The Tesche Report

Assembly Report for January 6, 2009

2009-01-05T19:26:00.012-09:00

CLAMAN’S FIRST STAFF APPOINTMENTS: After becoming Acting Mayor in a brief ceremony on Saturday, Matt Claman took little time before naming key executives to a new team at city hall.

Private public relations consultant Patty Ginsburg will be Claman’s chief of staff. Ginsburg, will oversee the operations of the mayor’s office, develop and communicate policy to departments and the public, and coordinate municipal agencies. Ginsburg started her career as a reporter for the Peninsula Times Tribune in California. Ginsburg previously worked as the marketing director for Municipal Light & Power, vice president of public relations for Northwest Strategies and public information director for Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council. She holds a bachelor’s in philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley.

Former Alaska District Court Judge Nancy Nolan is Claman’s senior policy adviser. She has practiced both criminal and civil law, and worked as an assistant attorney general. She worked as an attorney in private practice and as a committing magistrate. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Colorado and holds a law degree from the University of California, Davis.

Marge Larsen, a former director of American Lung Association will be Claman’s special assistant. Larsen worked as director of communications for the Lung Association from 2001 – 2003 and later as executive director from 2005 – 2008. She is active in the Anchorage Downtown Rotary and serves on the Anchorage Air Quality Advisory Board. Larsen holds a bachelor’s of liberal arts from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.

EAGLE RIVER GROUP WANTS TO WRENCH TAX CAP DOWN WITH A NEWINITIATIVE: 16 Eagle River residents on December 31, 2008 applied to the Municipal Clerk for an Initiative petition that would cut municipal spending by $16M in next year’s municipal budget. If approved at the April 4, 2009 election, the measure would further limit city property tax increases by changing the way earnings received from city utilities are considered in calculating revenues the city may collect under its Tax Cap which voters first enacted in 1983. Led by Eagle River residents Neil Nichols and Jay Gracey, petitioners are members of the Municipal Taxpayers’ League who want “to win back for taxpayers what was taken from us in 2003" by then Mayor Mark Begich. The group targets an ordinance sponsored by Begich and approved by the Assembly in 2003 which clarified municipal law by allowing the city to treat utility profits “outside” of the voter approved tax cap even though previous mayors had regarded utility payments under the cap, thereby limiting municipal spending. If approved by voters, the initiative would reduce property tax revenues available to the city in 2010 by $16M and require spending cuts, according to City Manager Mike Abbott.

When asked to identify budget cuts that he would support in order to meet the more stringent tax cap he has proposed, Nichols identified $30,000 he claims the City’s health department pays to distribute condoms “in the downtown”. Nichols would not identify other cuts he would make and instead expressed his “full confidence in Dan Sullivan to navigate those waters.” Sullivan is a former Assemblyman from West Anchorage and candidate for mayor in the April, 2009 election.

“Growth and diversity [in the city’s] revenue stream” and reduced labor costs through “managed competition” between workers providing city services are also goals of Nichols’ organization. The group’s website is http://www.mtlanc.org/

The Municipal Clerk and Municipal Attorney have ten days or until January 10, 2009 to check signatures and determine legal sufficiency of the petition. If approved, sponsors will have until the end of February to obtain some 8500 signatures from voters needed to place the measure before voters on April 7th.

MARK TO MATT: ENJOY! A first read of outgoing mayor Mark Begich’s Transition Report he left in acting Mayor Matt Claman’s in box only hints at some of the issues Claman and his ten Assembly colleges will wrestle over during coming months. Most of the 76 page report recounts the accomplishments of several dozen municipal agencies over the past six years in what most Anchorage residents regard as successful administration. And yet, curiously omitted from an otherwise upbeat assessment of the Begich years were any real discussion of the new Museum expansion, the Town Square makeover, the E St Corridor, the Mountain View revitalization, property tax relief for homeowners, streamlined procedures for property assessment appeals,creation of the Cooperative Services Authority.

Items Begich said were left on the table include: Title 21 Rewrite project. Originally scheduled for completion in 2004, Begich says the last portions of the new code will go to the Assembly in Spring, 2009. AWWU is anxiously waiting for a decision from the Supreme Court of Alaska on an appeal filed by the mayor from a decision of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) changing the method the city uses for collecting utility service assessments in lieu of property taxes. The city lost the case before the RCA and on appeal to the Superior court, if the City cannot win a reversal in the Supreme Court, the potential liability for the MOA is $26M. The ongoing problem of public inebriates remain a significant issue in Anchorage.

Just plain curious were several other entries in the Begich Report: In the coldest, darkest days of winter, and when mayoral candidate Shiela Sellkregg warns of a potentially disastrous natural gas shortage in Anchorage, ML&P’s Jim Posey cheerfully checks “N/A” for “Issues
Requiring Immediate Attention” in the Report. Very proud of the $700M hoard he has assembled for the Port of Anchorage expansion, Port Director Bill Sheffield needs some personnel changes there and instructs Claman that he “will need to be supportive of any staff/reclassification changes the Port makes” for the project to succeed. Emphasis added.. According to the City’s Emergency Services Director, Kevin Spillars, the single issue requiring his department’s “immediate attention” in his is a Charter amendment “with special emphasis on lines of succession.” City Attorney Jim Reeves boasts that “In the current administration, the Municipal Attorney has been treated (and . . . by Assembly members and the legal community) as a legal professional rather than as the Mayor’s political confidante or tactician..” Finally, virtually every department head argues for more money, personnel, equipment, and facilities. So it is no wonder the Report also notes the City has had six controllers in the past five years and six OMB directors since Begich took office.

To read the Begich Transition Report, go to the City’s website at http://www.muni.org and click on 2009 Begich Administration Transition Report.

HE’S BACK: DAN COFFEY IS THE NEW VICE CHAIR. Supported by a secret ballot of eight of his colleagues, Mid Town Assembly member Dan Coffey returned to a leadership position of the Anchorage Assembly Tuesday night as West Anchorage’s Harriet Drummond became Chair.

In his second term on the Assembly, Coffey brings considerable experience to his new position as vice chair. He held that position for two years previously in 2005-7 and served as chair from 2007-8. Coffey’s previous tenure in leadership positions was controversial: In September, 2005 he and then Assembly Chair Anna Fairclough closed the Assembly office and fired staffers Elvi Gray Jackson and Mike Guiterrez. Coffey almost lost his seat to Gray Jackson in 2007 amid charges of conflicts of interest. Both Grey Jackson and Gutierrez were elected to the Assembly in April, 2008 and are now in their first term on the body.

Coffey’s one year term as Chair between 2007-8 was marked by release of a tape recording he inadvertently made of a candid conversation with Eagle River Assembly member Bill Starr in which Coffey boasted of collecting and then “doling out” campaign contributions in the Spring, 2008 election. A complaint was filed by APOC staff against Coffey last spring and only recently dismissed by the full Commission.

Previously vice chair, Drummond became Chair once former Chair Matt Claman became Acting Mayor over the weekend.

ASSEMBLY CLARIFIES VOTING REQUIREMENTS FOR LEADERSHIP CHANGES: With little fanfare on Tuesday night, the Assembly clarified voting requirements for replacing its chair or vice chair as it was required to do once Assembly member Matt Claman became Acting Mayor. AO 2008-131 provides that six affirmative votes of Assembly members are required to replace the body’s chair or vice chair at mid term. Passage of the ordinance ends a controversy which surfaced last month when rumors circulated in Anchorage that some Assembly members wanted to replace West Anchorage’s Matt Claman as Assembly Chair before he became Acting Mayor following the election of Mark Begich to the U. S. Senate.

Mid-Town Assembly member Elvi Gray-Jackson did not vote on AO 2008- 131 as she was out of town.

Assembly Report for December 17, 2008

2008-12-17T17:17:00.002-09:00

ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIP COUP IS AVOIDED, HARRIET DRUMMOND IS NEW VICE CHAIR BY A VOTE OF 6-5: Continuing the meeting of December 16, 2008, the Assembly one day later elected West Anchorage Assembly member Harriet Drummond the new vice chair of the Assembly. She replaces Sheila Selkregg who resigned her position earlier this week in order to devote more time to her campaign for mayor in the Spring, 2009 election. Selkregg remains a member of the Assembly. The Assembly split 6-5 along traditional idealogical lines.

Election of Drummond to the Assembly's second highest position is particularly relevant to the current changes sweeping through Alaska: When current mayor Mark Begich leaves Anchorage to assume his duties as a United States Senator in early January, 2009, the office of Acting Mayor immediately passes to the chair of the Anchorage Assembly, currently Mr Claman. Without further action by the Assembly, Ms. Drummond will then become Chair and serve in that capacity until after the April 4, 2009 election.

Election of progressive Harriet Drummond as the Assembly's vice chair may put to rest rumors that some assembly members, including progressives who regained control of the body in April, 2009 were planning to remove Claman from his position as chair. If taken before Begich leaves for Washington, that action would effectively hand the position of Acting Mayor to another member such as Dan Coffey who has led Assembly conservatives in the past. Because the Assembly took no action this week on AO 2008-131 which would reduce the number of members required to elect a new chair at mid term from 8 to 6, it now appears unlikely further changes in Assembly leadership will be made before Sen. elect Begich leaves for Washington in January.

Assembly Report for December 16, 2008

2008-12-15T04:48:00.003-09:00

DICK CHENEY LOOKING FOR WORK HERE? Eagle River Assemblyman Bill Starr has a new resolution before the Anchorage Assembly suggesting that the city manager to hire a bear hunter to protect Eagle River residents from bear attacks. Called a "wildlife safety specialist" the new hire would "manage nuisance and dangerous bears". As no real qualifications are set for the job, even vice president Dick Cheney could apply. The resolution does not say how much Cheney or a more qualified person would be paid.

Starr's Resolution also asks the State Board of Game to open up portions of the Hillside and Eagle River to seasonal bear hunting. Local gunshops who have already seen sales of firearms and ammunition skyrocket since the presidential election (Anchorage Daily News, November 10, 2008) can only rejoice Anchorage is opened up for bear hunting. A public hearing will be held on the resolution.

Although the Assembly on Tuesday night did not reach Starr;s resolution and it is still scheduled for a continuation meeting tomorrow night, Starr said late Tuesday he will move to postpone the matter until a meeting sometime in January, 2009.

The resolution is AR 2008-253 and can be found muni.org on the Assembly/Clerk portion of the City's web site. Written by Kyle Hopkins, an excellent article about the resolution appeared on page 1 of the December 16th edition of the Daily News.

SELKREGG RESIGNS AS VICE CHAIR; ASSEMBLY MAY FILL POSITION AT CONTINUATION MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT: Keeping a promise she says was made months ago to other assembly members who elected her Vice Chair last spring, Assembly member Sheila Selkregg last night resigned her position as Vice Chair in order to devote concentrate on her campaign for Mayor. Selkreggs’s action set off a brief firefight among assembly members over the timing of a decision by the body to fill that position. Ultimately, the body voted to take up her replacement at a continuation meeting to complete the December 16th agenda at 5:00 p.m.

POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS PACK THE HOUSE; ASSEMBLY APPROVES 5 YEAR POLICE CONTRACT : Hundreds of police officers and firefighters packed the Assembly Chambers on Tuesday night to urge the body to approve contracts with their unions for five years or until 2013. After waiting patiently for hours in a line which snaked to the rear entrance of the Assembly chambers, several dozen people were able to testify before the Assembly by vote of 6-4 approved the new contract. Assembly member Dan Coffey was absent due to an illness in his family.

Eagle River Assembly member Bill Starr, who led the opposition to the police contract with a barrage of legal objections, argument, and at times, thinly veiled hostility to the administration of Mayor Mark Begich, tried to abstain from voting on the entire contract. Assembly Chair Matt Claman simply overruled Starr and recorded his action as a “No” vote.

Public Hearing and action on the Firefighters’ contract was continued to a meeting beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17th in the Assembly chambers at the Loussac Library.

Negotiated with the municipal administration, the two contracts appear to follow inflation and provide a 3 percent wage increase in 2009 and annual inflation-related hikes ranging from a minimum of 2.9 percent to a 4.5 percent maximum from 2010 through 2013.

The unions and City negotiators overcame several hurdles in bringing these agreements forward: service retirements, dwindling retirement accounts for uniformed members and the need to maintain competitive wage sales to lure recruits to the City naturally fueled wage demands. A worsening national economy, the local tax cap, and perpetual concern over real property taxes presented their own challenges to negotiators.

According to the City, the new fire contract will increase the Fire Department budget from $22.7 million to $29.7 million during the five year term. The police contract would add $29.2 million to $38.2 million to the Department’s budget during the same five years. While much ballyhoo is made in the tabloids about the size of these contracts, the increased costs they represent is a relatively tiny percentage of the more that $2.6 Billion that will be spent for all general government operations during those same five years.

