(Bill Roth / ADN). Their opponents are running to challenge the status quo, championing right-leaning political causes, and receiving endorsements and donations from conservative activists, politicians and groups. And those meetings just scratch the surface. Lessens, who was elected last year to fill the remainder of a resigning members term, faces three challengers. The math for veto override doesnt change because the charter states its two-thirds. Prior to joining the ADN he worked in Alaskas public radio network, and got his start in journalism at KNOM in Nome. Two school board seats are up for election, with two incumbents running: School Board President Margo Bellamy and member Kelly Lessens. (Jeff Chen/Alaska Public Media) And for a Midtown Anchorage Assembly seat, incumbent Meg Zaletel has a lead with 54% of the vote over Kathy Henslee's 46%. [Anchorage Assembly overrides Mayor Bronsons veto of ordinance on meeting rules]. Cox ran for Seat B on the Anchorage School Board last year and lost. All rights reserved. Anchorage Assembly member Felix Rivera is running for his third term representing Midtown Anchorage. Among the Assembly members not seeking reelection is the chair, Suzanne LaFrance. Benefiting from lingering frustration toward Assembly members by activist donors and political action committees, as well as newly lifted campaign spending limits in Alaska, candidates on both sides raised sums more befitting statewide races. Joey Sweet was selected to fill Dunbars seat until the April election. 14.03.040. that has ran for Assembly, mayor, and legislature several times. He is a Local 302 operating engineer and previously said that he wanted to bring a conservative, Christian, working-man viewpoint to the Assembly. Bellamy is currently school board president. There are 18 people running for seven open Assembly seats, and the only incumbents are Midtown Anchorage Assembly member Felix Rivera and North Anchorage Assembly member Chris Constant.. Ive been a neighbor, volunteer, and advocate for West Anchorage for the last decade, and I believe in Anchorages potential to be a vibrant city.. I am stepping up to work with others to move our city in the right direction and work for positive solutions for our community.. Kevin Scott Myers has filed to run for the Eagle River seat that will be vacated by Jamie Allard. Her current term ends in 2025. It gained parts of Spenard and Arctic (see article). Current North Anchorage assembly member Christopher Constant said that his district has been without a second representative and underrepresented for too long. Ries ran unsuccessfully for Anchorage School Board in 2022. What is the most important problem facing Anchorage? Flynn is sitting on a lot of that cash, having only spent $10,654 to date, giving him a sizable war chest for the last leg of the campaign, when outreach to voters ramps up as mail ballots begin arriving at peoples homes. How would you improve the quality of civic discourse in the city? Karen Bronga filed on Sunday to run for the East Anchorage seat that will be vacated by Forrest Dunbar. Quinn-Davidson was appointed Anchorage Mayor in October of 2020 following the effective resignation of former Mayor Ethan Berkowitz. Assembly members Kameron Perez-Verdia, who represents West Anchorage, Meg Zaletel, who represents Midtown, Forrest Dunbar, who represents East Anchorage, and John Weddleton, who represents. Running against him is Spencer Moore, outreach director at Mountain City Church, formerly known as Anchorage Baptist Temple. As stewards of Anchorage, those elected are accountable for the health and well being of our city and their actions are of tremendous importance. On top of the incumbents, there are a total of 10 other candidates who filed to run for one of the five open seats on the assembly in this springs municipal election. Already he has spent more than $17,000 on a mix of campaign management, events and supplies. Ballots will be mailed on March 14. He is currently the chair of the Anchorage Platting Board. I would work to clean up our downtown by improving public safety and promoting the tourism industry. Arlington ran for State Senate in 2014, losing to former Rep. Anna Fairclough. [Earlier coverage: With at least 5 Anchorage Assembly seats up for election, Mayor Bronson and allies set sights on a shakeup]. School board seats are elected at-large, so voters across the city will vote for each seat. That same year, she ran and lost for State House against now-State Sen. James Kaufman. What other important issue would you like to discuss? Cox is an Anchorage School District graduate and served in the U.S. Army. Under new municipal voting district lines thanks to the passage of Proposition 12, which Constant. He has been removed from assembly chambers several times for creating disturbances. As I have watched the public servants in my beloved city ignore the citizens needs and make everyday life more and more difficult with restrictive regulations, out of control spending, and harmful social ideas, as they have closed our schools, churches, and small businesses, and then ignored us and treated us with contempt, I have become more and more convinced that I, as an average member of this community, could and would do a better job at bringing reasonable leadership, she wrote on her website. Rivera was Chair of the Assembly at the start of the pandemic, and now chairs the Committee on Housing and Homelessness. Bellamy faces two challengers. Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media - Anchorage, Sami Graham resigns as Anchorage Mayor Bronsons chief of staff, Anchorage School District and teachers union reach tentative contract agreement, Alaska News Nightly: Tuesday, February 28, 2023, Sullivan seeks hearings on lab-leak COVID origin theory, Bronson aims to pay contractor millions for work on nixed homeless shelter, without Assembly approval. 