the ground running on Day One.

In 2017, I was elected to represent South Anchorage, Girdwood, and Turnagain Arm on the Anchorage Assembly. I served for six years and was chair of the Assembly for two years. I’m proud of the work I did standing up for constituent and taxpayer interests and holding the administration accountable.

During my time on the Assembly, I learned the nuts and bolts of municipal operations and found a passion for local government work. It’s where the rubber meets the road as people from all walks of life come together to solve problems and make decisions that directly impact our daily lives.

As an Assembly member, I worked collaboratively to: get the Port of Alaska modernization program back on track; pass balanced, fully funded budgets that prioritized public safety; support sustainable school funding and student pedestrian safety; establish the 311 nonemergency directory system; invest in housing to bring hundreds of units and beds online; improve workforce safety; and protect the Municipality against wildland fire danger and cyberattacks.

As your mayor, I’ll set a tone of accountability and respect, with a focus on governance and stability. Unethical behavior won’t be tolerated. I’ll appoint experienced, competent, and committed people to key positions in my administration. I’ll work with department directors and unions to implement policies that will help us attract and retain qualified personnel to ensure that basic municipal services, like snow plowing, police and fire/EMS, are provided.

My administration will prioritize convening and working with stakeholders, including industry, nonprofit and community leaders, the Assembly and partners at the local, state, and federal levels, so we can meaningfully address our most pressing problems, such as homelessness and the lack of attainable housing. And we’ll get body-worn cameras implemented, as the voters directed.

These are the critical first steps toward building a strong foundation for our community’s future.

In the coming months, I’ll be sharing my ideas and specific proposals to improve the economy, strengthen public safety, address homelessness and the housing crisis, strengthen our workforce, improve access to child care, and address quality of life issues for Alaska’s biggest city. This is where my husband, Dave, and I chose to raise our family. This is our home. And I’m invested in the future of Anchorage.

The stakes are high in this race. We can’t afford to elect someone more interested in partisan politics than governing or someone who needs on-the-job training. I’m the only candidate with the knowledge, experience and relationships to hit the ground running on Day One.

Let’s restore good governance and create a safe, secure, affordable, accessible, prosperous future for all of us. It won’t be easy, but I believe that together we can get it done. I hope you’ll join us — I would be honored to have your support.

Suzanne LaFrance is a lifelong Alaskan who grew up in a union home in Palmer and has lived in Anchorage for 26 years. She lives in South Anchorage with her husband and their three teenagers. LaFrance represented Anchorage, Girdwood and Turnagain Arm on the Anchorage Assembly from 2017 to 2023. She is running for mayor of Anchorage. Her campaign website is votesuzanne.com.

The views expressed here are the writer’s and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here.