ASSEMBLY DEFERS ACTION ON PROPOSED FREEZE ON NEW MUNICIPAL HIRES, “NON CRITCICAL” CONTRACTS: The Assembly wisely deferred until January 20, 2009 action on a proposed wage freeze and embargo “non critical contracts” proposed on Tuesday night. Resolution AR 2008-333 would freeze all new hiring by the City until April, 2009 unless related to “community health and safety.” Similarly, all ”non critical contracts” of any amount would be embargoed for five months. Critical terms are not defined in the resolution, a process for determining if proposed exceptions apply and criteria for determining if “adequate funding” exists to support expenditures are not spelled out in the resolution. When members learned its sponsor had not first examined practical impacts with the municipal administration and had not reviewed the resolution with the Assembly’s own Budget and Finance committee, action on the matter was quickly postponed until January 20, 2009. The resolution is authored by sponsored by Assembly members Selkregg, Ossiander, and Drummond. A delay in action on the resolution and a referral to the Assembly’s own Budget and Audit Committee might give sponsor Sheila Selkregg a chance to better understand just how hiring and contract freezes imposed by a legislative body impact the day to day functions of city government. Selkregg is a candidate for Mayor in the April, 2009 municipal election.

Action on a related resolution also sponsored by Ms Selkregg was postponed until January, 2009. AR 2008 to give the Assembly’s budget Committee and the mayor a chance to review the matter. AR 2008-334 would require certain monthly financial reports be given to the Assembly. The month delay gives Ms. Selkregg time to review city financial reports already available through the Administration and the Assembly’s own budget committee.

NO ACTION ON ORDINANCE, RUMORED LEADERSHIP CHANGE; An agenda clogged with other matters and a room packed with persons testifying on union contracts prevented the Assembly from taking action on AO 2008-131. The ordinance would allow six members of the body to replace its Chair at any time. Under current law as understood by the municipal attorney, eight votes are required to make the change at mid term and some advance notice to the incumbent chair may be required.

The Assembly chair automatically becomes Acting Mayor if a vacancy occurs in the office of Mayor. That change will occur when current mayor Mark Begich leaves for Washington, D.C. t as Alaska’s newest U. S. Senator.

City Hall insiders report a bitter feud has erupted between East Anchorage Assembly member and mayoral candidate Sheila Sellkreg and Assembly Chair Matt Claman who is an undecided candidate in the same election. Selkregg says she and Claman both promised members who supported their election to leadership positions last April to resign as Chair or Vice Chair should they decide to seek the city’s highest office. The purpose of this agreement was to “level the playing field” between mayoral candidates, none of whom would have the advantage of running for that office while serving as Acting Mayor. Claman says he is not bound by the agreement because it was conditioned on him making a decision to run for Mayor by October of 2009. Because he has not yet decided to seek that office, Claman says he is no longer bound by that Agreement and intends to serve as Acting Mayor. He reserves the right to decide whether to announce his candidacy until late February, 2009.

Because the Assembly did not reach AO 2008-131 before its clock ran out on Tuesday night, conservative members who are rumored to favor removal of Matt Claman from his position as Chair took no action. The proposed ordinance will be among the last items taken up by the body tomorrow night at the Loussac Library at 5:00 pm to complete its December 16th agenda.

Assembly Report for April 15, 2008

2008-04-22T15:07:00.000-08:00

TESCHE MADE IT OUT OF ALASKA: “My work there is done” said former Assemblyman Allan Tesche who was recently spotted on a beach Outside. Neither Tesche nor his wife Pamela would say exactly where they were ended up after he left the Anchorage Assembly last week, except that the air is warm there and house plants are grown outdoors.

Tesche was elected three times to represent the downtown district on the Anchorage Assembly and served since April 1999. He was elected vice chair for two years and at various times headed the Assembly’s Finance, and Public Safety, and Elections Committees.

He wrote countless pieces of legislation addressing issues as varied as design standards for Big Box Stores, a ban on smoking in restaurants and public places, several Charter revisions dealing with elections and municipal budgets, dog parks, resolution of the Simonian Little League controversy, economic development and neighborhood planning, including a new Downtown Comprehensive plan.

Tesche introduced many new words and phrases into the Assembly’s lexicon, including the terms “bloviate”, “trifurcate” and most recently, “butt dialing”. He once used Assembly member Debbie Ossiander’s last name as a noun to describe a “sticky, gaseous swamp of questions asked only to confuse other assembly members and to stop good legislation.” He branded Assembly conservatives as “Troglidites” and dismissed their colleagues as “furry little friends.” In turn, he was vilified by the Wuerch Administration as a “Communist” and named by Assembly chair Dan Coffey as the “meanest, nastiest, most rotten Assembly member ever.” He was a gut fighter for the left.

Although he loved to talk to reporters, Tesche denied was a “media hog” or that on slow days he simply made up stuff for the evening news. He poked fun at former mayors by holding press conferences in a “media center” put together in the Assembly office festooned with its own blue curtain, an oval Assembly seal and flags. In 2005 he teamed up with Aaron Selbig for a weekly radio show on KUDO 1080 where he scorched Assembly conservatives and argued incessantly with callers. You can still call 569-1080 during Aarons’s show if you have something to say.

Tesche did not leave quietly as his term ended. In February, 2008 Assembly Chair Dan Coffey carelessly “butt dialed” a cell phone recording to the Tesche home of a saucy conversation between Coffey and Assemblyman Bill Starr. On tape, the pair bantered about Coffey’s role as a “bag man” for political contributions and Starr’s own attempt to shake down the Chief of Police for union endorsement in his re election. The recording became the focus of an APOC investigation after which Starr was fined for unlawful fundraising. The recording was also mentioned in a vigorous write-in campaign by Eagle River resident Janet Brand who came within a handful of votes of actually unhorsing Starr in the April 1, 2008 election. Also disclosed in the recording, Coffey’s questionable fundraising activities impacted election bids by long term Assemblyman Dick Traini in the midtown district and by Sherri Jackson in West Anchorage. Both lost their elections and were replaced by progressives who stripped Coffey of his chairmanship and restored a more progressive role for the Assembly in local politics.

The Tesche Report was posted promptly after Assembly meetings to 1,600 readers from May 31, 2005 to this final edition. Leaving the Assembly is probably the only thing Tesche did during the past three years which endeared him to the remaining conservatives on the Anchorage Assembly.

Assembly Report for March 25, 2008

2008-03-26T06:43:00.000-08:00

PARKS MAINTENANCE ORDINANCE KILLED: Voting along traditional party lines, Assembly conservatives tanked a proposal by Mayor Begich and Allan Tesche and Sheila Sellkregg to create parks “Legacy Fund” that would attract public and private contributions for parks maintenance in Anchorage. Only Matt Claman and Dick Traini joined the sponsors of AO 2008-39 which would have allowed the Anchorage Parks Foundation to receive donations from private and public sources for maintaining the approximately 15,000 acres of public parkland and over 300 miles of improved trails throughout Anchorage. South Anchorage conservative Chris Birch told assembly members there is no need for a special fund dedicated to parks maintenance, and others objected to creation of another private “bureaucracy” to maintain parks and trials. In a particularly mean spirited way, Eagle River’s two assembly members ganged up on the ordinance and urged fellow Republicans to kill the measure because it would somehow allow the Anchorage Parks Service area to better maintain its own parks and trails differently than those are maintained in Eagle River-Chugiak and that change is somehow offensive to the two Assembly members. Ignoring the recommendations of their own parks boards which had recommended approval of the Legacy Ordinance and of the City Attorney, these two shortsighted Eagle River representatives effectively denied Anchorage residents the use of a lucrative new way of maintaining parks and trails in this community.

$737M 2008-9 SCHOOL BUDGET APPROVED: With little fanfare, the Assembly unanimously approved a 2008-9 budget for the Anchorage School District totaling some $736,769,943 for the fiscal year beginning in midsummer, 2008. Of that amount, $217.6M will come from local property taxes, the rest from a combination of state and federal aid. The new budget is 5.46% higher than the prior years, representing a restrained increase in spending, largely due to state and federal mandates and special education.

DAN COFFEY’S DOG POOP LAWS IN THE TOILET: Dan Coffey attended his son’s Little League game one night last year. He stepped into some dog poop on a baseball field and got mad: there ought to be an ordinance against this outrage, he claimed. For almost one year, the assembly and the public struggled with a series of ordinances authored by Mr. Coffey and West Anchorage Assembly member Matt Clamnan. Over a year, the Assembly held about six public hearings, heard hundreds of citizens and debated the issue for hours. Four of the ordinances, AO 2007-106, 106(S) and AO 2007-143 and 143(S) were back again before the Assembly Tuesday night and several dozen people again showed up, ready to testify. Dan has apparently calmed down a bit and his once soiled Italian loafers have dried in the crisp winter air. He ordered his pals on the Assembly to postpone the ordinances indefinitely pending continued discussions between dog owners and parks users. The handle pulled, all four ordinances whooshed quietly to Pt. Woronzof.

LABOR RELATIONS ISSUES LOOM OVER NEW ASSEMBLY: A trio of measures introduced on Tuesday night suggest the Assembly will face several important labor issues shortly after the new Assembly is seated on April 15, 2008. Introduced last night and set for public hearing on April 15 is a one year wage and retirement opener with IBEW, and a similar contract with Operators' Local 302. Also introduced and set for public hearing on April 29 is AO2008-47 relating to service pay Mayor Begich has long targeted for elimination and which proved controversial last year.

“POCKET SHOTS” COMING TO ANCHORAGE? Tampa, Florida is the home of three well known professional sports teams: the Tampa Bay Bucs who play at Raymond James Stadium, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays who play at Tropicana Field, and the Tampa Bay Lightning who skate at the Ice Palace. Tampa is also a party town known for a huge winter blowout parade known as Gasparellia which sort of resembles New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebration. It was only a matter of time before Tampa’s robust alcohol industry figured out a way to avoid stringent rules forbidding bottles or cans used to import beer and alcohol into these public events and sports venues with a new product sold in local faucets across the Tampa Bay: the Pocket Shot. This container is a small plastic pouch containing 50 ml of hard liquor, usually whisky, rum or vodka, about four inches high and town inches wide. Using flexible plastic, the pocket shot can be concealed on the person on a Tampa concert goer with ease and immune from metal detectors or body pat downs used to detect glass bottles. The “pocket shot” sells for about $1.99.

Assembly Report for March 18, 2008

2008-03-18T13:57:00.000-08:00

TRAIN WRECK IN MIDTOWN: Long term Assembly member Dick Traini's campaign for re election jumped the tracks yesterday afternoon when the superior court ruled he is ineligible to seek a fourth consecutive term under "term limits imposed by the Home Rule Charter. The Charter limits terms of assembly members to three consecutive terms but does not say whether the terms served must be full terms or, in Trani's case, include the remaining year of his predecessor's term Traini was elected to complete in 2001. The court's ruling effectively ends Traini's bid for re election at the April 1, 2008 municipal election, leaving only one qualified candidate, Elvi Grey-Jackson, on the ballot.

Central to arguments made in favor of Traini's candidacy were two prior instances in which candidates for municipal office were apparently allowed to run for a fourth consecutive term where each had completed only a portion of their predecessors' terms. The court apparently gave little weight to those actions because neither had been challenged or adjudicated in court, giving rise to some sort of precedent current officials could rely on.

City Clerk Barbara Guenstein, who was named defendant in the lawsuit for technical reasons and who is represented by the Municipal Attorney, has announced she will file an immediate appeal with the Supreme Court of Alaska and ask for an expedited ruling before the April 1, 2008 municipal election. Details on the implementation of the court's order, should it be affirmed by the Supreme Court, are not yet known.

The news of the court's decision could not come at a worse time for the Traini campaign: Dick's re election bid got off to a slow start in Midtown, with his opponent, Elvi Grey Jackson raising ten times the money he received in campaign contributions reported as of January 1st. Moreover, Trani's name was mentioned as a recipient of campaign cash "doled out" by Assembly chair Dan Coffey who himself faces charges filed by the Alaska Public Officies Commission that the money was collected and distributed unlawfully.

DAN SULLIVAN'S VERSION OF CLEAN ELECTIONS: An ordinance proposed by departing West Anchorage Assemblyman Tuesday night would prohibit campaign contributions from individuals and business "engaged in ongoing business that requires ratification and approval by the Assembly and School Board". AO 2008-43 would effectively prevent virtually anybody associated with a labor union who represents municipal employees from contributing to candidates for the Assembly or school board. This ordinance effectively ends the role of organized labor in municipal and school board elections. Included also are owners and operators of businesses that sell goods and services to the municipality and businesses that are engaged in certain land transactions with the municipality.

Curiously, Sullivan's ordinance does not cover or restrict contributions from businessmen, whose daily activities are regulated by the municipality such as land developers, small business owners who are a frequent source of campaign contributions to municipal campaigns. The ordinance is also rather vague as to what constitutes "current municipal business" that would trigger its prohibitions.

