When I was elected to the Anchorage Assembly, costs for Port of Alaska modernization were escalating and reached an unmanageable estimate of $2 billion. Under my leadership, the Assembly hired a highly skilled consultant team contractor to do an analysis of the project, which determined the path at the time was overly complicated and unnecessarily expensive. I led on the creation of the Port of Alaska Users Group which established a vital input in moving the Port modernization toward achievable goals led by the primary operators in and around the operation. I worked to develop a streamlined approach that saved money and led to the soon to be successful completion of the Petroleum Cement Terminal, the first new deck in the modernization project that will open for business soon.
Petroleum Cement Terminal
I had direct responsibility over funding and implementing portions of the Petroleum and Cement Terminal, the first phase of the Port of Alaska modernization project set to be completed in summer of 2022. This is a seismically resilient terminal where the majority of all petroleum and cement used in Alaska will enter the state. This project is critical to the advancement and resilience of our state.
Implementation of Vote By Mail
I participated in the implementation of a new vote by mail system in 2018 through my role on the Ethics and Elections Committee. This program increased access to voting and shattered participation records in our local elections. I have worked to improve this new system during my Assembly tenure. This year we implemented a ballot tracking system for members of the public to help ensure confidence in the system.
Funding Glenn to Seward Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study
Like many neighborhoods throughout the nation, the Fairview neighborhood in Anchorage was severely impacted by the construction of highways bisecting it from other parts of the city in the 1950s. Since then, the neighborhood has been starved from investment and slowly deteriorated. The state of Alaska holds rights of way in the neighborhood to allow for future highway expansion, which further limits development in Fairview. The Fairview Community Council in collaboration with the Fairview Business Association crafted a neighborhood plan and a revitalization strategy that were incorporated into Anchorage’s Comprehensive Plan. The PEL provides an opportunity to begin moving past the blight caua voice in the future development of highway in this area and can work to protect Fairview from development that will further its deterioration.
2018 Earthquake Emergency Response
As a member of the Anchorage Assembly, I assisted in leading the city through the crisis of a 7.1 earthquake. I helped organize ASD-led meal programs and daycare programs to make sure our children would be taken care of while schools were shut down.
Sale of Municipal Light & Power to Chugach Electric Association
This historic sale streamlined our energy system and keeps rates down. I helped steward this transaction and ensured the Municipality would be compensated for its investment in the Beluga River Unit, which conservatively will save my neighbors $50 million in rates in the coming years.
2020 – Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic Response
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I fought to pass science-based, reasonable public safety measures to protect our most medically fragile, medical professionals and our economy. Our actions to keep hospital occupancy at a manageable level saved lives throughout the state, as Anchorage is the medical hub for all of Alaska.
AK4AK Concert AK4AK YouTube Link
The AK4AK concert was a way to bring people together after business shutdowns were enacted to slow the spread of COVID-19. I organized this event, which raised $70,000 for the local food bank, which was operating on minimal supplies due to panic buying at the grocery store.
Ongoing regulation of legal cannabis marketplace
I strongly support nationwide legalization of cannabis. In Anchorage, the cannabis industry has provided millions in city revenue while operating safely and with minimal negative impact. It is time to let this industry survive.
Homelessness Facilitated Negotiation Working Group
I have spent my 15 years in public service working to identify and fix the problem of homelessness. Through this facilitation, I am working with Assembly members and the mayoral administration to strategically invest in the right resources to house all of our neighbors.
Decentralization of Homelessness Services from 3rd and Gambell (AR 2018-167 As Amended)
For years, Anchorage’s response to homelessness was to push everyone into a square block on 3rd and Gambell. I worked to decentralize this system to allow for more supportive housing, smaller shelters for specialized populations and increased substance use disorder and behavioral health services.
Assembly Documents Public Portal https://www.muni.org/departments/assembly/pages/publicportalassemblydocuments.aspx
Prior to this portal, public records relating to the Assembly were near impossible to find. This portal has all Assembly records going back to 1975, and is an example of my devotion to transparency in government.
