Last week, an organization called Equality Works launched the One Anchorage Campaign for a ballot initiative to be voted on by Anchorage residents in the Spring 2012 Municipal Election. The initiative would add sexual orientation and transgender identity to the Municipality’s Equal Rights Code. Per the Press Release from Equality Works: One Anchorage Files Initiative [...]

Driving down Northern Lights Boulevard yesterday, through the heart of our municipality on a lovely Friday afternoon, I saw something that made me do a double-take. I saw… the enemy. Not MY enemy, mind you, but the declared enemy of our city’s mayor, Dan Sullivan. Second only to homeless people, the mayor has it in [...]

On August 3rd, there was a regular meeting of the Municipality Budget Advisory Commission. (You remember, this is the commission that used to be two — the Budget Advisory Commission and the School Budget Advisory Commission. However, when the word “school” made people think twice about the appointment of one of the Mayor’s LGBT-hating wing-nutter [...]

By Jeanne Devon And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me. Matthew 25:40 If that old Biblical saying holds true, it’s safe to say that Mayor Dan Sullivan [...]

He’s at it again. Mayor Dan Sullivan has found a new way to stifle the voices of Anchorage residents, and keep them from making all those pesky suggestions and complaints – you know, “citizen participation.” Apathy and disconnection is far more appealing to the current administration. But, tomorrow, there is a public hearing in which [...]

In a previous post on the “Anti-Public Education Agenda”, we discussed how corporations and right-wing radicals were driving the “school choice” and education reform movements nationally and statewide. However, no one has played politics in this arena quite the way that Mayor Dan Sullivan has here in Anchorage: – Since the early days of his [...]

The thing that consoles me when I write about local issues, is that our characters here in Alaska (even though many of you are from elsewhere) are so incredibly over-the-top and ridiculous that they can be appreciated in their own right, just for the entertainment value. It’s like writing a book full of short stories [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

I’m putting up an early open thread because the returns will start coming in from the Anchorage race about 8:30 pm Alaska time (12:30 am East Coast). Reason #1 to Vote: Mayor Sullivan and his minions. There is some developing election gossip/news involving the Mayor… Former campaign manager for Diane Benson and new Alaskan, Caleb [...]

There are actually 6 seats up for election on the Anchorage Assembly. However, we are going to focus on three of them for two very good reasons… 1) The incumbents are under attack from Mayor Sullivan, 2) and under attack from corporations and big-monied businesses. The attack-ees are Harriet Drummond, West Anchorage: Elvi Gray-Jackson, Midtown: [...]

I don’t normally get into the details when it comes to individual candidates and campaigns. I also usually don’t write a lot about candidates that I may happen to be supporting, but this year is really different. Many people are understandably focusing on the Legislative session and the Governor’s religiously crazed appointees. However, there is [...]

I have been pretty quiet around here lately, but that’s because I was burning up my email. I’ve been in full-blown research mode regarding the fees that the Municipality of Anchorage is now charging the Anchorage School District. You’ll remember that I wrote about them around the time that I testified in front of the [...]