The New and Unimproved Debbie Ossiander Scoffs at Democratic Process
So how completely impressed are we with our new Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander? Just as impressed as we were with her the last time she was Chair. And that would be… not at all. Her ignominious rise to the top spot hinged, apparently, on her loyalty to Mayor Dan Sullivan, and she’s been eager to prove her empty-headed devotion since her return to the throne. First on the list of things to do it seems, was to circumvent that thing we like to call “democracy.” Anchorage is in the middle of redistricting. This is as important as it gets. The…
Mayor Dan Sullivan — Playground Bully (by LKB)
Remember THAT kid back in grade school? Remember coming to school and sharing the excitement of how you got the remote control car you wanted for Christmas? THAT kid would talk about his brand new remote control F-15 jet…life-sized. Or, you’d very proudly reveal the balsa wood car you’d carved yourself and painted red to run in the local Pinewood Derby while THAT kid would bring out the super-slick car he claimed he made himself but was secretly made by his daddy’s engineering firm. THAT kid was the one the teachers all thought was a wonderful student when he was…
Open Thread: Assembly Changes
I attended the first meeting of the new 2011 Anchorage Assembly, which also was (sadly) a farewell and passing of the baton by Eastside’s Mike Guttierez to the election winner, Adam Trombley. The main purpose of the meeting was to certify the most recent Municipal Election, to swear in the returning Assembly and the one new member, and to establish the Assembly leadership. I wrote a post about the insane faux-controversy over Chairman Dick Traini’s speech at the April 4th We Are One Rally. Unfortunately, the results didn’t go our way. However, the overall tone of the meeting was relatively…
Once Again, the Assembly is Sullied by Dan
Back when the Anchorage Assembly Chair was Dan Sullivan, he presided over a “meeting-before-the-meeting” of the Assembly. This is a meeting they have before their regular Tuesday Assembly meeting to basically get the organizational flotsam and jetsam out of the way…present amendments, new ordinances, etc…so that time isn’t eaten up on Tuesdays with “making the sausage.” Though the “open meeting laws” in Alaska ensure that anyone can sit in on these, at this particular meeting more members of the public were present than usual. You see, the debate over the ordinance that would halt smoking in the hospitality workplaces was…
Anchorage's City Budget – Where's the Outrage?
By Elstun Lauesen The Assembly Voted last night for the $435 M budget that cuts services and raises property taxes by half a mill. Basically, this budget was predicated on a set of assumptions that misrepresented facts of a greater magnitude than those alleged by Assemblymen Chris Birch, Dan Coffey and Bill Starr against then Mayor Mark Begich. We all remember the hand-wringing over the ‘overly optimistic’ assumption that set Starr into meltdown mode in early 2009. Alleging ‘criminal’ activities by the Begich administration, Starr made unauthorized visits to the FBI and Bond Council, in essence, trying to undermine the…
Anchorage Assembly Meeting 2011 Budget – What are People Saying? (Live blogging)
I’m here at the Assembly Chambers as public testimony is being taken on the Anchorage municipal budget. (See previous post) I’ll try to hit the highlights for those of you who couldn’t make it. There is a long line of people waiting to testify and the room is packed to standing room only. Guy in weird hat and American flag scarf thinks the mayor is doing a great job. Thinks the Assembly should buy their own lunch. Quoting from a book “citizens are a milk cow ready to give buckets of money… absurd taxes, bla bla bla.” 18th Century, Declaration…
Time to Storm the Castle! Sullivan's Budget
OK, boys and girls. The election is (almost) over and now it’s time to redirect our focus just a tad. It’s kind of like when the dishwasher overflows, and the dog is barking to get in, and someone drops a glass… Then when you finally get it all sorted out, you look over in the pantry and you see the five year old elbow deep in a bag of chocolate chips, with scared eyes and melted goo all over his face. He thinks because you haven’t had time to pay attention during all the chaos, that he could just keep…
A Retired Pastor’s Thoughts on Red Shirts and Blue Shirts
Tonight at the Assembly Chambers in the Loussac Library is the next bout of public testimony about the now infamous Ordinance 64, which would add the term “sexual orientation” to the current non-discrimination policy for housing, employment, public facilities and education. The meeting runs from 5-11pm, with details HERE. Link to streaming and live blogging will be available on The Mudflats. This guest blog is from a Mudflats reader who is a retired pastor with a doctor of ministry (D. Min) degree. He is a long time Anchorage area resident who wanted to share his thoughts. ****************************** I went over…
Anchorage’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance – New Developments
Today, new developments arise in the matter of controversial Assembly ordinance #64. The ordinance would add the words “sexual orientation” to the city’s non-discrimination law. Those two little words have drawn battle lines, and made Assembly meetings look like a weird hybrid of football game, church revival and street fair. Walking into the Loussac Library feels like the moment when you hold your nose, take a deep breath and jump in the pool, not knowing quite how cold it’s going to be. The brain chemicals are pumping, and the emotions eminating from reds and blues alike make the air thick,…
Anchorage Non-Discrimination Ordinance. (Photos)
The mood was different outside last night’s Assembly meeting. Once again, public testimony was being taken on ordinance 64, which would add the words “sexual orientation” to the city’s non-discrimination policy that addresses housing, employment, education and public accommodations. As I pulled up to the library which houses the Assembly chambers, the “red shirts”, members of the Anchorage Baptist Temple were out on the corner. But this time, there were also lots of “blue shirts,” those who support the ordinance. They carried hand made signs, had music playing, and seemed to be having a great time. There were rainbow flags,…