Citing the Board's slow progress on a recent ethics ordinance, the Assembly voted 6-5 not to refer Sullivan's proposal to the city's Board of Ethics for review and comment before public hearing. Instead, AO 2008-43 will be reviewed by the Assembly's own "Ethics Committee" which is, of course, chaired by Dan Sullivan.

A public hearing on Mr. Sullivan's ordinance is scheduled for April 15, 2008, after Assembly members elected in the April 1, 2998 city election take office. Although he won't get to vote on the ordinance because he is leaving the Assembly, as an announced candidate for mayor, Sullivan will gain some advantage over other candidates who could no longer count on financial support from city unions in local elections.

CLEAN ELECTIONS RESOLUTION STALLS, AGAIN: Assembly members once again delayed action on AR 2007-300, a rather simple resolution that would support an initiative measure adopting a system of public funding for state elections. Seemingly unaffected by recent revelations that two or three of its own members are involved in various shenanigans with campaign donations to local races, Assembly voted 10-1 to delay action on the measure until April 15th. Only Allan Tesche dissented.

CATCH A FALLING STARR: Despite all of the media attention and controversy over disclosure of the infamous Coffey-Starr recording that was "butt dialed" by mistake to Allan Tesche on February 12, 2008, absolutely nothing public has been said by either Dan Coffey or Bill Starr about the substance of what the tape revealed. With their own words Coffey bragged about his success as a bag man rounding up campaign contributions to keep his conservative pals on the Assembly and "doling out" the money to ensure members voted his way. Starr, agreeing with Coffey's brand of city politics countered with his own astounding story: a recent effort to shake down the Chief of Police for an endorsement from the "rank and file" police officers for his campaign in exchanges for his continued support of the location of a police shooting range in an Eagle River neighborhood that is costing him support from within his district. Not one word. Not even a single letter of explanation, apology, or a mea culpa that Republicans are getting famous for has been offered by the pair to explain their actions to the public they are supposed to serve. If Richard Nixon could stonewall as well as Dan Coffey or Bill Starr, he'd still be president.

Begich announces and the taxis begin to roll in the television ad war

2008-02-28T09:59:00.000-09:00

SENATOR MARK BEGICH: GET USED TO IT: Surprising no one, Mayor Mark Begich yesterday annouced he is forming an "exploratory comittee" in what now appears to be an almost certain bid for the United States Senate later this year. Filed with the Federal Election's Commission, paperwork creating the creating the "Alaskans for Begich Exploratoy Committee which allows Begich to begin raising millions of dollars necessary to defeat incumbent Senator Ted Stevens, now 84 years old. To see the Committe's web site and preview what Mayor Begich will say duirng the next eight months, go to: http://www.begich.com/

COMING SOON ON YOUR TELEVISION: Go to the Utube link listed below for a sneak preview of a spicy ad which will run soon on local television in the 2008 version of the Taxicab Wars. Prepared by a goup of drivers, operators and holders of taxicab permits, the spot raises issues voters will hear lots about before voting on the April 1, 2008. The issue is whether to repeal municipal limits on the number of taxi cab permits available to operators and open the industry to semi regulated competition. Currently, the city limits the number of permits available to taxi cab operators; as a result, taxi permits are valuable investments and the means by which several hundred are employed are employed in the industry. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i-ogp_GS_I

Assembly Report for February 26, 2008

2008-02-27T00:41:00.000-09:00

SO WHAT’S HAPPENED TO OUR LITTLE TOWN: Broadcast earlier today on radio station KUDO 1080, a private backroom conversation between Assembly Chair Dan Coffey and Eagle River Assemblyman Bill Star rattled Anchorage with a rare earful of local politics at its very worst. On the recording, the two politicians are heard boasting, cursing their enemies, and cackling like roosters over their political victories. The recording lasts three and a half minutes, much of it laced with profanity. KUDO didn’t not say how it got the recording, but only that it was apparently left by Coffey or Starr by mistake on someone’s answering machine on February 12th by one of the two. Here’s what they said:

Seconds into the recording, Coffey brags about his success in collecting campaign contributions for candidates in the April assembly election. "Oh, we’re really cranking," he boasts to Starr, "I took $1500 in for Sherri Jackson" in her race for an open Assembly seat in West Anchorage, apparently giving the money to an intermediary "Sully" in order "to give it to her." Coffey then reveals how he took another $1250 to Assembly member Dick Traini, is also a candidate in the same city election. Under state law, limits on individual campaign contributions are $500 and it is unclear whether Coffey or Sullivan are registered with the Alaska Public Offices Commission to collect money for the Jackson or Traini. "Sully" is a nickname for West Anchorage Assemblyman Dan Sullivan who is retiring from the Assembly in April and a well known Jackson supporter.
Coffey reveals what could prove to be a troubling link between the money he is collecting for candidates and their votes on the Assembly: "I’m doling it out 250 at a crack," Coffey brags, and if "you didn’t vote right last week, you don’t get your second 250". To Starr, Coffey’s words were "Just what I want[ed] to hear". Starr reaffirms his personal creed to Coffey: "You go my way or the freeway, you know".

Starr then reports on his failure to win an endorsement from APDEA, a union that represents Anchorage’s police officers. After hearing that the union decided not to declare a position in Starr’s bid for re-election, Starr tells Coffey of his plans to tell "those sons-of bitches to XXXX themselves." Angrily, he says that " if you ain’t for me you must be against me" Starr explains how he then called Police Chief Rob Heun "right after that" to say that "if the rank and file thinks I’m not there for them, than you need to correct them.". Pressing his point, Starr tells Heun he will withdraw his support for the police department’s plan to build a police shooting park close to a Chugiak neighborhood. Starr’s threat to Chief Heun is clear: Get the "rank and file"of APD behind him in his bid for reelection or else APD’s new shooting range will go (in Coffey’s words "down in the mud flats and up your ass".

To hear the actual recording and read a transcript go to KUDO’s website at: http://www.kudo1080.com/ You will hear lots of "adult" language between the Coffey and Starr.

ASSEMBLY ORDERS FANTASIES TO OPEN NEW STRIP CLUB ON 5TH AVE, TAXPAYERS TO PAY MORE FOR POLICE PROTECTION: By a vote of 8-3, Assembly "conservatives" late Tuesday night overrode a mayoral veto and voted to allow a 5th Ave. strip club to sell alcohol in what is now Anchorage’s newest hot spot for adult entertainment.

Fantasies is located on Alaska’s busiest highway across from Merril Field. At downtown's doorstep, Fantasies is within easy walking distance of another bar, an adult toy store, a teen age strip club, two restaurants that serve beer and wine, and a even a busy motel. Thousands of visitors who see Anchorage for the first time as they drive into town on 5th Ave, will see that the "Big Wild Life" starts at Fantasies. The only adults who won't be served at Fantasies are military personnel at Elmendorf and Ft. Richardson whose base commanders have declared the Club "off limits" in order to protect their personal safety. While Mayor Begich built a new museum and a convention center downtown; the Anchorage Assembly voted itself a new red light district.

Voting to over ride the mayor’s veto and to permit Fantasies to expand its bar business were assembly members Dick Traini, Paul Bauer, Bill Starr, Chris Birch, Debbie Ossiander, Dan Sullivan, Jennifer Johnston, and Dan Coffey. Coffey is a former lobbyist for the liquor industry and in the past represented Fantasies in connection with modification of its liquor lisense at its 5th Ave. location. The assembly did not address any potential conflict of interest on his part in the present application by people he says are former clients.

Police Chief Rob Heun warned Assembly members of the obvious: add a new hard liquor bar to Anchorage’s newest hotspot and APD will be called to the building to handle an increasing number of crimes and calls for service. The chief’s warning went unheeded by eight assembly members, nearly all of them who have campaigned on “law and order” platforms and courted the support of police unions. These eight fiscal conservatives and “budget watchdogs” also disregarded date submitted by the City’s Chief Fiscal officer showing that police services provided to Fantasies currently cost taxpayers over $80,000 per year. With the expanded bar, however, the cost of additional police protection to taxpayers will rise to $169,000 per year.

Assembly “conservatives” also ignored a warning by Municipal Attorney Jim Reeves that the Assembly’s action not only allowed Fantasies to sell alcohol in its strip club, but because of a legal flaw in its wording actually requires Fantasies to operate a strip club on the site featuring adult entertainment. Rushing again to award a valuable city permit to the Hartmanns, Anchorage is now the only city in the United States to actually require a landowner as a matter of public policy to operate an adult strip club on her property. How assembly members Starr, Birch, Traini, and Bauer can explain their vote to require a strip club at this location and more cost to taxpayers is not known. All four of these assembly members are up for re election in the upcoming municipal election.

ASSEMBLY URGES STATE TO GET TOUGH ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING, COMMERCIAL SEX EXPLOITATION: Only hours awarding a new liquor license to allow Ancchorage's hotest strip club to expand its bar operation, the Anchorage unaminoulsy passed AR 2008-31, supporting passage of Sentate Bill 157, "An Act Relating to Human Trafficking and prostitution" in the 25th Legislature of the State of Alaska."

So what's wrong with Fantasies?

2008-02-16T15:02:00.000-09:00

On Tuesday ten members of the Anchorage Assembly approved AR 2008-1 and a conditional use permit for Fantasies on 5th Ave. The resolution allowes the Cathy and Carol Hartman to sell alcoholic beverages in an expanded 83 seat bar which will feature "adult" entertainment. Before the Assembly voted on the new license, no member was permitted by the Chair to ask the city attorney or the Chief of Police about the resolution or criminal activiy in the area. The Assembly 'leadership" simply forced an immediate vote on the mater without debate. The vote looked like it had already been taken in advance, just like the way the Alaska Legislature conducted its own business in Juneau behind closed doors and over the telephone.

Fantasies is located on Alaska’s busiest highway across from Merril Field. At downtown's doorstep, Fantasies is within easy walking distance of another bar, an adult toy store, a teen age strip club, two restaurants that serve beer and wine, and a even a busy motel. Thousands of visitors who see Anchorage for the first time as they drive into town on 5th Ave, will see that the "Big Wild Life" starts at Fantasies. The only adults who won't be served at Fantasies are military personnel at Elmendorf and Ft. Richardson whose base commanders have declared the Club "off limits" in order to protect their personal safety. While Mayor Begich built a new museum and a convention center downtown; the Anchorage Assembly voted itself a new red light district.

Anchorage police were called 198 times to the Hartmans' clubs in 2006 to deal with drugs, disturbances, assaults and other offences. In 2007, police calls increased to 218. Had Chief Heun been allowed to discuss the relationship between those calls and the volume of alcohol sold in the area, he would have told Assembly members it was is a "no brainier": Add a fourth liquor license in the area and you’ll have more trouble and more police calls to pay for. Fantasies remains "off limits" to military personnel. Rushing to approve the license and adjourn, Assembly members refused to ask whether more alcohol in that area might be somehow be related to Alaska’s high rate of sexual assault or contribute to human trafficking. present in Anchorage.

Our leaders reallly let us all down by rushing to approve this license. Mayor Mark Begich has until 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 18th to veto this action. If want to speak up, send him an email at BegichMP@ci.anchorage.ak.us

To e-mail Assembly members, go to: WWMAS@ci.anchorage.ak.us

For mailing addresses and telephone numbers for all assembly members click:
mailto:WWMAS@ci.anchorage.ak.usHttp://www.muni.org/iceimages/Assembly2/2007assemblycontactlist.pdf

Asembly Report for February 12, 2008

2008-02-10T10:39:00.000-09:00

CLIMBING THE GREASY POLE OF POWER: MIKE ABBOTT IS THE NEW MUNICIPAL MANAGER: After toiling five years in the Begich administration, Mike Abbott made it to the top of the greasy pole of power when he was recently selected to replace retiring municipal manager, Denis LeBlanc. Subject to Assembly confirmation on February 12, 2008, Abbott has already assumed his duities in the same office he has worked out of since 2003.

CLAMAN/SULLIVAN SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT PLAN SHOT DOWN; West Anchorage’s Matt Claman Tuesday night withdrew his quirky support for Dan Sullivan’s renewed effort to re write the Home Rule Charter by setting terms for Assembly members at three years, regardless of whether they are elected from single member or multi member districts. The Charter currently requires Assembly terms of three years unless all members represent single member districts, in which case terms of Assembly members are two years. Approval of charter amendment by the voters would have made it easier to convince the Assembly to later carve out eleven single member districts, an action that could take place as early as next year. Because the measure contains a charter amendment; eight votes were required for passage. The measure failed by a vote of 6-5 and will not appear on the spring ballot.

ASSEMBLY GOES WILD AND APPROVES A NEW STRIP BAR DOWNTOWN: By a lopsided vote of 10 - 1, the Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday night granted Carol and Kathy Hartman permission to open a new 83 seat strip bar right on the busiest highway at the doorstep of downtown Anchorage. Located across from Merril Field, the new adult strip club is ideally located for bush travelers passing through one of the country’s busiest commercial airports.

