OPINION: LaFrance will be the mayor Anchorage’s working families need

Anchorage is at a tipping point. More people are leaving than coming in, and we’re losing the very people we need to help our city grow and keep it great — working families. Suzanne LaFrance understands the stakes. With a proven track record of supporting families, she’s running for mayor with a plan to turn things around.

Better schools: Good schools are the backbone of a strong community. When choosing where to live, families rank the quality of public schools as a top priority. Alaska has a legacy of educational excellence, but underfunding is putting that at risk. LaFrance is committed to bolstering our schools. She supports classroom operations, critical investments in school infrastructure and school bonds. Strong schools aren’t just good for kids; they attract families to Anchorage and keep them here.

Affordable and stable child care: We face a child care crisis that’s hitting working families hard. Many caregivers and parents are missing work or leaving their jobs entirely due to a lack of affordable, reliable child care. LaFrance is taking concrete steps to address this. She supported a recent ballot initiative aimed at stabilizing child care and has worked with state lawmakers to secure additional funding.

Safe neighborhoods: Safety is paramount when choosing a place to live and raise children. Cities nationwide are grappling with rising crime and underfunded police departments. LaFrance has been instrumental in rebuilding Anchorage’s police force and championing a crisis intervention team for mental and behavioral health services. With strong ties to state legislators, she’ll be a powerful advocate for additional state investment in public safety.

Cheaper housing: Finding affordable housing in Anchorage is a challenge, but it shouldn’t be — the Municipality of Anchorage has plenty of tools it can use to fix this. LaFrance knows this and is working to remove outdated, cost-inflating regulations and advocate for more housing options. She has supported local laws that simplify building affordable homes and removed parking requirements that drove up costs. LaFrance also backs projects that revitalize empty spaces in downtown and Midtown, bringing families and communities closer together.

Suzanne LaFrance knows Anchorage’s problems and how to start fixing them. A vote for her is a vote for an Anchorage where families want to stay and where young workers can see a future.

Eva Gardner, Dan Beutel, Kyla Moser, Sara Dykstra, Anna Bosin and Khalial Withen are parents who live in Anchorage.

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