Sullivan and Starr. We Get What We Vote For.
5 11 2009
OK, everybody who lives in the Anchorage area, raise your hand.
Everybody who did NOT vote in the mayoral run-off election, keep your hand up. Be honest…come on.
OK, would that 80% of you line up please, because I’m about to go down the row and bonk you on the head. It won’t hurt. I’ll use a plastic soda bottle or something. I just want it to be loud, and make a point. (I go down the row, bonking a very long line of people who are gazing at the floor, not remembering why they actually didn’t get out to vote)
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about the Assembly meeting this Tuesday.
We all know that a big issue these days is the budget. We’re a bit short on money and Mayor Sullivan has plans to cut the budget to the bone. Cut, cut, cut. Now, some of this may be necessary, but on Tuesday the budget that was unveiled not only virtually eliminated funding for the arts, but it cut more than $10 million below the tax cap than is necessary.
I know what you’re thinking. “Huh?” That’s what I was thinking. And that’s also what Assemblywoman Sheila Selkregg was thinking about the whole budget in general. She wondered aloud whether we ought to be looking at the budget in terms of (scary organ music) it’s “social effects.” That’s right, she used the “S” word. Social. Society. People. “Social,” of course, is the secret voice command that wakes up the wingnut robots, and sure enough Assemblyman Bill “Butt Dial” Starr from Eagle River sprang to life. “Communist!” That’s not me embellishing or using exaggeration as a story-telling device. He really said it. He compared Selkregg’s proposed budget to the Communist Manifesto. Yes, he did. And he stood by it afterwards. Perhaps next time, he’ll ask her to name names, and see how many Assembly members he can have blacklisted.
But hey, he’s only one guy. We somehow, through a miracle that I do not fully understand, were graced with an Assembly that actually has a left-leaning majority. And so, when a vote was taken, the split was 6-5 in favor of the resolution that thinks about people and the social effects of slash and burn budgeting.
Now we come to the part that will explain why I bonked 80% of Anchorage on the head with a soda bottle at the beginning of this post. Mayor Sullivan VETOED it, right then and there. I believe the exact words were, “I hereby veto Dr. Selkregg’s amendments as amended.” And that was that.
So what’s the real agenda behind all this? This from Kevin Harun, Communications Director for the Alaska Democratic Party:
Most people do not know the real story of what’s going on at City Hall. Sullivan is using bogus deficit information to cut basic services that we have all come to love about Anchorage — our good schools, parks, libraries, flowers, snow removal — you name it. This $10 million cut below the tax cap is something our city has never done. And it is totally unnecessary.
The administration’s goal is to help the Wal-Marts and other large commercial interests cut their property taxes by reducing public services. Their goal is to pressure the public to choose a sales tax to further relieve their commercial special interest friends. Assembly members Dan Coffey (who has large commercial interests himself) and Bill Starr are carrying Sullivan’s water. Their goal is to paint progressive Assembly members as extreme — when, in fact, these budget cuts are extreme.
Name-calling, wingnuttery, and vetoing the majority because of his own personal agenda and to puff up his already bloated sense of self worth. Yup, that’s about what we can expect from the rest of Dan Sullivan’s term as Mayor. Know how long that is? THREE YEARS.
So, if you’re feeling maybe a little twinge of guilt….a little “why oh why didn’t I get out and vote for Eric Croft?” there is something you can do. There’s even something you can do if you DID get off the couch and vote in that run-off election.
Write a letter to the editor. Call or email your Assembly member, or the entire Assembly. Tell your friends and anyone who will listen, every time Sullivan and his band of minions pulls stuff like this. Get a plastic soda bottle and start waking people up!
And if you live in Eagle River, the land of Bill Starr, the land of Debbie Ossiander, the land of Fred Dyson and Anna Fairclough. Pleeeease, for the love of all that is holy, I’m begging you… Find a strong progressive candidate and support them with everything you’ve got.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:00 PM
The Assembly is also going below the tax cap for the School District’s budget. About $7 million worth. That’s because they think the drop out rate is acceptable. After all, why would a high school graduate want to be a stock clerk for Wal Mart? Drop outs have few other choices.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:33 PM
Umm.
Told you so.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:09 PM
Oh, man, I KNEW it. I’ve been saying ever since this whole budget thing came up that Dan was making stuff up about how bad off the city is.
And, yes, for what it’s worth I DID vote in the run-off, absentee even, from Santa Monica.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:11 PM
I have learned my lesson on Tues.
It is not even enough any more to just get out and vote.
If palin and the rest of the RW conservatives decide to stick their very-unwanted-noses into close races then we must ACT.
