News from Patrick Flynn

The biggest issues at our September 28 Assembly meeting involved the Downtown Business Improvement District (DID); both the 2010 assessment for the existing DID and the continuation/expansion until 2020.  (See “Downtown dust-up” for more background.)  The former, as it typically does, passed unanimously while the latter passed 8-3 with dissent led by South Anchorage’s Chris Birch, and there’s an interesting story there.

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This week’s Assembly meeting was pretty tame and ended early, but don’t expect the next two to follow the same pattern.  Why?  Because we’ll have public hearings on whether to renew the Downtown Improvement District (DID) on both September 14 & 28, with deliberations on the 28th.  Readers will be forgiven for asking, “what’s the DID, and why is this a big deal?” so a little background might help.

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If you’re looking for an opportunity to help Anchorage’s young people I have just the ticket for you!  On Saturday, August 21, the Back to Work Network is conducting a back-to-school event at the Fairview Recreation Center from 10:30 am to 4 pm.  They’ll distribute clothes, primarily for young women but also for young men, and even provide make-up and hairdressing services.  That’s where you come in – the network is seeking contributions of new shoes and socks, and would appreciate the services of a few more hairdressers.  If you’d like to lend a hand please contact Regina Manteufel at 276-4904 or regina@anch.net

Regards,

Patrick

If you’ve never been to Valdez please allow me to recommend a visit.  I’m told my first one occurred before the ol’ memory banks started recording, and I definitely recall enjoying spending the summer of 1989 in Alaska’s “Gateway to the Interior,” despite the circumstances that drew me there.  During the intervening years I’ve kept my eye on a community that’s played a remarkable role in Alaska’s history.  Aside from its role as the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) it’s a fascinating part of Alaska and, among other things, I couldn’t help noticing when my former high school principal, Lance Bowie, was hired as the local school district Superintendent.

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The next meeting of the Assembly’s Port committee will take place on Tuesday, August 10, from 10 am to noon at City Hall in the first floor conference room (suite 155).  The agenda will be as follows:

1. Updated project schedule:

a. Port/ICRC/MARAD update on project timeline and projected effects on Port users.

b. Army Corps of Engineers comments related to dredging.

c. Port user comments.

2. Review and discussion of project budget distributed at June 10 meeting.

3. Synopsis of port-related discussions at the recent joint work session of the Anchorage & Mat-Su Assemblies (this item may go first).

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We begin today’s post with a word that nicely summarizes the administration’s continued efforts to warp Anchorage’s ethics code; pettifoggery.  Here’s how Webster’s defines it:

pet·ti·fog·ger, noun

Etymology: probably from petty + obsolete English fogger pettifogger

Date: 1576

1 : a lawyer whose methods are petty, underhanded, or disreputable

2 : one given to quibbling over trifles

— pet·ti·fog·ging, adjective or noun

— pet·ti·fog·gery, noun

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It’s hard to decide on the most appropriate response to a recent column authored by Jim Minnery, president of the Alaska Family Council.  Minnery, a hard-right field marshal in the never-ending culture wars that consume far more energy than their lack of appreciable societal change merits, evokes Billy Joel’s song “Honesty” in complaining his political opponents are (surprise) employing rhetoric they feel will most effectively make their case regarding ballot measure 2.  This from the guy whose acolytes employed, shall we say, somewhat inaccurate rhetoric during last summer’s equal rights debate.

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Camp abatement.  It’s not a new summer opportunity for your kids, instead it’s the surprisingly complicated issue of how our community deals with camps established by our homeless population on municipal lands.  As background information, last year the Assembly approved an ordinance that allowed for the Anchorage Police Department to post notices at illegal camp sites and for eviction (removal) to commence 12 hours later.  But that’s not how the law has been employed.

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As you may have read backers of ballot measure 1, the so-called anti-corruption initiative, recently announced a cessation of their campaign.  That hasn’t stopped foes of the initiative, who refer to it as a gag law, from continuing their campaign.  In fact, a friend of mine associated with coalition opposing ballot measure 1 sent me an invitation to a fundraiser & education event taking place on Thursday, June 17, at 5 pm in the Snow Goose restaurant, and asked that I make mention of it on my blog.  So, mission accomplished.

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Yes, the moment you’ve been waiting for – another meandering blog post!  Away we go…

Next Port committee meeting:

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