Matt Claman

Just heard that Matt Claman, Assembly Chair turned Acting Mayor, has announced that on Monday he will reveal the names of the appointments to his economic advisory panel. 

Anchorage’s new acting mayor plans to meet regularly with a yet-to-be-named panel of economic and business experts to keep up to speed on how global financial and credit calamities are affecting Alaska.

This is making me nervous.  This doesn’t sound like someone who’s thinking that the field of mayoral candidates is already chock-full of progressives and he will graciously bow out and let others have their shot at the golden cup in3 months.  This sounds like someone who’s going to be attempting to make himself a household name, and get us all used to hearing “Mayor Claman,” and work his butt off creating allegiances and inroads, and then declare his candidacy.  Do you hear that noise? (you hear a repeated dull thud)  That’s me banging my head on my desk.

Eric Croft

Adding to my cloud of anxiety, Claman also said yesterday on the weekly segment “Mondays with the Mayor” on KUDO 1080am, that he wasn’t ready to say whether he was running or not, but it would depend on what he thought was “best for Anchorage.” (There’s that dull thudding sound again)  The “best for Anchorage” meme has already been trumpeted by Sheila Selkregg, and Eric Croft. 

Sheila Selkregg

I ask, how can you have three excellent progressive candidates, slicing up the pie into tiny pieces, all except for the one huge conservative hunk o’ pie that will be left over for Dan “the worm” Sullivan and have each one of them claim to be doing the best thing for Anchorage?  Dan Sullivan is NOT the best thing for Anchorage, and he has already raised $146,000.

And what’s up with Walt Monegan?  His website is online, but so far we don’t know much about where he stands, and so we wait for specifics on policy.

Walt Monegan

Assuming that Claman is planning on tossing his hat in the ring (since what he’s doing now is basically standing next to the ring, with his hat, holding it like a frisbee and telling us he “hasn’t decided yet”), then there needs to be some serious discussion between these three candidates.  There needs to be some determining factor, mutually agreed upon, which will leave one of them in the race, and the others beloved martyrs.

I don’t care if it’s the results of a mutually agreed upon poll by a mutually agreed upon pollster, or the endorsement of an agreed upon third party, or a fundraising goal, or a chess tournament, or feats of strength, or drawing straws.  Pick your poison.  But let the candidates know how you feel.  Write them. Call them. Craft a letter to the editor.  SOMEthing.  The last day for entering or exiting the race is February 13.  That’s one month to speak out, bend ears, and make a stink.

Dan Sullivan

And to leave you with an advanced thank you for whatever you choose to do, here’s a little fable about Dan Sullivan, from an old post on a blog by former Assemblyman Allan Tesche whose retirement I mourn at every Assembly meeting (dabs eyes):

“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.”

God, I miss Allan Tesche.  Maybe he’ll run for mayor…

Allan Tesche