Opinion: The case for maintaining balance in Anchorage government

Has been updated: 31 few minutes ago release date: 35 few minutes ago

Anchorage has always been a place where diverse perspectives come together to build the community we are proud to call home. As Mayor, I have worked to maintain a balanced government that serves all residents. Today, our cities face tough choices that put this balance at stake.

The Anchorage Assembly is currently dominated by one political ideology. My opponent, Suzanne LaFrance, is firmly in her camp. Her constituents desperately want her to win so they can push through policies and laws they know I will never support. This kind of unilateral governance is bad for our city, and I'm running for re-election to maintain the checks and balances necessary to protect our democracy.

Recent events have highlighted the dangers of unchecked governance. Just last week, at a special budget meeting, the council passed a budget that illegally exceeded the city's long-standing tax cap. This led to the resignation of the city's respected director of management and budget, who expressed ethical concerns about the council's disregard for the law. This dedicated public servant is not partisan. She served her two previous mayors with professionalism and expertise, but she crossed the line with this council. This is a harbinger of what will happen if Congress gets its way and installs a mayor who imposes all sorts of radical policies on his desk.

LaFrance and her allies in Congress have also spent all their time and energy blocking my numerous proposals to address a variety of pressing issues. And when we need their cooperation to make progress, they falsely claim that my team isn't accomplishing anything. This is gaslighting at its finest and voters should not fall for it.

My opponent first made headlines because he was the Speaker of Congress who imposed severe restrictions on businesses even after the worst of the pandemic was clearly behind us. In her efforts to tackle homelessness and crime, she has spent more than $240 million in public funds without making significant progress. Now, she says her job is to come up with a plan to address the issue. This is not the type of leadership Anchorage will tolerate.

A single-party-controlled government leaves little room for oversight or accountability. Questions go unanswered and residents are often left in the dark. That's why balanced leadership is important for Anchorage. Without it, we risk facing more extremist ideology, higher taxes, and a lack of diverse representation. You only have to look at cities like San Francisco, Portland, and Chicago to see what happens when city legislatures and mayors work together.

During my tenure as mayor, I have focused on creating jobs and promoting economic development. We will solve long-standing funding issues at Alaska's Don Young Port, welcome startups like Santos into the downtown core, help build major facilities like Amazon's new sorting center, and unlock the city's future. has promoted aviation investment. Anchorage has much to be proud of, but it also has much more to do.

These results highlight the importance of balanced governance. Congress' recent budget illegally exceeded citizen-approved tax caps, demonstrating the need for checks and balances. With power unchecked, we face the risk of policies that do not reflect the values ​​and needs of our diverse communities. As mayor, I have worked to ensure that our government is responsive to all residents, not just those with whom we align politically. If granted a second term, that effort will continue. We sincerely ask for the support of all voters.

dave bronsonthe 2021 elected mayor of Anchorage.

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