In addition to excellent access by highway and by air, Downtown’s newest watering hole offers patrons the convenience of two nearby restaurants that also serve and wine, an underage teen strip club known as the Showboat, an adult "toy" and bookstore, and even a busy motel. An existing Bar, Club Elixer, will remain open in the building occupied by Fantasies. Although present at Tuesday’s meeting, the president of the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau voiced no objection to the growing concentration of beverage dispensaries and adult uses only minutes away from the city’s new $100M Civic and Convention Center.

According to the Assembly’s resolution, the Hartmans must comply with the narrative and floor plan submitted with their application for a liquor permit. That narrative describes "a facility that will meet the definition of ‘indecent material’ or ‘adult entertainment’ . . or . . Adult Oriented Establishment.". The floor plans also show areas reserved for lap dances. While adult strip clubs are legal under state and local law, Sec.3 (2) of the Assembly resolution requires that all uses "shall conform to the plans and narrative submitted with [the] . . . application, including the first floor seating plan for eighty-three occupants." Does this Assembly resolution actually mean that the Hartmans are now legally required to operate a strip club at 1911 E 5th or face legal action by the city? Because the Assembly voted to prohibit any floor debate on the application, this question was never asked.

The Assembly even refused to allow Deputy Police Chief Ross Plummer speak about or answer questions about the 198 police calls to 1911 E.5th during 2006 or the 218 police calls to the building during 2007. APD was not allowed by assembly members to address the dozens of assaults, disturbances, drug and alcohol crimes reported in the Clubs during the past two years. Despite the Assembly’s action, however, Club Elixir and Fantasies remain "off limits" to military personnel from Elmendorf and Ft. Richardson because of what commanders characterize as "problems associated with firearms and gang violence" occurring there. Although the Army and Air Force send thousands of Alaskans to Iraq and Afganistan, but will prosecute the same servicemen under the Uniform Code of Military Justice if they are caught in Elixir or Fantasies!

Reaching a new low in its "deliberative process", Assembly members acted on the license without allowing any debate of the matter among themselves or discussion with staff. Voting in favor the new club were Assembly members Shiela Selkregg, Dick Traini, Matt Claaman, Dan Coffey, Dan Sullivan, Jennifer Johnston, Debbie Ossiander, Bill Starr, Paul Bauer, and Chris Birch.

CLEAN ELECTIONS VOTE POSTPONED: The Assembly on Tuesday agreed to postpone until February 26, 2008, action on AR 2007-300 which would support the Clean Elections initiative. That initiative is headed to the November, 2008 ballot. While no formal public hearing on the resolution will be held, the public may address the Assembly on February 26th by filing by calling the City Clerk at 343-4311 to file an "appearance request" in order to speak to the Assembly. The Clean Elections Initiative does not apply to elections for municipal offices, the question remains whether Anchorage residents or the municipal government itself have sufficient interest in clean government at the state level for the Assembly to express its opinion in the matter.

YOUR PAPERS PLEASE, ROUND 3: Paul Bauer finally won a minor victory Tuesday night in his crusade against illegal immigrants in Anchorage. By a vote of 8-2, the Assembly approved a resolution (AR 2008-20) to support SB 215 and HB 3, in the legislature which would require proof of US citizenship or lawful residency before state IDs or drivers licenses are issued.. Mr. Bauer was unable to explain how the State would administer the new law, particularly with respect to rural Alaskans who may not have traveled outside of the country or obtained US passports. Bauer could not explain what is "valid documentary evidence" sufficient to obtain an ID or driver’s licence. Eager to pass Mr. Bauer’s resolution, however, Assembly members refused to refer the matter to the Assembly’s public safety committee to answer these questions. Instead the Assembly voted to cut off further discussion of this State issue and to approve the Bauer resolution. Assembly member Matt Claman was absent; only Assembly members Selkregg and Tesche opposed.

THE WAL MART WALLOW: After the superior court recently tossed out its decision in October, 2006 to rezone 53.52 acres in Muldoon for a new Wal Mart, the Assembly hasn’t really decided what to do: A work session held on Friday, February 8 produced no real plan of action or direction. A motion made by Assembly member Dick Traini late Tuesday night to send the entire matter back to the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission for further review stalled when the Assembly instead voted to postpone action on the matter until next month when it could first huddle with city lawyers in executive session to decide what to do next.

$100M BOND PACKAGE HEADS TO THE VOTERS: The Assembly approved a package of ballot propositions for the April 1, 2008 regular election totaling $100.6M. Included in the package are $34.3M for reconstruction of Chester Valley Elementary School, the Girdwood K-8 School and Sand Lake Elementary School. $9.4M is proposed for district wide facilities renovation, $$44.8M for roads, $6.9M for facilities renovation including the Sullivan Arena . $3.6M for Fire capital improvements, and $1.6M for public safety and transportation improvements is planned.

An interesting sideshow on Assembly member Dan Sullivan’s financial interest in the project distracted the Assembly for almost an hour on Tuesday night. After hearing a financial disclosure from Mr. Sullivan about the value of his investment in McGinley’s Irish Pub on G St, and several opinions from lawyers present, the Assembly voted 6-4 that Mr. Sullivan has a "substantial financial interest" in the matter and directed him not to vote on a proposition he offered to segregate bonds proposed for construction of the E St. Corridor. The Assembly elected to keep the E St. bond within the larger road bond package.

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WHOSE RUNNING IN THE SPRING ELECTIONS? At the close of business last Friday, the following candidates are running in the spring election for Assembly and school boarad:

Eagle River: Bill Starr (incumbent)
Anthony Lemons

West Anchorage: Harriet A. Drummond
Bert Hoak
Sherri R. Jackson

Midtown Anchorage: Dick Traini (incumbent)
Elvi Gray-Jackson

East Anchorage: Jeremy Baker
Paul Bauer (incumbent)
Mike Gutierrez

South Anchorage: Chris Birch (Incumbent)
Jesse Busick
Mike Kenny

School Board Seat C : Jim Bailey
David Boyle
David Dunsmore
Pat Higgins
Leigh Carrigan
Gilbert Sanchez
Steve Pratt
Kathleen Plunkett
Scott Pryde

School Board Seat D: Toni L. Truelove
John Steiner (Incumbent)
James LaBelle

Assembly Report for January 29, 2008

2008-01-29T21:51:00.000-09:00

ON THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF HITLER’S RISE TO POWER: Not satisfied with the Assembly’s 8-3 vote which killed a similar proposal he made on September 11, 2007, Assembly member Paul Bauer chose the date of the 75th anniversary of Adolph Hitler’s rise to power to introduce another measure that would draw Anchorage police (and local taxpayers) into a national war on illegal immigration. With the help of fellow conservative Dan Sullivan, Bauer sought to introduce AO 2008- 23 which would place an "advisory proposition" on illegal immigration before voters at the April 1, 2008 regular election. Bauer’s newest proposal would have asked voters to "advise" whether Anchorage police should "be empowered by [the] Anchorage municipal code to verify immigration status during routine traffic stops and criminal law detention". The ordinance also would have asked voters to advise on whether Anchorage shall "negotiate and enter into an agreement with federal Immigration Control Enforcement to train and deputize Anchorage police officers as agents in the enforcement of federal immigration laws". Bauer’s proposition would have effectively encouraged the Assembly to funding local enforcement of federal immigration at additional expense to local property owners.

Only Assembly member Dan Sullivan joined Mr. Bauer in introducing the new ballot proposition. Lacking a third sponsor, Bauer’s ordinance was declared dead (for now at least) under Assembly rules and no public hearing will be held.

REFUSE RATES REVISED: By a vote of 10-1, the Assembly approved a modified proposal made by the Solid Waste Services Department to raise commercial rates for refuse collection, leaving intact monthly rates for residential services. Set out in AO 2007-145S), the new rate schedule focuses on commercial rates and fees charged at the municipal landfill and transfer station. Fees charged for secured pickup loads will be raised from $10.00 to $15 at the transfer station and at the landfill from $10.00 to $15/load. A complex schedule of revised charges governing commercial containers is set out on pages 3-4 of AO 2008-146(S) as amended.

MAT CLAMAN AND DAN SULLIVAN OPENING THE DOOR ON SINGLE MEMBER ASSEMBLY DISTRICTS: Introduced Tuesday night by West Anchorage’s Matt Claman and Dan Sullivan, AO 2008-25 would ask voters in the April 1, 2008 election to re write the Home Rule Charter by providing that terms of Assembly members would be three years, regardless of whether they are elected from single member or multi member districts. The Charter currently requires terms of three years unless all members represent single member districts, in which case terms of Assembly members are two years. Approval of the Claman-Sullivan amendment would make it easier to convince the Assembly to later carve out eleven single member districts, an action that could take place as early as next year.

While Claman recognizes that the charter amendment he and Sullivan have offered would remove the major impediment to implementing single member districting, he adamantly denies he is not in favor of actually using single member districts. He is concerned that the current system of multi member districts might draw a legal challenge under federal election laws at some point in the future and apparently favors three rather than two year terms for Assembly members under any districting plan. Neither assemblyman has pointed to any real public enthusiasm for the measure, except Claman's spectulation over potential legal challegnes to the Assembly's current plan and orders from the Republican party whispered quietly to his new West Anchorage collegue.

Eight votes are required to send the issue to the voters. Only Assembly members Tesche, Traini, and Selkregg are known to oppose it, making its chances of passage in April excellent, once Republican money is brought to the table. A public hearing on the Claman-Sullivan proposition is scheduled for February 12, 2008.

$2M POOLS PACKAGE HEADED TO VOTERS: The Assembly on Tuesday approved a $2M ballot proposition it will send to voters at the April, 2008 election to finance needed repairs in five local swimming pools. Sale of $2M in local bonds is conditioned on receipt of a matching grant from the state of Alaska of an additional $2M, for a total package of$4M. To justify the required state match, sponsors point to the constitutional requirement that the State provide for a system of public education and that many pool users in Anchorage come from rural areas, particularly the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Pools included in the bond package include Bartlett, Dimond, East, Service, and West high schools. The pools package was authored by Dick Traini and Allan Tesche.

$100M BOND PACKAGE INTRODUCED: Contours of the 2008 bond package emerged Tuesday night as the Assembly introduced a package of ballot propositions asking voters to approve sale of $100.6M in general obligation bonds at the April 1, 2008 regular election. Included in the package are 34.3M for reconstruction of Chester Valley Elementary School, the Girdwood K-8 School and Sand Lake Elementary School. $9.4M is proposed for district wide facilities renovation, $$44.8M for roads, $6.9M for facilities renovation including the Sullivan Arena . . . $$3.6M for Fire capital improvements, and $1.6M for public safety and transportation improvements. Public hearings on the bond propositions are scheduled for February 12, 2008.

LOOSE DOG REPORTED AT 9TH AND E: Mayoral candidate Dan Sullivan touched off a new controversy with the Begich administration Tuesday night by proposing to sever $8.2M in road bonds for Mayor Begich’s E Street Corridor project from the city’s $100M road bond package. Sullivan would place those bonds in their own ballot measure to be voted on separately by voters. Sullivan would not answer questions about his action on Tuesday and instead promised to meet with interested groups such as the Anchorage Downtown Partnership before a public hearing on on February 12, 2008. Passage of Sullivan’s ordinance along with an amendment he offered to strip the E St. Bonds from the larger road bond package, would likely reduce the chance voters would approve the E St. bonds at the April 1, 2008 city wide election.

Assembly Report for January 22, 2008

2008-01-22T22:04:00.000-09:00

POOLS RELIEF PACKAGE MAKING PROGRESS: After hearing from pools users about the need to make major repairs to five local swimming pools, the Assembly on Tuesday worked on a $2M ballot proposition it intends to send to voters at the April, 2008 election to finance the repairs. Last minute tweaks to the ballot language with the help of bond counsel prevented the Assembly from approving the package on Tuesday night. Instead, bond counsel and city parks staff will spend another week preparing the proposition which the Assembly will act on in its meeting of January 29th.

The 2008 Pool Bond is unusual because sale of $2M in local bonds is expressly conditioned on receipt of a matching grant from the state of Alaska of an additional $2M for a total package of$4M. To justify the unusual funding arrangement, sponsors of the measure point to the constitutional requirement that the State provide for a system of public education and that many pool users in Anchorage come from rural areas, particularly the Matanuska-Susitna borough.
The Assembly had earlier approved measures drafted by Mr. Traini and Tesche appropriating additional funds in 2007 and 2008 to keep pools open and to require the Parks Department to propose a new management and operations plan for community pools. Pools included in the repair package include Bartlett, Dimond, East, Service, and West high schools.