2022 Anchorage Assembly in Anchorage. Campaign website: weddletonforassembly.com. His spouse. District 2 (Eagle River/Chugiak) Seat A (incumbent Crystal Kennedy is not running for reelection): Wesley Early covers municipal politics and Anchorage life for Alaska Public Media. Here is a closer look at the candidates who filed most recently: Anna Brawley is a Planner and Project Manager with Agnew Beck Consulting. I would look to capitalize on Anchorage International Airports global draw in freight and passengers air travel, as well as look to the future of a potential northwest passage through the Arctic where Anchorage could play a significant role. Chris Constant, Vice-Chair of the Assembly, is running for his third and final term. Im running for re-election so that I can keep working for the people of East Anchorage, Dunbar said in an emailed statement. Nick Danger is a perennial conservative candidate who has run for several, , most recently against now-Rep. Alyse Galvin for State House. East Anchorage lost Wonder Park, Russian Jack, and Ptarmigan. She recently defeated an effort to recall her in a special election. Emily Goodykoontz is a reporter covering Anchorage local government and general assignments. Brongas community work focuses on safer neighborhoods, implementing traffic-calming measures to dangerous streets and trail connectivity. He has held other leadership roles and won various awards during his real estate career. His recent donations include Dave Bronson for Mayor, Stephanie Taylor for Assembly, Kathy Henslee for both State House and Assembly, and Tuckerman Babcock for State Senate. Only two candidates in this years Assembly races are incumbents Christopher Constant and Felix Rivera. What are your specific suggestions for improvement? Anchorage, AK 99501 (907) 250-0106 Email: lesgara@gmail.com Website: https://lesgara.com Official Election Pamphlet Information Download Official Candidate Statement (pdf) Download Official Candidate Statement (pdf) She was elected in 2019 to the board and is seeking a second term. According to. Running against him is Rachel Ries, who lost a bid for school board last year, but has earned the endorsement of prominent conservative politicians and Republicans, including Bronson, Eagle River. Please see the regulation below in bold for minimum hours required. Being in the classroom and working for my community council, I know the struggles of working families and issues in our area of town, Bronga said in an interview. Williams ran for an Anchorage School Board seat last year and lost. LaFrance, a registered nonpartisan, won reelection in 2020 by fewer than 400 votes. After watching the quality of life in Anchorage decline dramatically over the last few years, I realized it was time to step out of the boat and declare my candidacy for Assembly, she wrote on her campaign website. Wesley Early covers municipal politics and Anchorage life for Alaska Public Media. Darden is well-known as a routine disruptor at Assembly meetings and for advocating that Anchorage remove the fluoride from the citys water supply. Scott Myers is a real estate broker with RE/MAX and president of the Southfork Community Council in Eagle River. Alaska Public Media 2022. Loring said he is retired and that he has a strong interest in education and is currently doing research to write a book about the Anchorage School District. April 5, 2022. Update - March 7, 2022: Danger has withdrawn his candidacy for District 3 Assembly Seat D, West Anchorage. There are also several bond measures, including one that would place a $22 million bond for school facility improvements on Aprils ballot. I would start with changes to Title 21 and the Building Safety Office to encourage and streamline development in Anchorage, thereby reducing development cost, and the loss of housing and business to the Valley. All rights reserved. My platform that Im running on, Id like to help Anchorage get better, he said. Currently, Darden is running for the West Anchorage Assembly seat against Save Anchorage candidate Brian Flynn whose wife is the purchasing director for Mayor Bronson and city planner Anna Brawley. Homelessness advocate Roger Branson and Cody Anderson, an executive with Anchorage Baptist Temple, had both initially filed, but withdrew their names from consideration before the Tuesday night deadline. What I will bring to the Anchorage Assembly is being a staunch watchdog and holding everyone accountable to the same ruleset, being open and transparent to the public, and limiting the ordinances instead of having 50 page ordinances, 50 word ordinances, he said. The Anchorage Assembly could shift further to the left next year: Anchorage's George Martinez, who worked in the administration of Mayor Ethan Berkowitz and once was a well-known figure in Occupy Wall Street protest movement in New York City, has announced he is running for the East Anchorage Assembly seat now occupied by Pete Petersen, who hits [Bond package set for Anchorage voters after Bronson administration flub nearly omitted millions for park projects]. The deadline for. . But when I sit at our Tuesday meetings, I am prepared and ready. Sloan has supported several Bronson-backed candidates including Stephanie Taylor. In 2021, he beat a recall attempt launched by Russell Briggs of Save Midtown and Save Anchorage by 13 points. According to the REALTORS website, the purpose of RPAC is to promote and solicit donations for the election of pro-REALTOR candidates who understand and support their interests. Travis Szanto owns Skyworks LLC, a carpentry business. Is the Anchorage School District currently doing a good job of retaining quality teachers? Her rival, political campaign consultant Leigh Sloan, has collected a single $250 donation. And on top of the $4,620 reported to APOC as expenses, the campaign also lists $14,448 in debts, much of it having gone to the Ship Creek Group for campaign management. The other four residents who applied to fill the interim