OPINION: The case for maintaining balance in Anchorage’s government

Anchorage has always been a place where diverse perspectives come together to build a community we are proud to call home. As your mayor, I’ve worked to maintain a balanced government that serves all residents. Today, our city faces a stark choice, where this balance is at risk.

The Anchorage Assembly is currently dominated by one political ideology. My opponent, Suzanne LaFrance, is firmly in their camp. Assembly members desperately want her to win so they can push forward policies and laws they know would never fly with me. Such one-sided governance is bad for our city, and I’m running for re-election to preserve the necessary checks and balances that protect our democracy.

Recent events have highlighted the dangers of unchecked governance. During a special budget meeting just last week, the Assembly passed a budget that illegally blew through the city’s longtime tax cap. This led to the resignation of the city’s respected Office of Management and Budget director, who expressed ethical concerns about the Assembly’s disregard for the law. This dedicated public servant is no partisan; she served two previous mayors with professionalism and expertise, but this Assembly crossed a line. This is a preview of what is to come if the Assembly gets its way and installs a mayor who rubber-stamps every radical policy to come across her desk.

LaFrance and her followers on the Assembly have also spent all their time and energy obstructing my numerous proposals to address a variety of pressing issues. Then, when we need their cooperation to make progress, they falsely claim my team has achieved nothing. This is gaslighting of the highest order and voters shouldn’t fall for it.

My opponent first made headlines as the Assembly chair who imposed heavy restrictions on businesses even after the worst of the pandemic was clearly behind us. When it comes to addressing homelessness and crime, she spent over $240 million in public money but failed to make notable progress. Now, she says her plan to address this issue is to come up with a plan. This is not the type of leadership Anchorage can afford.

In a government dominated by a single party, there’s little room for oversight and accountability. Questions go unanswered and residents are often left in the dark. That’s why balanced leadership is crucial for Anchorage. Without it, we risk facing more radical ideas, higher taxes and a lack of diverse representation. You need only look to cities like San Francisco, Portland or Chicago to see what happens when the city’s legislative body and mayor work in lockstep with each other.

During my tenure as mayor, I’ve focused on creating jobs and fostering economic development. We’ve solved longstanding funding issues at the Don Young Port of Alaska, welcomed new businesses like Santos into our downtown core, supported the construction of major facilities like Amazon’s new sorting center, and facilitated aviation investments that are key to our city’s future. Anchorage has much to be proud of, but much more to do.

These accomplishments highlight the importance of balanced governance. The Assembly’s recent budget, which illegally exceeded the citizen-approved tax cap, showcases the need for checks and balances. With unchecked power, we face the risk of policies that don’t reflect the values or needs of our diverse community. As mayor, I’ve worked to ensure our government is responsive to all residents, not just those who are politically aligned. If given the privilege of a second term, that commitment will continue. I humbly ask for voters’ support.

Dave Bronson, elected in 2021, is the mayor of Anchorage.

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