CHARTER AMENDMENT FOR SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS STALLS ON LANGUAGE PROBLEMS: Because of wording glitches in a proposed ordinance, the Assembly delayed for one week consideration of a charter amendment proposed by Dan Sullivan that would pave the way to creating eleven single member Assembly districts. Currently, the Assembly consists of eleven members who are paired in 5 two person districts and one ( the downtown area) single member district. Problems with the title of the ballot proposition and its wording prompted the Assembly to delay action on the measure for one week. Eight votes of the assembly are required to place the matter before the voters in the April, 2008 election.

The proposition would amend the Home Rule Charter by eliminating the current requirement that if single member districts are established, Assembly terms would be two rather than three years long. If voters agree to this change, according to Sullivan, it would make it easier to convince the Assembly to carve out eleven single member districts.

BUILDING, FIRE CODE REVISIONS POSTPONED UNTIL JANUARY 29th: The Assembly on Tuesday postponed until January 29,2008 action on AO 2007-174 which would adopt the newest versions of the uniform building, fire, plumbing, electrical, and life safety codes along with local amendments to those codes.

Assembly Report for January 8, 2008

2008-01-08T23:24:00.000-09:00

NOW FANTASIES WANTS TO SERVE ALCOHOL AND RAISE MINIMUM AGE AT THEIR 5TH AVE STRIP CLUB: Carol and Cathy Hartman returned to the Assembly on Tuesday night asking for land use permit to turn an underage teen age strip club they run at 1911 E 5th Ave. into a full service adult bar featuring “adult entertainment.” The Hartman sisters also own a bar known as Club Elixer located on the second floor of the same building. They intend continue to operate Club Elixer after first floor is converted into an new adult strip club seating 83 patrons. The new club will keep its old name “Fantasies on 5th", and will continue to feature live nude entertainment, pole, pasties, and all.

The Hartmans recently lost a major federal court case challenging a city law which requires a four foot separation between dancers and patrons in teen strip clubs and closed a viewing window Fantasies was going to build between the adult club and the teen club, allowing other patrons to drool over the action in the adjoining teen club.

Fantasies will feature “Adult entertainment” and offer “indecent material” in the new club, according to its written application. When asked the “adult entertainment” or “indecent material” the club will offer, Fantasies vice president Armando Gonzales described a “strip pole” in the club and the “Lap Dance” area depicted on drawings given to the assembly. He confirmed that club entertainment will be provided in the nude “just like every other place in town”.

Under questions by Assembly member Dick Traini, Fantasies’ owners admitted on Tuesday that the Club is still “off limits” to military personnel assigned to Elemendorf and Ft. Richardson. Military personnel caught in the Club face discipline under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Traini said. Fantasies argued, however, it is confident the military will lift its ban and once again allow serviceman into the downtown bar.

Action on Fantasies’ conditional use permit was postponed until February 12, 2008; the public hearing is still open.

REFUSE RATES INCREASE POSTPONED: No action was taken on Tuesday night on a ordinance which will increase Solid Waste Services refuse collection and disposal rates charged within the SWS service area and at the city’s refuse transfer station. Deliberations on the increases recommended by the administration will resume on January 21, 2008.

NO ACTION ON POOLS RELIEF PACKAGE: The Assembly will wait until January 21st to decide whether to ask voters to approve a $2M bond package to repair several municipal swimming pools. Action on the matter was delayed pending receipt by Assembly members of the actual bond proposition to be presented to voters at the April 1, 2008 municipal election. As proponents Dick Traini and Allan Tesche have explained, issue of local bonds for pool repairs is contingent on appropriation of a matching grant of $2M from the Alaaska Legislature for that same purpose.

A Christmas story appears in the eastern sky

2007-12-23T12:37:00.000-09:00

And it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar that all within the city should be taxed even more. And all went to be taxed, every one for his real property and for his individual means of transport, however plain. And so George also went up from the bay of the Resurrection, out of the city of Seward and from the great river that since ancient times has been called the Tanana into Anchorage. He journeyed there with his wife and growing family that they could be counted and taxed. While they were there, the winter days grew cold and short and to them was delivered a third born son. They named him Dan, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because they were homeless and there was no room for them at the Inlet Inn.

When Dan had grown into a man and the elders allowed him to teach in the Temple, he told the faithful that the City of his father was in decay and no longer safe for them. It was not a city of growth or prosperity. The homeless are now begging for copper coins in the streets, carrying cardboard signs and violating the Law. Thousands of the faithful peered out warily from inside darkened tents pitched along Ship Creek or from their barricaded homes. They were afraid of the wandering bands of homeless people and of the crushing burden of real property taxes. Timidly they asked, Teacher, what are we to do? With confidence and clarity Dan replied: I shall first drive out the beggars from the streets of the City and make our streets safe again. I will ask our brother Paul to help us expel the foreigners from our midst unless their papers are in order. I will cut the wages paid to indolent city workers and I will levy a sales tax on goods and services in order to pay for new run off elections. We will spray pesticides on our gardens again and allow merchants to rebuild their pole signs over the marketplace.

And in the same country the men who produced the lamp and heating oil, the land barons, and the wealthy merchants were keeping watch over their holdings by night. And, lo in the empty regions of outer space, a trumpet sounded and the Archangel Ruderich came upon them in the night. Fearing a UFO filled with invading liberals, the men were at first afraid. But the Archangel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold I bring you good tidings of great joy: For this day is risen in the city of the great King George, a new champion and savior, he is Dan the Man. With him will come tax cuts for the wealthy, blue tickets for the foreigner, and a paddle for the little children. And after the trumpet sounded again, a multitude of the heavenly hosts including the Angels Ted, Ben, Don, Lisa, Dan, Chris, Jennifer, Paul, Bill, Debbie and the others not yet indicted sang Dan's praises, saying Glory in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward the party's chosen few.

Assembly Report for December 18, 2007

2007-12-19T00:22:00.000-09:00

ASSEMBLY CONSERVATIVES TAKE CITY UNIONS TO THE WOODSHED (AGAIN): A resolution passed Tuesday means more trouble ahead for city unions. Sponsored by Dan Coffey, AR 2007-283(S) requires freshman Bill Starr’s Budget and Finance Committee to explore the concept of "managed competition" with various departments of the municipality with "a view toward developing pilot programs to promote efficient and effective services." Explained by Jennifer Johnston and Dan Coffey, "managed competition"is a new buzzword popular with assembly conservatives for "privatization" or outsourcing jobs normally performed by public employees. Under "managed competition", city workers would compete with the private sector for their jobs. At a work session last Friday, Chris Birch chortled his approval of the concept and said his company would ship work normally done by Alaskans to India where wages are half of those paid in the United States. Coffey’s resolution also requires the Assembly to "review its policy with regard to labor agreements" by March 31, 2008 - an ominous signal to several unions scheduled to begin contract negotiations with the administration this year. Only assembly members Tesche and Traini opposed the resolution.

Passage of AR 2007-283(S) comes on the heals of the Assembly’s rejection on November 27, 2007 of a five year labor contract for 117 city transit and refuse workers negotiated by the mayor and Teamsters Local 959. The contract had drawn intense fire from Assembly conservatives Chris Birch, Dan Coffey, and Dan Sullivan for its modest wage increases, and arbitration provisions. Curiously, union leaders made no real effort to support these employees on November 27th before this merry band of assembly conservatives and their private consultant took turns in the woodshed on what had once been Alaska’s most powerful labor union.

Announcing his candidacy for mayor on December 19th, Dan Sullivan leads the pack of union bashers on the Assembly: Climbing on to the bandwagon of public safety which he labels "job 1" for the city, Sullivan promises a crackdown on panhandling and minor offenses. To cut city spending, Sullivan told the Daily News on December 20th "the place to start is personnel costs such as city labor contracts".

ONCE AGAIN, ASSEMBLY REJECTS CHARTER CHANGE TO REQUIRE A 50% VOTE IN MAYORAL ELECTIONS: Assembly members on Tuesday rejected a charter amendment proposed by Dan Sullivan to ask voters to require a run off in elections for the office of mayor if no candidate receives 50% of the vote. Although seven conservative assembly members voted in lockstep for AO 2007-152, the charter amendment fell short of the eight votes necessary to send the proposition to the voters next spring. Assembly members Traini, Tesche, Selkregg, and Claaman voted against the measure.

The Charter amendment proposed by Sullivan would have changed voting requirements for the April, 2009 mayoral election and, any special election taking place in 2008 if a vacancy in that office occurs before the regular mayoral election.. Mr. Sullivan recently filed a letter of intent with APOC to run for municipal office and is widely known to be running to replace mayor Mark Begich. Curiously, Sullivan’s apparent conflict of interest in the ballot proposition he sponsored was not disclosed to or addressed by the Assembly on Tuesday night. Sullivan chairs both the Assembly’s ethics and elections committees.

A CRACK IN THE WALL: ASSEMBLY CONSERVATIVES RESCIND PATRIOT ACT RESOLUTION, WHICH HAD SUPPORTED THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR, THE US CONSTITUTION AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS: Goosestepping behind West Anchorage’s Dan Sullivan, Assembly conservatives on Tuesday rescinded an assembly resolution approved four years ago (AR 2003-223) which had supported President Bush’s global war on terror and the US Constitution while objecting to provisions of the so called "Patriot Act" enacted by Congress. Now rescinded in its entirety, the 2003 resolution had condemned "all acts of terrorism wherever occurring" and reaffirmed the Assembly’s "support of the government of the United States in its campaign against terrorism" and affirmed the assembly’s commitment that the campaign "not be waged at the expense of essential civil rights and liberties of citizens of this country contained in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights". Voting to repeal the 2003 resolution were Dan Sullivan, Dan Coffey, Debbie Ossiander, Chris Birch, Paul Bauer, Bill Starr, and Dick Traini.

Repeal of AR 2003-223 may reflect some disillusionment by assembly conservatives with their President’s prolonged occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan under the guise of a world wide war on terror. What cannot be readily understood, however, is their apparent repudiation of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights in rescinding, but not amending AR 2003-223 Tuesday night. The oath of office each of these assembly members took required them to "support and defend" the Constitution of the United States.

ACTION ON SWS REFUSE RATE INCREASE POSTPONED UNTIL JANUARY 8TH: By a vote of 6-5, Assembly members postponed for two months action on AO 2007-146 which would allow the City’s Solid Waste Services Utility to raise collection and landfill rates. Under the ordinance, single family residential rates of $16.35/month would increase to $18.00/month. So called "tipping fees" charged at the waste transfer or disposal facility would increase from $10.00 to $15.00/load.. Amendments proposed by the administration on Tuesday night included a requirement that an ordinance providing for curbside recycling be presented to the Assembly, a separate ordinance providing for variable rates, based on volumes, for residential customers served by SWS and third ordinance providing for an additional charge at the Central Transfer Facility by commercial customers. Before January 8th, Assembly chair Dan Coffey announced plans to hire a utility consultant to advise the Assembly on the rate increase recommended by the Mayor.

Assembly Report for December 11, 2007

2007-12-11T23:56:00.000-09:00

TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING, WE NOW HAVE A DOWNTOWN PLAN: The assembly amended and then unanimously approved on Tuesday night a new comprehensive plan (AO 2007-116) for the Downtown area of Anchorage, after two years of work by downtown groups, municipal staff, contract planners and the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission. Replacing an earlier downtown plan adopted twenty years ago, the new plan sets out goals and development standards for new "mixed use" commercial and residential areas, downtown housing, and pedestrian amenities. Amendments adopted by Assembly members included one offered by Dan Coffey to "adjust" timing of traffic speeds on downtown streets to "approximately 25 mph". Another amendment offered by Dick Traini and Allan Tesche requires owners of downtown parking lots to maintain local offices for handling complaints and customer service and to improve sidewalk snow removal.

TRAINI’S FIREWORK’S ORDINANCE REJECTED: By a vote of 6-5, the Assembly rejected Assemblyman Dick Traini’s substitute version of an ordinance relaxing the city’s ban on fireworks for a limited time period on New Year’s eve. The modified version of Traini’s ordinance would have allowed "Class C" fireworks such as sparklers and Roman Candles, but not "mines, shells, and firecrackers" for a 6 hour period beginning at 7:00 p.m. on New Year’s eve and imposed geographic restrictions on those uses.

A NEW HOTEL AT ALASKA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY: A proposal backed by Mayor Begich to amend the zoning ordinance allow hotels in property zoned for "Public Lands and Institutions"(PLI) rolled through the Assemly Tuesday night. Although the ordinance would affect all property zoned PLI throughout Anchorage, the code change was requested by Alaska Pacific University in order to allow construction of a new three story hotel on property the university owns on its Anchorage campus in the summer of 2008. Under the ordinance proposed by the Mayor and recommended by the Planning and Zoning commission, hotels would be allowed in the PLI only as conditional uses and, if associated with a college or university, they must have a "permanent and significant programmatic affiliation with an academic use."

