As faithful readers know, this coming Tuesday (April 3) features our municipal election. What some may not know is that, even though there are no Assembly seats at stake (“only” the mayor’s office, three school board seats and various ballot propositions are up for consideration), the Assembly will reorganize at our April 17 meeting.
If, as it has often been said, politics is indeed Alaska’s second favorite indoor sport then redistricting is the ugly, bloody side of it where sportsmanship often goes out the window (and, for some, is perhaps a four-letter word). Why? Because there are few things more fundamental to the political process than determining how neighborhoods will be represented. And as the state’s redistricting process moves forward the situation in which the municipality finds itself is, sadly, no surprise – hence our title term “snafu.”
Well faithful readers, tomorrow (April 5) marks the conclusion of yet another campaign season. Win or lose that’s something to celebrate (though I hope I win; I really do enjoy working for my neighbors on the Assembly). And, since you may have heard there won’t be an “official” campaign central tomorrow evening, that makes two darn good reasons to throw a little party. So I will, here’s the details: (more…)
Another day on the campaign trail, another surprise. On Thursday afternoon I received a call from a reporter who has worked for two different conservative-leaning, web-based media outlets during my tenure on the Assembly. Turns out she now works at YourAlaskaLink.com, which you likely know better as channel 13, Anchorage’s ABC affiliate.
On Tuesday, March 15, the community councils of Fairview, Government Hill and Mountain View hosted a candidate forum for the downtown Assembly seat. It was one of the few forums focused on that single seat, and it lasted about two hours, easily the longest of any this season.
Because the airwaves aren’t saturated with political ads like they were last fall, you may not have noticed that municipal campaign season is actually in full swing. A glance at my calendar, which is loaded with various candidate forums (not all of which I can attend), confirms that fact.
Editor’s note: for the first time in the storied history of this blog, this post is authored by someone other than yours truly. Tessa Bay is a senior at Service high school in their Seminar program. As part of that program she chose to mentor with me to learn more about local government. Other than using questionable judgment in selecting mentors, Tessa is an outstanding young woman who will certainly accomplish great things in her life. As a first step, here’s her perspective on the Service high school bond proposal, which will appear on the April 5 ballot.
With the passing of Friday’s filing deadline for the April 5 election the question of who, and what, will appear on the ballot is set. Among other things I decided to ask my neighbors for the privilege of a second term representing the neighborhoods of Downtown, Fairview, Government Hill, Mountain View and South Addition, and I’ve drawn two opponents.
If you’re afflicted with an unfortunate addiction to following local politics you’ve likely noticed a recent series of op-ed pieces and letters to the editor regarding something with the impressive-sounding title of the “Taxpayer Protection Act.” Unfortunately for the authors of these missives, the charter amendment in question would be more correctly dubbed the “So-called Conservative Clumsy Electioneering Effort of 2011.” To understand why, a little background is in order.
If you’ll indulge me a bit, I’d like to divert away from Assembly business for a moment and report an exciting development in the race for the Anchorage School Board; my good friend Gretchen Guess filed her letter of intent this week. We haven’t talked about it but I’m guessing she’ll seek Seat D, currently held by School Board President John Steiner, who is serving his third term and cannot run again.
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