We all have to support, work for, give money to Democrats.
It was a close race in the NY 23rd. And if I had stayed home……. UGGG!
November 5th, 2009 at 2:12 PM
Whew, glad I don’t live there. Of course, if I did, I would have gotten out and voted…
November 5th, 2009 at 2:18 PM
Ah yes, the arts, the whipping boy of budgets.
Never mind that, historically speaking, great civilizations are known for their art. Why don’t people get it? Q.E.D., if we don’t have great art, we are not a great civilization? (In fact, some might not even call your society civilized if you don’t have great art or an appreciation for the arts.)
As for taxes, well, we in Florida had a property tax vs. sales tax debate a couple of years ago (part of what started getting me online and looking at blogs!). Each state is different, of course, but Florida and Alaska have in common no state income tax (two of, what, six states in the nation that don’t?)
I was very unpopular in that Florida debate because my solution to school funding was that it should come from a state income tax. The problem with the sales tax was that the amount it would probably generate was likely to be less than what was needed to fund the schools. And of course is very unstable.
Another problem is that there were no guarantees that the state would not want to start “sales” taxing services which would make my life as a service provider hell, not because of cost or amounts, but because of paperwork.
My position was, and always has been, hey, states, if you want to tax service workers, do so through a state income tax. Don’t make us jump through the ridiculous paperwork hoops that submitting sales tax to the state would require (been there, done that, I know). A state income tax, based on your federal income tax return, will be less paperwork for all involved and require less state bureaucracy, or, to put it in Tea Baggers favorites terms, SMALLER GOVERNMENT than a sales tax.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:28 PM
I don’t live in Anchorage, but I consider it “town” from my home out in the Bush. So these BS power plays and slash and burn tactics affect me too.
It just pisses me off. Sullivan and Star pulled this “Oh, Anchorage is hurting so bad – and its all Begich’s fault!” while the Deni’ina center is bringing in the paychecks and paying itself off in record time. Now they’re trying to make it even more expensive (sales tax) and less fun (cutting funding for arts) therefore less of a reason for me to spend much time in the city.
A good friend of mine is a small business owner in the city who does a lot of contracts that involve the local governments. I know for a fact he didn’t vote; he told me he never “gets involved”. I’m sure its because he thinks if he voted it would jeopardize his business as his values are mostly progressive.
I am hoping that it will all backfire in their faces. I know Sullivan and Star want to blame all of the issues on Begich and Obama and make a run for higher offices; but I don’t think they will make it stick. After the hoodwinking Palin did on the State, people are looking a bit more closely at what politicians are actually doing vs. what they say.
November 5th, 2009 at 2:30 PM
What I love is that those of us who are forced to come into the city for business get to also deal with the negativity of the decisions.
All we can do is to choose to not be in the city except when forced. Of course that penalizes the businesses!!
Sad state of things!
November 5th, 2009 at 2:58 PM
So ……… if all the wingnutz from the Valley can testify on social issues, why can’t others testify on the general impact of cuts on Alaska? Or do only wingnutz have a say in Anchorage?
What is it about getting the government you deserve??????? Plastic water bottles are not enough.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:07 PM
Everyone who visits or does business in Anchorage should voice their opinion to the Assembly. Mention that these decisions affect you even more than whether people are allowed to discriminate against gays and lesbians. And anyone thinking of being a tourist who might want to take in a play or visit the museum — you have a stake in this as well.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:16 PM
I am still dealing with 8 people out of every 10..considered their ’schedule’..what ever it was..of more value than the ‘community good’. Ugh….
November 5th, 2009 at 3:31 PM
There are countries where you risk getting killed by one party or another if you risk voting, and yet they still mange to get 70% or more turning out. But here, we just can’t be bothered.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:34 PM
I vote that we draft Walt Monegan to run against Starr.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:17 PM
President Obama promised the Alaskan Native people to come visit Alaska in the summer. Boy will Anchorage be embarrassed. Can we say “Recall”?
November 5th, 2009 at 4:20 PM
I’m in the tree house looking for mudpuppies.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:29 PM
Gramiam I know he said summer but since he is from Chicago I took it as tongue in cheek as Chicago is sometimes as cold as Alaska especially with the wind off the lake.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:30 PM
I was going to ask about a recall or can’t the overide his veto?
November 5th, 2009 at 4:41 PM
I’m thrilled to know you, AKM, won’t be bonking ME on the head since I did vote and would have NEVER voted for that creepy Dan Sullivan.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:48 PM
Reading this made me think about the post the other day about the orchestra in the women’s prison. Why does considering the concept of “the social effects” of decisions send some people round the bend? The social effects have everything to do with decisions. But I guess the easy way out of almost any discussion is to just yell Communist.