CARES Act Wildfire Mitigation/Trail building
I helped lead a work program using CARES Act money to put Anchorage residents to work cutting down dead trees in our urban/wildland interface and build trails in our community. This put people to work during a sudden economic downtown, protects life and property and provided more access to outdoor recreation at a time when indoor activities were a health risk. We also left the cut wood out for residents to pick up to heat their homes.
Climate Action Plan (AR 2019-158)
With inaction of the state of Alaska, the Anchorage Assembly developed and unanimously passed a climate action plan to address our emissions and changing climate. Climate adaptation and resilience has been one of my top priorities since before I entered public service.
Move APD Police Department Downtown
Moving the police headquarters downtown not only improved public safety in the hub of our city, but it also brought more than 500 new workers into the downtown, providing an economic boon to our local businesses.
Charter Amendment adding 12th Member
Prior to this voter-approved charter amendment, the district centered around downtown had just one Assembly member where all other districts had two. This is an issue of equity, and ensures fair representation for all residents.
Unit Lot Subdivisions
This legislation allows for more flexibility in subdividing lots and better access to financing. This is one tool in addressing our lack of affordable housing.
Ordinance to reduce unintended consequences for the bulk storage of hazardous materials at the Port of Anchorage.
With residential neighborhoods in close proximity to the Port of Alaska, railway and airports, it’s critical that the public have a say in where hazardous materials are stored. This legislation requires a public hearing before hazardous materials can be stored within 1,000 feet of a residential zone.
Recognition of Sovereign Tribes of Alaska and government to government relationship with Native Village of Eklutna
The state of Alaska has yet to recognize Tribal governments in Alaska as sovereign nations. In the face of the state’s repugnant inaction, the Anchorage Assembly recognized the 229 sovereign Tribes of Alaska and a formal, government to government relationship with the Native Village of Eklutna, which is within the Municipality’s boundaries.
Conversion Therapy Ban
The despicable practice of conversion therapy has no place in our society. I was one of three Anchorage Assembly members that led the charge to outlaw this oppressive and traumatizing practice.
Office of Equity and Justice
The Office of Equity and Justice is responsible for reviewing Municipality of Anchorage practices to ensure the city is providing equitable representation for all residents. I helped found this office to identify our past wrongs and pave a better future.
Mobile Crisis Team
In most cities, armed law enforcement is the sole response for people experiencing a mental health crisis. This is asking too much of our police officers, who have minimal training in behavioral health. Devoting funding for a team of behavioral health professionals to respond to noncriminal incidents of crisis saves money, leads to better outcomes for the public and frees up resources for police to focus on crime prevention and response.
Plastic Bag Ban
Me and my colleagues on the Anchorage Assembly followed in the footsteps of Fork Yukon, which was the first place in the world to ban plastic bags.
Prohibition of the sale of metallic wire burned to remove insulation
I became aware of the practice of burning copper wire to remove the plastic casing before selling it after a homeless camp caught fire from a wire burn in 2019. This is a practice used on stolen wire, and releases toxic fumes. By banning the purchase of burned wire, we significantly limited the amount of wire being stolen in Anchorage.
Nuisance Property Abatement Fund
This fund allows for the abatement of nuisance properties, which protects neighborhoods from de facto junkyards popping up. This protects property values and quality of life.
Responsible Bidder to require that municipal contractors certify compliance with fair wage practices and workplace safety to qualify for municipal contracts
This policy protects the municipality by ensuring contractors cannot game the system by providing an unrealistically low bid to ensure they are selected for a project, only to increase the cost through change orders. This protects public funds and ensures workers are properly compensated and receive benefits.
Ending Tobacco Sales Tax exclusion for vaping devices
This policy closed a loophole where nicotine vape products were not being taxed under the Municipality of Anchorage’s tobacco tax. Imposing the tax on these products make them harder to afford for children and improves public health outcomes.
Expanding and renewing the Downtown Improvement District
Renewal of the Anchorage Downtown Partnership promotes safety and health of downtown.
Licensing requirements for transient homelessness shelters
These licensing requirements provide a route for the Municipality of Anchorage to shut down problem transient homeless shelters. Previously, there was no licensing requirement, so the city had little recourse for bad operators.
