OPINION: Lessons and accomplishments from my first 100 days in office

Earlier this month, my team delivered our 2025 Municipality of Anchorage budget proposal to the Assembly. Last week, we passed the 100-day mark in office.

Our community faces big challenges, and we can’t rely on any one person or organization to fix them for us. We are committed to hard work and real solutions, not sugarcoating. Our goal is always to make the most informed decisions to benefit the most residents possible.

By the numbers, here are some of the concrete actions we’ve taken to make our streets and trails safer, build our future, and ensure quality service to the public each day:

• One Municipality of Anchorage budget delivered to the Assembly for 2025

• $2.39 million to put toward winter homelessness solutions from the proposed sale of the Sprung structure

• $3.75 million in snow equipment funded, including ten 4x4 pickups with plows and three graders

• Eight new attorneys hired in the Municipal Attorney’s office, including 4 in prosecution

• Nine encampments abated to address public safety concerns

• 26 executives appointed including department directors and Mayor’s office team

• 27 people moved from camps directly into housing through the Next Step initiative

• 40-plus board and commission appointments put forward to the Assembly

• 88 meetings and events with community groups ranging from entrepreneurs and elders to homebuilders, organized labor, tribal organizations, service providers, industry groups, military, health care and more.

• 400 beds of winter shelter funded to keep people off the streets and out of the cold

It takes longer to fix things than it does to break them, but we also know that the more people you get working together, the lighter the workload becomes. I am proud of the work our community — and our entire municipal team — has accomplished in just a few short (but very busy) months.

I have lived in Anchorage for more than 25 years, but in the past 100 days, I have experienced our community in a new way. We share an incredibly special home, and I have nothing but confidence in our future. It is an honor to serve as your mayor.

Suzanne LaFrance is the mayor of Anchorage. She formerly served on the Anchorage Assembly, including as its chair.

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