Frankly, if I had Butt Dialed someone and it was all recorded on tape, I’d be very circumspect about where I picked my fights. Butt that’s just me.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:53 PM
I’m wondering about Sullivan’s “veto.” Can he veto an amendment? I think he can veto an entire resolution, but if all he said was he vetoed the amendments, then what does that mean? The resolution is still in effect in it’s unamended form?
November 5th, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Sullivan is a total jerk. Why do we have an Assembly if he is going to continually ‘veto’ things? Starr needs to be watched …he is quick to call names. I’ve watched the Assembly Meetings for a quite awhile and Starr reminds me of a guy I use to work with – a total tighta–!!! Does he really know what the word ‘communist’ means? If I’d been Sheila – I would have decked him!
November 5th, 2009 at 6:28 PM
Time to get to work on getting Bob Poe elected as Gov.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:53 PM
I wrote to Matt Claman and Harriet Drummond. Chris Birch and Jennifer Johnson are lost causes. We have to get rid of these supposed “non-partisan” mayoral elections! Why is it done that way, anyhow? Sometimes I feel like a stranger in a strange land (we did things differently in NY). If all of the Dems had a caucus and put their support behind one candidate and voted (Selkregg would have been great), we wouldn’t be in this position today with Doofus Sullivan because he wouldn’t have won. AKM is right! Why such a low turnout?
OK – Doofus isn’t a good moniker. C’mon Mudpups – we need a good nickname for Mayor Sullivan….
I’ve always been partial to Dan “the Worm” Sullivan myself. AKM
November 5th, 2009 at 7:27 PM
Never mind that, historically speaking, great civilizations are known for their art.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:31 PM
I was there Tuesday night for some of the testimony – I found it unsettling that some of the assembly members took the time which they are to use to ask questions about testimony to challenge and essentially harass some of those who came to testify. The mayor and Assemblyman Coffee sometimes used this time to make long statements about ‘budget deficits’ and gloat over the past administrations actions rather than allow the public their fair time. They challenged people in a way that was intimidating and unfair – this was after most of those who opposed the cuts had left the chambers.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:48 PM
Writing from Alaska – that is really unsettling! What kind of behavior is that?
I suggested in my note to Harriet and Matt that they hold public hearings and we bus in the progressives from Eagle River. Harriet could moderate week after week of hearings where Coffee and Dan “the Worm” Sullivan couldn’t just spew whenever they wanted to. I’ll bet plenty of folks would show up – especially if we guilt-ed them because they didn’t vote in the election.
As the Worm Turns……that really fits him AKM…there is something odd about his mouth….kinda like a mealy worm….mealy mouth? ewwww.
November 5th, 2009 at 9:05 PM
@6 terpischore — Loosely speaking, “the Arts” have no divisions (in the military sense). Over the years, I’ve come to believe that arts groups, and arts-sponsoring groups, must always act as if there is no such thing as government support. Sometimes, this means that you have to settle for a less satisfying short-term result, but I think that is the right thing to do.
Develop private donors. NEVER donate anything to a public entity (loan is okay, you can always take it back). Accept public funding for specific events (don’t assume continuity), or as windfalls. Never allow your organization to become dependent on public funding; sooner or later, it will be restricted.
Please don’t misunderstand — I am personally in favor of modest public funding of the arts, and even in financial bad times it hardly matters. But I’ve been a minority opinion on this for forty-some years now, even in ostensibly liberal areas.
November 5th, 2009 at 9:37 PM
Hey, no “bonk” for me with the soda bottle. I saw this coming.
Well, sort of anyway. I certainly did not put money on Danny Boy in anyway shape or form. Nor did I ever consider voting for him.
In all honesty though, I sort of hoped that somewhere, way back in his gene pool, there was a spark of a statesperson to be. Unfortunately, that fantasy was dispelled when, right out of the block, he demonstrated that he was going the Prevo route and confirmed thusly by immediately issuing a veto over human rights.Too bad and so sad.
Now, we have Sullivan’s joined at the hip neo-Nazi pal “Paul Joseph Goebbels Star” illogically going after an assembly colleague while screaming his ignorant guts out at her using the word “communist”.
A variation to the old English Book of Prayer appropriate here: “Oh Lord, please save us from the wrath of the fanatical right.”
November 6th, 2009 at 9:19 AM
wow, 80% didn’t vote? lame, lame, lame……..and lazy.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:51 PM
The title should have been: “Sullivan and Starr, We Get What We Didn’t Vote For”