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3/19/07
Thanks to several dozen Anchorage legislators who returned home over the weekend to hear from more than 100 constituents at the Anchorage School District offices Saturday. I was pleased to brief our legislators on Anchorage’s top five priorities:
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Public safety;
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Long-term funding for communities;
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Improve public facilities and relieve traffic congestion;
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Create economic opportunities for our joint constituents; and
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Improve public health.
I noted that on several of these priorities, we’re already making good progress. I specifically thanked Rep. Berta Gardner for her work to crack down on multiple traffic offenders; Reps. Max Gruenberg, Anna Fairclough and Carl Gatto for their efforts to reduce DUIs with ignition interlock devices; and Rep. Bob Buch for his bill to crack down on gangs with ankle monitors.
One area where need help is collecting millions in past-due traffic citations and criminal fines owed to municipality. There are currently nearly $8 million in unpaid traffic citations and $16 million in unpaid criminal fines and we need select data from the Alaska Department of Labor to crack down on these offenders.
I also urged legislators to fund community assistance for Anchorage and other cities and villages across the state. Here in Anchorage, any such funding we receive goes directly for property tax relief.
Mayor Mark Begich
2/28/07
With the State and communities across Alaska facing a liability of more than $8 billion, mayors of Alaska's largest regional governments are urging Gov. Sarah Palin to focus on a long-term solution to the public employee retirement issue. I recently joined Mat-Su Mayor Curt Menard and Kenai Peninsula Mayor John Williams in urging Governor Palin to appoint a lean task force to develop recommend-ations within a quick 45 days for legislative consideration. See our letter to Governor Palin and the details of our recommendation.
2/26/07
Anchorage’s legislative priorities have been well received by state lawmakers. Many Anchorage area legislators say they use our priorities to help guide their consideration of the budget and possible new laws.
Thanks to Anchorage Rep. Bob Buch for jumping on one of our priorities quickly. He has introduced House Bill 133 to help police crack down on gang violence. Rep. Buch’s bill would require monitoring devices for youths convicted of violent crimes. Anchorage police have concluded that convicted gang members tend to resume violent gang activities once released on probation. The use of monitoring ankle bracelets will help police track the activities of convicted gang members.
“Electronic monitoring helps ensure that the conditions of probation are adhered to,” said Anchorage Police Chief Rob Heun. “I endorse it as a special condition of probation when individuals are convicted of proven gang-related crimes.”
This is one of my top public safety priorities and I thank Rep. Buch for introducing it and also commend the co-sponsors, Rep. Lindsey Holmes, Rep. Bob Lynn and Rep. Max Gruenberg.
Mayor Mark Begich
1/26/07
Thank you for visiting our improved, more user friendly web posting of the 2007 legislative priorities for the Municipality of Anchorage. This year, we’ve tried to make the priority list easier to access and print.
This legislative request list, approved by the Anchorage Assembly, reflects five top priorities:
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Public safety;
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Long-term state funding for communities;
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Public facilities and transportation;
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Economic development; and
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Public health
The priorities were delivered to State legislators in Juneau the week of January 22 and have been favorably received. We are working with individual legislators as key sponsors of various aspects of our program, and with the new Palin administration.
Periodically during the legislative session, we will provide updates in this space about the status of Anchorage’s priorities. Feel free to contact my office with suggestions or questions.
Mayor Mark Begich
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