SULLIVAN TAKES A POWDER: ASSEMBLY DELAYS ACTION ON HIS VOTING AND PATRIOT ACT MEASURES: The public will have to wait another week for action on two proposals made by Assemblymember Dan Sullivan until he returns to Anchorage later this week. Sullivan’s proposal to ask voters once again to require expensive run off elections in the mayoral elections and a motion to repeal an old Assembly resolution opposing the notorious Patriot Act will be delayed until the meetings of December 18, 2007.

NEIGHBORHOOD PRISON ORDINANCE PASSED: To allow operation of a halfway house for drug abusers that is patterned after San Francisco’s Delancy St House, the Assembly by a vote of 10-1 voted to change provisions of the city’s zoning ordinance governing halfway houses in zoning districts throughout Anchorage. AO 2007-156 restricts halfway houses to 30 residents, drops prior restrictions which prohibited felons housed in certain business districts and reduced the one mile separation requirement to 1,250 ft for these facilities. By a vote of 6-5, the Assembly also prohibited sex offenders from living in those facilities.

CRITICAL TITLE 21 REWRITE ACTUALLY APPROVED: The Assembly hit a milestone in its never ending project to revise the city’s zoning laws by enacting a critical provisions of the new code dealing with "nonconformities" or grandfatthered uses. Unanimously passed with little debate was AO 2007- 116 which enacted a new Chapter 21.12 regulating the extent to which uses, lots, or structures rendered illegal under the new code will be allowed to continue if they are not expanded, enlarged, changed or abandoned. Particularly in a rapidly growing city such as Anchorage, where land use changes quicker than applicable zoning, how "grandfathered" uses are treated becomes a source of real controversy and litigation. As Title 21 moves slowly through the Assembly, the body is now ready to consider particular land use classifications and determine what is allowed and what is prohibited in those districts. The endgame in this process is, of course, the application of the new regulations to specific parcels of land, such as your home or the business next door.

A novice at the controls

2007-12-03T15:01:00.000-09:00

A NOVICE AT THE CONTROLS: BILL STARR'S FIRST BUDGET: Assembly conservatives handed over the Assembly's most powerful committee to Bill Starr after only three months he was appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Assembly. The Eagle River freshman’s shaky tenure as Chair of the Assembly’s Budget and Finance Committee proves once again that experience counts, even on the Anchorage Assembly.

On September 11, 2007, Starr convinced the Assembly to pass AR 2007-125 and find that the "ability of this municipality’s residents to financially support government services is or at near its maximum capacity". His resolution asked the mayor to submit an operating budget for 2008-9 "reflecting no increase from the revised operating budget for 2007." (emphasis added) The impact of the Starr Resolution was not fully understood until October 9, 2007 when Mayor Begich released his proposed operating budget for 2008. The mayor’s budget called for spending of $429M, an increase of $29.8M, or 6.95% over the $399M spent in 2007. Although the mayor justified more than half of that increase as beyond his (and the Assembly’s) control by pointing to rising costs for fuel, employee health care, retirement contributions, and union contracts, that increase was targeted immediately by Starr and other Assembly conservatives as excessive and wasteful. When compared the 2008 budget to those of prior ears, the 2008 plan was decried as yet another example of runaway government spending. Bill Starr had drawn a line in the sand and dared the mayor to cross.

Because his "conservative" friends had fired the Assembly’s budget expert two years ago in order to buy a new stereo system for the Assembly, Starr turned to the private sector for help in cutting the mayor’s budget. There he found Cheryl Frasca, a former budget chief for ex-Gov. Frank Murkowski willing to help. Dan Coffey obliged and approved a sole source contract for $18,000 with Frasca without a formal vote of the Assembly. Frasca went to work and helped draft a resolution Coffey released "for discussion purposes" on November 9, 2007. The resolution called for reductions of $25M in the mayor’s budget. After reading the resolution, the town went bananas. Public safety groups protested cuts of $2.2M in the police and fire departments and the mayor took aim at $1.M in FY 2008 funding the resolution would strip from his departments for executive salary increases lawfully granted in 2007. The Resolution also proposed cuts of $3.21M set aside for 72 new positions, including Fire, Development Services, Employee Relations, and Project Management and Engineering. The resolution also targeted $13.5M the city expects to receive from the Alaska legislature in "general assistance" revenues that will be used for property tax relief. Elimination of that amount from the City’s budget many protested, would have sent the wrong signal state legislators eager to spend the money elsewhere.

A week later, the Starr budget committee released its "Final Report" and last recommendations to the Assembly. Starr admitted he had overlooked $7M in salary savings (vacancy factor) already applied by the Mayor in his original budget. But Starr’s Final Report nevertheless recommended cutting an additional $ .71M from the budget based on an alternate method of calculating vacancy factor cooked up by Ms. Frasca. In response to howls of protest coming from law enforcement, Starr abandoned his plan to cut police and fire budgets by $2.2M for funded, but vacant positions. Nevertheless, the November 16th report recommended elimination of some 74 funded but vacant municipal positions in 12 departments in order to reduce the city budget by $3.8M, regardless of program impacts. Again, without providing an explanation, the committee recommended elimination of new positions costing $976,000. Finally, Starr targeted reductions of $563,000 in 2008 to penalize departments who had raised executive salaries during 2007. In the words of one member of the city’s Budget Advisory Commission, the "entire budget [proposed by the Starr committee] is an assault on the level of service and the well being of this community."

After the Assembly closed public hearings and started deliberations on the budget, however, the grandiose cuts proposed by Bill Starr and his budget committee fared poorly when carefully examined. Some reductions in spending, for example, would not save taxpayer’s money because they would bring about less collected in user fees. The assembly learned that other reductions, including those originally proposed by Starr for vacancy factor, had already ben considered by the mayor's budget writers. Unable to complete its work on the budget by November 27th, the Assembly continued that meeting on November 29th and approved what the Mayor and Assembly leaders called a "compromise" budget for 2008-9. Peace in the valley broke out once again.

The 2008 budget actually approved by the Assembly on November 29th, however, has a clear winner: Mayor Mark Begich. In the end, the Assembly gave him virtually everything he asked for two months ago. As approved, FY 2008 spending will be $427.8M, or $28.49M more than last year, representing an increase of 6.64% The 2008 budget gives Mayor Begich the 20 additional police officers he requested and keeps legislators’ feet in the fire by referring to the $13.5M the city expects to receive in municipal assistance to reduce property taxes. The budget approved by the Assembly cut only $2M from the mayor’s budget, a far cry from the $30M in cuts Star first demanded. Assembly conservatives did, however, manage a few whacks at the mayor’s budget before hoisting up the white flag: They cut $75,000 from a much needed East Anchorage district plan. In a particularly mean spirited move, they de-funded Project Access which links the uninsured poor with doctors and other heath care professionals willing to volunteer their services for needed medical care. Led by Debbie Ossiander, these same conservatives also managed to delete about a half a dozen new positions in the Parks Department required to maintain new parks and recreation facilities approved last spring by voters.

The final result obtained by this novice Assemblyman in his first term as Assembly Budget Chair is modest indeed: Of the $30M he originally wanted to cut from the Mayor’s 2008 budget, only .31% or $2M was actually reduced. The $2M cut will save Anchorage property taxpayers only $1M, however, because about half of the city's budget come from sources other than property taxes. On a downtown home assessed for $250,000, for example, Starr will save its owner about $12.00 in property taxes next year, or just about the cost of a single 6 pack of beer.

One final note: Among assembly conservatives who will face the voters in coming months, Bill Starr is seeking his first full term on the Assembly in April, 2008; Chris Birch and Paul Bauer are up for re election at the same time. Dan Coffey and Dan Sullivan are both rumored to be candidates for mayor in 2009.

Assembly Report for November 27, 2007

2007-11-28T01:21:00.000-09:00

TRENCH WARFARE: ASSEMBLY AND THE MAYOR DIG IN ON 2008-9 OPERATING BUDGET: The administration of Mayor Mark Begich and assembly conservatives staked out their positions and then dug in on the 2008-8 general government operating budget Tuesday night. Almost two hours of frequently acrimonious debate yielded no budget deal and only resolved about six of almost three dozen amendments, mostly reductions, proposed by assembly members. The assembly voted to resume deliberations on the budget Thursday, November 29th starting at 6 p.m. but is not expected to reopen public hearings.

A handful of amendments the Assembly did pass reveal the deep divisions between assembly conservatives intent on budget cuts, any budget cuts, and Mayor Begich who has to make sense out of a confusing, and at times, contradictory legislative process. Several new positions in the Parks Department were eliminated along with some funding for youth employment in parks.

ASSEMBLY TANKS UNION CONTRACT FOR 117 MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES: The Assembly on Tuesday night by a vote of 6-5 refused to ratify a five year labor contract negotiated by the municipal administration and Teamsters Local 959 for 117 municipal employees who work in the transit and refuse departments. The contract drew fire Tuesday night from Assembly conservatives led by Chris Birch, Dan Coffey, and Dan Sullivan for its wage increases, arbitration provisions.

Negotiated for 117 municipal employees who work in transit and the refuse departments, the new contract would have lasted for five years and raised wages 2.9% for each during the first two years, with a limited CPI adjustment in the third year and wage re openers in the final two yeas of the contract. Service recognition pay would have been limited to those currently receiving that benefits and ultimately eliminated through attrition. Wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment for these employees will likely remain unchanged from contract the new agreement was negotiated to replace.

LOCAL ENFORCEMENT OF FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAWS KILLED: A growing community uproar over Assembly member Paul Bauer’s proposal to direct APD to enforce federal immigration laws ended last night with a quick vote of 8-3 to postpone action on the ordinance indefinitely. Bauer’s proposal had angered ethnic groups Anchorage, including even moderates in Bridgebuilders. Municipal Attorney Jim Reeves and Assembly counsel Julia Tucker have each raised constitutional concerns about the ordinance. The Bauer draft won a raspberry from the Assembly’s own Public Safety Committee with voted 3-0 on November 14th to recommend a DO NOT PASS on the measure, and was opposed by the municipality’s Health and Human Services Commission. Only Paul Bauer, Dan Coffey, and Dan Sullivan voted against indefinite postponement of the ordinance.

NEW HALFWAY HOUSE ORDINANCE DELAYED: Originally scheduled for Tuesday night, a public hearings on Dan Coffey’s proposal (AO 2007-139) to relax zoning requirements for "community correctional residential centers" (neighborhood prisons) was postponed until December 11, 2007. The ordinance would would drop current restrictions on housing felons in these facilities and would shorten required separation between new and existing halfway from 1 mile to 1,00 feet. The ordinance would limit new CCRCs to thirty inmates. .Although the ordinance would apply to all halfway houses in business districts throughout the city, it is supported by a group which wants to locate a new facility in (where else) Mountain View.

COFFEY SIDESTEPS HIS DOG POOP ORDINANCE (AGAIN): The Assembly never reached AO 2007-106 sponsored by Dan Coffey which would ban dogs from all enclosed baseball fields within the municipality. Carefully protecting his expensive Gucci loafers from a messy issue that has dogged him in recent weeks, Coffey announced before Tuesday’s meting, that he is again postponing action on his dog poop ordinance until March 25, 2008. Hundreds of dog owners have waited patiently since September only to learn that action on the controversial measure had been postponed once again. Under this law, dogs would be banned from enclosed baseball fields regardless of whether a baseball game is actually in progress. Coffey’s ordinance would not repeal or modify existing laws which allow dogs to run off leash under voice control. Now set for action less than one week before spring elections, the measure will doubtless attract the attention of several dozen candidates running for assembly seats next April.

NO ACTION ON CHARTER AMENDMENT FOR MAYORAL RUN OFF ELECTIONS: The Assembly took no action on a ballot measure sponsored by Assemblyman Dan Sullivan to restore expensive run off elections in the race for mayor. Public hearings on AO 2007-152 will be rolled over until the December 11 th meeting. Because a charter change is required, eight votes of the Assembly are necessary to put the measure on the spring ballot.

Fantasies hosed today in federal court

2007-11-15T17:12:00.000-09:00

FEDERAL COURT TO THE HARTMAN SISTERS: ITS ONLY A FANTASY ON 5TH:
In a lengthy decision handed down earlier today, US District Judge Tim Burgess upheld an ordinance passed by the Anchorage Assembly in 2005 restricting several business practices of cer "Adult Establishments" and dismissed claims by businesses that the ordinance violated state and federal constitutions. Kathy and Carol Hartman operate the 5th Ave. establishment and challenged the constitutionality of the municipality’s ordinance in federal court.

The 2005 amendments required that "a separation of a minimum of four (4) feet shall be maintained between entertainers, dancers and/or strippers and patrons," (a "No Touch"provision) and prohibited owners from "broadcasting" to sites outside the licensed adult establishment. At the heart of the controversy was a glass ceiling installed by Fantasies which separated nude dancers in a non alcoholic club below from bar patrons looking down from inside a bar above the strip club. Advertising for both clubs touted the "Fantasy" older bar patrons would enjoy while peering at nude dancing below. An attorney for the Club told the Assembly before the ordinance was passed in 2005 that the "viewing area . . . will be completely glassed in for safety and drool protection."