position were Crawford; James. During my time in office that is exactly what I have done. Randy Sulte| District: 6 | Age: 52 | Occupation: COO |sulteforanchorage.com. What would you have done differently, if anything? So far, candidates aligned with the current left-of-center Assembly majority incumbents and newcomers alike are generally outperforming or keeping even with right-leaning rivals in campaign fundraising, according to the latest round of financial disclosures filed with the Alaska Public Offices Commission, which track donations collected last year through mid-February. Perez-Verdia, a current Assembly member, was elected to Seat D in 2019 and is seeking a second term. Anchorage Assembly Candidates District 1 - Seat B - North Anchorage Danger, Nick - Filed 1/25/2023 Trueblood, John - Filed 1/26/2023 Constant, Christopher - Filed 1/13/2023 District 2 - Seat C - Chugiak, Eagle River, JBER Branson, Roger - Filed 1/27/2023 - Withdrawn 1/30/2023 Arlington, Jim - Filed 1/27/2023 The election will add a 12th member to the Anchorage Assembly. He is the CEO of Family Charity of Alaska. Zac Johnson is a former U.S. Marine and Alaska State Trooper. Flynn is backed by Bronson and was an active member of the right-wing group Save Anchorage until he filed. Alaska Public Media 2022. Section 1. On Sunday, a second section of the roof collapsed in the building at 1101 East 76th Ave., just east of the Old Seward Highway, though most of the building remains intact. If the Assembly chooses to fill the seat by appointment, the member vacating the seat would start the process by submitting a resignation letter, which would be followed by an application period, interview and possible appointment. I have engaged with constituents beyond my expectations. What do you want to ask the candidates? If you have any comments or tips please contact me at yarrow@thealaskacurrent.com. PROJECT PURPOSES AND DEPARTMENTS IN 2022. She joins. 28, 2022 at 9:08 PM PDT. Explain, with specific examples. Flynn is a small business owner with a background in real estate. In January 2023, with the question of Feinstein's re-election decision still up in the air, Democratic U.S. Representative Katie Porter announced she would run for Senate. Meg Zaletel is a member of the Anchorage Assembly in Alaska, representing District 4 Seat F.She assumed office in 2019. According to APOC, his only political donation on record is to Stephanie Taylor, a conservative backed by Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson and the Mountain City Church (formerly known as the Anchorage Baptist Temple), who ran against now-State Sen. Forrest Dunbar for his Eastside Assembly seat. is to promote and solicit donations for the election of pro-REALTOR candidates who understand and support their interests. His district is currently the only assembly district without two assembly members. Residents have until Sunday, March 6 to register to vote or update their voter registration to be able to cast a vote in this election. Then they, unlike everyone else were without representation and so my neighbors organized a campaign and effort to move the charter amendment, and voters significantly approved it.. Points of contention have included the budget, a temporary ordinance requiring masks in public last year, and an escalating power struggle between the two branches of government. She previously covered breaking news at The Oregonian in Portland before joining ADN in 2020. Felix Rivera and Christopher Constant will both be running for re-election. Former teacher and first-time candidate Karen Bronga has raised $21,306, most of it from small donors, with a mix of meatier contributions from former and current elected officials. One of his challengers, John Trueblood, has reported raising $100, which he gave himself in cash. She serves as President of the Turnagain Community Council President and is Chair of Anchorages Budget Advisory Commission. Sulte is an engineer and a pilot. Rachel Ries is a former pilot and unsuccessfully ran for Anchorage School Board last year. What makes you qualified to serve on the Anchorage Assembly? 23, 2022 at 7:48 PM PDT. Assembly candidates will be chosen by voters in their district. North Anchorage gained parts of Russian Jack, Wonder Park, Ptarmigan, Fireweed, and Spenard (see article). Johnson is also a volunteer firefighter/EMT with Girdwood Volunteer Fire & Rescue. , he is running as a conservative and has been endorsed by Bronson and Allard. Lessens was elected to Seat B last year to serve the remainder of a term for a board member who resigned. He is a private pilot and works as the chief operating officer of Kakivik Asset Management and CCI Industrial, according to his website. Whats your vision for improving and diversifying Anchorages economy? In 2021, he beat a recall attempt launched by Russell Briggs of Save Midtown and Save Anchorage by 13 points. She did not run in the 2021 mayoral election and returned to the Assembly in July, 2021 after Bronson took office. Ballots will be mailed at least 21 days before election day. Explain, with specific examples. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The window to fill out applications for those looking to run for an Anchorage Assembly seat has closed, and this year the assembly has five seats up for grabs. Senate in 2014, losing to former Rep. Anna Fairclough support their interests good job of quality. I sit at our Tuesday meetings, I am prepared and ready district: 6 | Age 52! Spencer Moore, outreach director at Mountain city Church, formerly known as Anchorage Baptist Temple background. Unsuccessfully ran for State House the Oregonian in Portland before joining ADN 2020. Of ordinance on meeting rules ] is seeking a second term running: School Board last year and lost improvements. Ran unsuccessfully for Anchorage School Board last year to serve on the Anchorage Board. 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