The municipality won summary judgement on claims made by business owners that the "four foot" rule unconstitutionally infringes on Free Speech, that the ordinance violates the equal protection doctrine, is unconstitutionally vague, and that the "broadcasting" provision violates the Commerce Clause. On provision of the ordinance relating to "simulated sex acts" was stricken, and a number of other claims made by plaintiffs were not addressed by the court. A second order issued by the court one day later resolved remaining claims in the litigation in favor of the municipality. Before the trial court, the case is now over.

Read the court's decision:
First Order
Second Order

Assembly Report for November 13, 2007

2007-11-14T01:42:00.000-09:00

THE ASSEMBLY GETS AN EARFUL AS THE PUBLIC WEIGHS IN (AGAIN) ON THE BUDGET: Buying more time to battle Mayor Mark Begich’s proposed operating budget for 2008-8, Assembly conservatives reopened public hearings Tuesday night. They got an earful but it was not exactly what they wanted to hear. Two dozen people testified generally in favor of retaining current municipal programs and services, and opposed an ongoing effort by Assembly member Dan Coffey to cut some $25M from the mayor’s budget. Public hearings have now concluded; the budget is now scheduled for action on November 27, 2007.

The centerpiece of Dan Coffey’s effort to field dress the Mayor’s budget remains a "draft" resolution he and a shadowy gang of assembly conservatives cooked up during a series of private meetings held recently in city hall. Assembly members Coffey and Starr paid Cheryl Frasca $18,000 to build a case, any case, against this mayor’s budget. In the process, Coffey has managed to shoot himself in both feet and final approval of the 2008 budget is still two weeks away.

Coffey first took his first shot by letting freshman Assemblyman Bill Starr of Eagle River to launch a bitter attack against salaries paid to city hall executives during a nasty work session held on November 2, 2007. Starr dutifully railed on what he considered excessive raises given by the mayor to his staff which had not been approved by the Assembly. Coffey’s resolution carried on that theme and would require prior assembly approval of all executive salaries. What Starr and Coffey overlooked, however, are city codes which give the mayor the right to adjust executive compensation without any assembly approval. Moreover, when full cost data for city wages paid to employees was released on November 9th, personnel costs hardly appeared "excessive" as claimed by Starr: total wages, including those represented by new positions, went up 1% in 2004, 7% in 2005, 7% in 2006, 2% in 2007, and are projected to rise 7% in 2008. The salary issue backfired when it was revealed that under "conservative" assembly leadership, City Clerk Barbara Gruenstein was given three raises and now receives $109,990/year. Her last raise in 2007 was a real whopper: $22,010, or 25%.

Now hobbling on one foot, Coffey took aim at his other foot by going after the mayor’s calculations of so called "vacancy factor" in the city’s budget. Coffey announced in his draft resolution plans to cut some $6M from personnel costs in 14 departments. That figure represents amounts the city would not spend due to absences of municipal employees as a result of normal attrition. Looks good on the surface, but what Coffey apparently failed to consider is that in projecting personnel costs in his 2008 budget, the mayor had already made a reduction of $7.3M for expected vacancies. As the mayor has patiently explained now several times, further reductions in "vacancy factor" made by the Assembly will turn full time employees into part time employees and reduce existing city services.

With two weeks remaining until final action is scheduled on the budget, Mr. Coffey decided to leave town. In Coffey’s absence, Mr. Starr in now back charge of Assembly deliberations on the budget.

Special Assembly Report for November 9. 2007

2007-11-09T17:18:00.000-09:00

TOOLS OF HIS TRADE: COFFEY GOES AFTER THE MAYOR'S BUDGET; Led by Dan Coffey, a shadowy gang of Assembly conservatives took a meat axe to Mayor Begich’s 2008-9 city budget in a wild work session in city hall on Friday afternoon. Only after the mayor and his staff presented a number of modest improvements in an "S" or substitute for the budget presented some six weeks ago, did Coffey present a draft resolution calling for more than $25M in cuts in programs and services in 2008-9. In lockstep, Coffey was joined by Debbie Ossiander, Chris Birch, Paul Bauer, and Jennifer Johnston in the resolution.

The resolution would strip $1.12M from budgets of 23 departments in 2008-9, representing wage increases approved for executives in 2007. From the language of the resolution, its not clear that actual salaries paid to executives would be reduced or that their raises would simply be taken "out of the hide" of their department’s budget. The resolution would also require that future raises given to city executives be approved by the Assembly even though current law gives that power to the mayor. Coffey’s group would also cut $3.21M set aside in the Mayor’s budget for 72 new positions, including Fire, Development Services, Employee Relations, and Project Management and Engineering. Coffey had no explanation for elimination of positions funded by voter approved projects nor would he provide reasons behind his action.

Most controversial is a proposed reduction of $6.0M in personnel costs Coffey says the city should absorb through normal vacancies in existing staff or the "vacancy factor". Mayor Begich corrected Coffey during the work session by patiently explaining that budgeted personnel costs for 2008-9 are already reduced to account for "vacancy factor" and that further reduction in personnel allocations would requite layoffs. In response, Coffey refused to promise that with the additional personnel cuts his group proposes, there would be no layoffs or reduction in city services. Finally, Coffey’s resolution would delete a reference to some $13.5M the city expects to receive from the Alaska legislature in "general assistance" revenues. Elimination of this amount from the City’s budget may signal state legislators that Anchorage really doesn’t need the money after all. Moreover, this reduction could affect ongoing plans to apply state aid to local property tax reduction as well.

Coffey also refused to say how individual departments, programs and services, would be affected by the broad cuts he proposes. Presumably, Mayor Mark Begich will shortly explain how the city would function within this resolution and the result won’t be pretty. Whether the draconian cuts presented by Coffey spell doom for the comparatively modest changes the mayor proposed on Friday in the "S" or substitute version of his budget is also very uncertain. All we know at this time is the public with have another chance to testify on the budget when the Assembly meets next Tuesday evening (November 13th) at 6:00 p.m. in the Loussac Library.

Assembly Report for November 6, 2007

2007-11-06T05:46:00.000-09:00

ASSEMBLY BUDGET HEARINGS: ROUND TWO: Fight fans from all over Anchorage mobbed the Loussac on Tuesday night to get their licks in on the 2008-9 operating budget. Standing in line for as long as an hour, dozens of people requested additional funds for after school programs, pools, busses, youth crime prevention, youth employment, medical care for the uninsured, domestic violence prevention, libraries, planning. After about three hours of public hearings, the assembly voted to continue public hearings until November 13, 2007 with action on the budget now scheduled for November 27th. Amendments coming from assembly members and th Adminstration have not yet been submitted.

Solely preoccupied with keeping "their" meeting running on time, Chairman Dan Coffey and Vice Chair Debbie Ossiander hit a new low in treatment of the public during what was supposed to be the public's turn to address the assembly on the budget. Coffey's constant reminders about the notorious three minute time limit, false praise showered on persons whose testimony did not generate questions from the Assembly, and forcing the public to stand in a long line for almost an hour before they were allowed to play "beat the clock", was simply humiliiating and degraging. One person described the entire process as "collective begging".

I/M PROGRAM REPEALED: By a vote of 8-2, (Coffey conflicted out of the vote) the Assembly repealed the city’s longstanding vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) program. Passage of AO 2007-122 ends the city’s mandatory vehicle exhaust emission testing program in two years, pending federal approval. Under IM, Anchorage vehicles must undergo periodic emissions tests and owners must make required repairs before vehicles may be lawfully operated on city streets in order to reduce carbon dioxide air pollution. The principle argument for eliminating the program is the comparatively low number of "bad air" days Anchorage is now experiencing as a result of improved technology used in automobile engines and exhaust systems. The current IM program costs Anchorage residents some $8M in inspection in repair fees annually. A competing proposal to continue the IM program, with modifications recommended by a mayoral task force was introduced on Tuesday by Assembly member Selkregg and set for public hearing on November 27th.

ASSEMBLY CONSERVATIVES TARGET TEAMSTERS’ CONTRACT FOR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES: Approval of a five year collective bargaining agreement between the Municipality and a labor union (Teamsters 959) representing several groups of city employees drew fire Tuesday night when the proposed contract was presented by mayor Begich for ratification. Comments by Assembly members Chris Birch suggest serious opposition to the contract. Birch indicated his "grave concern" over the contract, objected to arbitration provisions in the contract and its costs. Jennifer Johnston wants to review the contract only after the assembly takes action on the budget. Bill Starr voiced concerns over budget considerations as well. Action on the contract was delayed until November 27th.

Negotiated for 117 municipal employees who work in the transit and refuse departments, the new contract would last for five years and would raise wages 2.9% for each during the first two years of the contract, with a limited CPI adjustment in the third year and wage re openers in the final two yeas of the contract. Service recognition pay would be limited to those currently receiving that benefits and ultimately eliminated through attrition.

Tuesday's dust up over the Teamsters' contract is a wake up call to represented municipal employees: This "conservative" assembly is strongly anti-labor and will now use its power to reject negotiated union contracts and over the budget to destroy thrity years of labor peace betwen the municipal administration and organized employees. Any influence that organized labor still enjoyes in this municipality comes from efforts of hard working men and women to unite and organize around traditional principles of fair play and fair wages. While openly anti union leaders like Chris Birch, Paul Bauer, and Bill Starr are all running for office this spring, the question is asked "how will labor respond to these members' efforts to undo what so many people over the years have worked so hard to acheive?"

ONCE AGAIN, SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS AND MAYORAL RUN OFF ELECTIONS, : Confidently looking backward once again, Assemblymember Dan Sullivan on Tuesday formally introduced ballot measures which would restore expensive run off elections in the race for mayor and resurect an old idea to carve out single member districts for assembly members. Little has changed in recent years since these proposals were rejected by previous assemblies and voters, but with a more conservative majority running the assembly, theses old dogs may get another chance before the voters. Public hearing on the run off measure is scheduled for November 27th; on singe member districts for January 22, 2008. Because a charter change is required, eight votes of the Assembly are necessary to put the measures on the spring ballot.

DOWNTOWN PLAN STALLED, ONCE AGAIN: Delayed for months by a backlog of Assembly business, a new downtown plan stalled again Tuesday night. Assembly members plowed through a number of floor amendments and then when pressed by other business, left the matter on the table for possible action at the next meeting. Years in the making and supported by the Administration and Planning and Zoning Commission, the new downtown plan establishes a strategy for downtown revitalization, new land use and economic development policies, transportation and circulation, design standards, and program strategies such as signage and wayfinding, safety and security, and event activity programming. The matter returns to the Assembly on December 14th.

"GRANDFATHER RIGHTS" ADDRESSED IN NEW TITLE 21 CHAPTER NOW BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY: The all important portion of the city’s new zoning code dealing with the thorny issue of "grandfather rights" or the rights of property owners to continue uses existing uses and structures made illegal under zoning changes is now before the Assembly. Chapter 21.12 of the new Title 21, was approved recently by the Planning and Zoning Commission with recommended amendments. Final action on the ordinance will not be taken until Debbie Ossiander presents her amendments to the assembly and responds to those proposed by the Planning and Zoning Commission. Its not entirely clear that public testimony on the chapter will be taken, nor is a date set for further action by the Assembly on the chapter.

CAUGHT IN THE LOGJAM, TRAINI’S FIREWORKS CAPER IS DELAYED: Other business forced the Assembly to delay action on a controversial ordinance proposed by Assembly member Dick Traini to relax the city’s ban on fireworks for a few hours after midnight on New Years’ day. Public hearings on the ordinance will be continued to November 13, 2007.

An apology to Assemblyman Bill Starr

2007-10-26T06:14:00.000-08:00

STARR OBTAINS APOLOGY FOR REPORTS LINKING HIM TO BAUER IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE: Eagle River Assemblyman Bill Starr gets a public apology from Assemblyman Allan Tesche for incorrectly listing him as one of two Assembly members who joined Assembly member Paul Bauer in introducing AO 2007-125. The controversial ordinance was introduced before the Assembly six weeks ago. Earlier this week City Clerk Barbara Guenstein confirmed that the ordinance was introduced by Paul Bauer, Dan Sullivan, and Chris Birch. Mr. Tesche regrets the error made in the September 11, 2007 Tesche Report and in a separate Compass article published in the Anchorage Daily News on October 11, 2007.

Bauer’s ordinance would require Anchorage police to verify the immigration status of any persons stopped for traffic violations. AO 2007-125 would also force APD to sign a "cooperative agreement" with the Homeland Security requiring Anchorage Police to enforce federal immigration laws and to hold illegal aliens in local facilities for delivery to federal authorities. Made yesterday afternoon, Starr’s demand for a public apology sheds new light on the growing controversy over Bauer’s "anti-sanctuary" ordinance. Proclaiming that Tesche’s ideals actually align with his own, Starr believes that by listing him as an initial sponsor of the ordinance, Tesche has "changed the publics [sic] perception" of . . . his value system". The Eagle River assemblyman is also offended by what he characterized as efforts to discredit his "integrity or human compassion". When approached by Bauer to be added as a cosponsor of the ordinance, Starr refused. With all of these statements, it appears that Starr will actually vote against the ordinance.

Points well taken by the Assemblyman. AO 2007- 125 should indeed offend persons of integrity or human compassion. Bill says theses are his values and I share them. I look forward to working together with him in convincing other members of the Assembly to defeat this unnecessary and expensive ordinance.

Assembly Report for October 23, 2007

2007-10-24T00:18:00.000-08:00

A POOL FIX IN THE WORKS? Midtown Assembly member Dick Traini and Allan Tesche want to take a $2M bond proposal to the voters to pay for much needed repairs in swimming pools within the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Service Area. The proposed ballot proposition will be heard on January 8, 2008, and if approved by six members of the Assembly, will appear on the March, 2008 ballot. Issue of the bonds would be contingent on receipt of an equal contribution of $2M from the state legislature for the pools repairs. Trani is looking into ways of funding additional costs of keeping four of the pools open during the remainder of 2007 and has offered a resolution match surplus Assembly money with Administration funds for pool operations in the remainder of this year.

2008-9 BUDGET HEARINGS OPEN: A backlog of old business delayed the opening of public hearings on the 2008-9 annual operating budget for several hours on Tuesday night. Public testimony the Assembly did hear came largely from swimming pool proponents who wanted assurances that the Assembly would reject plans by mayor Mark Begich to cut back hours in four municipal swimming pools because of rising maintenance costs. Public hearings on the budget will resume again on November 6, 2007, with final action planned for November 13, 2007.

ONCE AGAIN, SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS AND MAYORAL RUN OFFS ELECTIONS: Assembly member Dan Sullivan announced on Tuesday night he will introduce ballot propositions that would restore a requirement that a special run off election be held in the mayor’s race if no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote. Since 2003, the current home rule charter has required a run off election in the mayor’s race only if the leading candidate does not receive 45% of the vote in the regular election. Sullivan is a downtown bar owner and long rumored to be a candidate for mayor in 2009. Easily able to extract significant campaign contributions from local businesses, Republicans and other conservatives, Sullivan would benefit by campaign laws that would require multiple elections in a mayor’s race. Mayoral run off elections each cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more progressive opponents traditionally have difficulty raising.

Sullivan intends to also bring back an old Republican favorite - single member districts for Assembly members - in a companion ballot proposition for introduction at the next Assembly meeting. 10 assembly seats are currently distributed among five double member districts and a single member district downtown. Under current rules, a change to single member districts with three year terms would require a charter amendment approved by the voters and if pased, would most likely require all eleven Assembly members to stand for election even though some have years remaining on current terms. Single member districting has been rejected several times before and has little popular support among voters except the far right, but like an old penny, the idea just keeps coming back.

COFFEY BOOTS TESCHE FROM ASSEMBLY ETHICS COMMITTEE; REFUSES PUBLIC EXPLANATION: Assembly chair Dan Coffey on Tuesday night announced he has removed downtown Assembly member Allan Tesche from the Assembly’s Ethics Committee. Coffey admitted he took this action without prior notice to Tesche or other members of the Assembly and refused Tuesday night to provide a public explanation for his action. The committee reviews and makes recommendations to the assembly on potential changes to the city’s ethics code.

ACTION ON DOGS DELAYED ONCE AGAIN: The Assembly never reached AO 2007-106 proposed by Assembly member Dan Coffey which would ban dogs from all enclosed baseball fields. Dozens of dog owners waited patiently in the Assembly chambers for four hours before being told they would have to return on November 27, 2007 for public testimony.. Under this law, dogs would be banned from enclosed baseball fields regardless of whether a baseball game is actually in progress. Coffey’s ordinance would not repeal or modify existing laws which allows dogs to run off leash under voice control.

NO ACTION ON I/M PROGRAM REPEAL: Other matters prevented the Assembly from taking action on AO 2007-122, to end the city’s mandatory vehicle exhaust emission program. Under IM, Anchorage vehicles must undergo periodic emissions tests and owners must make required repairs before vehicles may be lawfully operated on city streets in order to reduce carbon dioxide air pollution. The principle argument for eliminating the program is the comparatively low number of "bad air" days Anchorage is now experiencing as a result of improved technology used in automobile engines and exhaust systems. The current IM program costs Anchorage residents some $8M in inspection in repair fees annually.

NEW COFFEY ORDINANCE ENDS ASSEMBLY OVERSIGHT OF BEER AND WINE LIQUOR LICENSE ZONING: By a vote of 11-0, Assembly conservatives approved an ordinance authored by Assembly Chair Dan Coffey Action on AO 2007-121(S-1) which will allow an administrative official to issue zoning permits for restaurants to sell beer and wine. Currently, the Assembly makes those decisions only after public hearings and after receiving input from community councils. Coffey picked up support for his ordinance by stating his intent that the new law would not take away the Assembly’s role in setting land use standards for beer and wine establishments nor diminish access by the public and community councils to the Assembly on land use issues. With the backing of city attorney Jim Reeves, Coffey’s ordinance may simplify assembly debate and discussion on beer and wine applications, it may not provide relief to small business owners who would still be required to obtain approvals at both a staff level (zoning) and then at an assembly level (regulatory and zoning) before pouring the first glass of wine..

Assembly Report for October 9, 2007

2007-10-10T00:23:00.000-08:00

COMING TO YOUR BACKYARD THIS NEW YEARS: If midtown Assembly member Dick Trani has his way, fireworks will be lawful in some areas of Anchorage, at least for a few hours on New Year’s Eve. Tuesday night Traini introduced AO 2007-132 which would allow detonation of fireworks for a five hour period on New Years Eve. The ordinance would not allow News Year's fireworks in public parks, the downtown central business district or within 500 feet of certain noise sensitive facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, or libraries. A public hearing on Trani's ordinance is scheduled for November 6, 2007.

BAUER PUNISHED BY ASSEMBLY FOR ETHICS VIOLATION: Last night the Assembly voted 9 to 0 to punish Assemblyman Paul Bauer for violating the city’s new Code of Ethics. Receiving a rarely given "admonition" Bauer was also required by his colleagues to attend a special course in the municipal Code of Ethics. The sanctions were recommended by the city’s Board of Ethics while ruled on September 6, 2007 that Bauer broke the law by holding a press conference on March 20, 2007 to publicize a Notice of Possible [Ethics] Violation he had filed against Mayor Mark Begich. AMC 1.15.070(K) expressly forbids disclosure of ethics complaints before the Board has completed its investigation of the matter. Despite a warning by city clerk Barbara Gruenstein before his press conference began, the Board held Bauer "knowingly violated" three sections of the Code by holding the press conference and distributing copies of the Notice of Possible Violation he had filed with the Board. The Board’s decision can be found at
http://www.muni.org/Assembly2/ethicsviolationreports.cfm

SULLIVAN DROPS OBJECTION TO TOWN SQUARE RESOLUTION; COMPROMISE MEASURE APPROVED: The Assembly unanimously approved a compromise resolution AR 2007-206 which resolved the controversial issue of naming Town Square Park.. Prepared by the Begich administration, the compromise measure honor the three citizen activists (Shirely Brundage, Aves Couples, and Moulton) who battled City Hall for twenty five years by naming discrete portions of the Square for the women, but leaving intact Town Square as the name for the park. The compromise was intended to replace an earlier proposal to name the entire Square after late Ruth Moulton. The measure was delayed for several weeks after Assemblyman Dan Sullivan heard one of the families objected to the design proposed by Mayor Begich; after some conversations between the families, Mr. Sullivan, and the Mayor’s office consensus was reached on the compromise measure.

NEW PEDESTRIAN PLAN APPROVED: Incorporating a long list of sidewalk and crossing projects into the plan, Assembly members on Tuesday night enacted the Anchorage Pedestrian Plan as part of the city’s 2020 Comprehensive plan. The plan, with some amendments inserted by the Assembly previously, sets policies and lists over 200 pedestrian improvements to be constructed within the municipality. The goal of the plan is to reduce vehicle trips within Anchorage by improving the city’s sidewalk system. As adopted by the Assembly, the plan calls only for "review" of extending mandatory sidewalk snow removal throughout Anchorage, and does not extend that requirement beyond the central business district.

PUBLIC HEARING CLOSES ON I/M PROGRAM REPEAL; ACTION DELAYED: A parade of witnesses ranging from environmentalists, a physician, a radio talk show host, and dozens of auto mechanics testified for more than two hours on an ordinance (AO 2007-122) which would end the city’s mandatory vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) program. Public testimony was sharply divided between two groups: an unlikely coalition of auto mechanics who admittedly would lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in business if the inspection and environmentalists who insisted that Assembly members keep the program in place to fight global warming and prevent any worsening of Anchorage air quality. Opponents of the program claimed recent advances in automobile emissions technology have dramatically reduced CO2 levels in Anchorage, making mandatory inspection and maintenance of vehicles for air quality purposes unnecessary.

The Assembly appears sharply divided on the issue. Although Dick Traini claims he has six votes to end the I/M, his margin is razor thin and already members are talking of compromise measures that would delay elimination of the program or bring it back after several years. The assembly will take up I/M, without further public testimony, on October23, 2007.

NEW RULES FOR "BEER AND WINE" ZONING PERMITS: Action on an ordinance that would allow an "administrative official" to issue zoning permits for restaurants to sell beer and wine was postponed until October 23, 2007. Currently, the Assembly makes those decisions only after public hearings and after receiving input from community councils. The ordinance is sponsored by Assembly Chair Dan Coffey.

CHANGES COMING FOR "NEIGHBORHOOD" PRISONS: Assemblyman Dan Coffey introduced an ordinance Tuesday night will make it easier to locate new "community correctional residential centers" (halfway houses) in business districts. AO 2007-139 would drop current restrictions on housing felons in these facilities and would shorten required separation between new and existing halfways from 1 mile to 1,00 feet. The ordinance would limit new CCRCs to thirty inmates. .Although the ordinance would apply to all halfway houses in business districts throughout the city, it is supported by a group which wants to locate a new facility in (where else) Mountain View. Public Hearing is set for November 11, 2007.

EAGLE RIVER ASSEMBLYMAN DRAWS A LINE IN THE SAND WITH BUDGET RESOLUTION: With barely six months in office, freshman Eagle River assemblyman Bill Starr has drawn a line with two term Mayor Mark Begich in the the 2008-9 general government operating budget now before the Assembly. For each politician, the stakes are high: Starr is seeking is first full term on the Assembly next spring (he was appointed to complete Anna Fairclough’s term last January) and he is staking his political career on the success of a budget resolution his conservative pals passed on September 11, 2007, to cap all city spending for the next two years at current (2007) levels, without adjustments for inflation or voter approved measures. In the other corner is arguably the most popular mayor in Anchorage’s history and a master politician who has worked his way with the Assembly for almost five years without using a single veto. Begich is widely rumored to be a candidate for national office in next year’s congressional elections. If Begich runs, this will be his legacy budget.

Passed on September 11, 2007 the "Starr Resolution" boldly announces the Assembly’s intent to limit city spending for the next two years at current levels because local homeowners have re ached their "capacity" to pay for local government services. On the surface, this fiscal policy plays well in conservative Eagle River neighborhoods who have long enjoyed tax subsidies from the rest of Anchorage and who complain loudly of any taxes. Below, the surface, however, the resolution is an iceberg waiting quietly for the next passing ship. Starr makes no adjustment for inflation which even Assembly conservatives cannot outlaw: rising health care costs, fuel, and contributions the city must make to keep its retirement system solvent. Starr hasn’t noticed the effect his resolution will have on new state grants: by omitting grants from its calculation of just what constitutes baseline spending, the resolution essentially forbids the city from accepting new grants unless it is willing to reduce some other part of the budget to keep spending in line with the resolution. Unlike the citizens’ tax cap approved by the voters in 1983, the Starr Resolution make no allowance for voter approved measures such as roads and parks bonds approved only last spring. When asked why his resolution may no reference to the Anchorage School District (about half of your property tax bill now goes to schools) Starr lamely blamed Assembly Chairman Dan Coffey for not asking him to look into school district funding as well. Finally, Starr mistakenly used $399M to calculate his "baseline" for capping future expenditures the revised 2007 budget, together with supplemental appropriations of state grants actually totals $410M

If the Assembly passes a budget on Anchorage under the Starr Resolution, $25M in existing programs and services will be cut in order to keep municipal spending at Starr’s level of $399M. Already, many of his Eagle River constituents who use the Bartlett pool are now protesting in the streets the cuts this resolution will require. We can only some of his pals with more experience in municipal tax policy grab the tiller before we hit something waiting for us in the water. Public hearings on the General Government operating budget are set for October 23rd and November 6th.