LaFrance measures the drapes for mayor's office
And Kelly Merrick's Freudian slip at RDC breakfast was a hoot
Good morning from Somewhere in Alaska!
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What would Mayor LaFrance’s Anti-police administration look like?
Word comes to Must Read Alaska that candidate Suzanne LaFrance is already measuring the drapes at the mayor’s offices in Anchorage. The ballots go in the mail on March 13, but the Democrat politico is already confidently putting together her team: Current Assemblywoman Meg Zaletel, who tried to get an ordinance passed that encouraged neighbors to report on people who were not wearing masks, would be city attorney, current Assemblyman and homeless czar Felix Rivera would run the homeless department, and city manager would be former Assemblywoman Austin Quinn-Davidson, who rolled in as acting mayor after Mayor Ethan Berkowitz melted down in 2020.
It would not surprise us one bit if Bill Falsey was named chief of staff, although his name didn’t come from our sources. Falsey was Mayor Berkowitz’ municipal attorney and he desperately wants back in City Hall.
Assemblyman Rivera is in his final term, so the midtown man who has never held a nonpolitical job other than running food for DoorDash is looking for a safe landing before 2026.
Rivera has been lauded by the Party for Socialism and Liberation, whose Anchorage leader, Michael Patterson, was on social media the other day asking for a megaphone (in response to the news that an elderly Jewish man had been killed by a Hamas supporter who murdered the gentleman with a megaphone.
Meg Zaletel’s Assembly term expires in 2025. She runs the Anchorage homeless industrial complex, aka Anchorage Coalition to End Homelessness, where she makes over $150,000 a year.
Even with Rivera as the underperforming Homeless Czar, Zaletel would still be running the homeless scam in Anchorage, where millions of dollars are paid to grow and enable a population of drug-addled street people.
Quinn-Davidson landed a job as a program officer with the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, a government money-skimming operation that says: “Some of the work we do is in the arena of public outreach; we field your questions, coordinate and host meetings, and ensure that agendas and related information are available to the public. We also manage the Council's habitat program and liaise with funded entities. Additionally, we manage data and information related to research projects, and maintain this website.” In other words, it’s do nothing, produce nothing, and be accountable for nothing.
From what we’re hearing from good sources, Assembly Chair Chris Constant is not being considered for anything with Team LaFrance, but he’ll be Assembly chair until 2026, which puts him in charge of the city anyway, due to all the ordinances that have passed that have taken power away from the executive branch.
LaFrance held a fundraiser in Juneau last night at the home of Rep. Alyse Galvin….bringing Juneau politics to Anchorage.
Freudian slippage
At the Resource Development Council/Alliance breakfast on Thursday, a panel comprised of Senators Click Bishop, Kelly Merrick, Jesse Bjorkman, James Kaufman, and Rep. Tom McKay were fielding questions — all Republicans, although only McKay is considered an actual conservative.
Rep. Zack Fields, a far-left anchor in the Alaska House, was not on the panel but was in the audience, when into the microphone, Sen. Kelly Merrick pointed him out as a special person present and said that while everyone on the panel had an R after their name she wanted to give him a shout out, adding: “He’s a Big D.”
Oh, really!
Jenny Di Grappa jumps into Anchorage mayor’s race
It’s awfully late to file for office in the Anchorage races, so what’s the plan? Maybe Di Grappa has another plan — like running for Senate later this year? Getting her name on the ballot for mayor is getting her name in front of every voter — and not having to pay for the boost in name ID. Just a thought.
Group collects signatures needed to put $15 minimum wage on ballot
Alaska’s minimum wage went from $10.85 an hour to $11.73 per hour on Jan. 1. But this initiative works it up to $15 an hour in three years, in stages. The way it’s worded, it will probably pass.
Repeal Ranked Choice Voting group to file its signatures today
Alaskans for Honest Elections says it’s ready to rock and roll — it has more than enough signatures to get a repeal of the Ballot Measure 2 (open primary, ranked choice general) on the ballot this year. They’ll be down at the Division of Elections today with boxes of signed petitions.
Biden Administration to ban most rock anchors used by climbers
No more drilling into rock cliffs, climbers … because it is government property, after all.
New York students evicted as campus becomes migrant camp
This is a learning experience for New Yorkers…No school for New York kids because they needed that building for housing illegals.
World Economic Forum releases gloomy forecast: Climate change plus disinformation are 2024 risks
The group surveys its top leaders and, lo and behold, they are extremely worried about climate change and disinformation. The irony!
Darin Schilmiller sentenced to 99 years in murder of Cynthia Hoffman
He masterminded the killing, even if he was not in state to pull the trigger. The cowardly killer won’t be eligible for parole for 45 years.
We appreciate all generous Alaskans who keep this conservative enterprise going!
Report: Alaska among top states seeing jump in gender dysphoria
Doctors love this diagnosis because the money is really good and you hook a patient on medical care for life. The big profit center for Big Pharma is making headway on the last frontier, where our state is #4 in the nation for gender dysphoria diagnoses.
Ohio House overrides governor on transgender mutilation of children
Gov. DeWine vetoed the bill that banned gender bending of children until they reach age 18. The House of Representatives was not amused, by a long shot.
Hot mic: Chris Christie drops presidential bid
The Iowa Caucuses are Jan. 15, and Christie was caught on a hot mic saying Nikki Haley is going to get slaughtered.
Google rolls out ‘Sensitive Event’ rules for 2024
The wording on the new rules sounds very Orwellian. It’s almost like they want to control the narrative.
Question of the week
Will Joe Biden end up pardoning Hunter Biden? Readers say yes:
This day in history
Jan. 12, 1876, American novelist Jack London, author of The Call of the Wild and White Fang, was born in San Francisco.
Columns
Jon Faulkner: Implosion of the ivory tower
The woke agenda in the nation’s colleges and universities reached the top of the ladder this month with the ousting of Claudine Gay as president of Harvard. It’s time to rebuild.
Leigh Sloan: School choice is here to stay
Find out about the School Choice Celebration happening in Anchorage this month.
Joe Buccino: Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin must resign
The lack of transparency is appalling, and without a resignation, it becomes clear that the Biden Administration has no accountability.
Tom Boutin: A few words in favor of Chris Tuck for Anchorage’s next mayor
This longtime Republican says Tuck has what it takes to run Alaska’s biggest and most contentious city.
Linda Boyle: Is the mea culpa by former NIH director on government Covid policies good enough?
The director is now on the record admitting that government policies did more harm than good. But will the public ever trust the government again? Check out this memo from October, 2020.
Scott Ogan: Top 10 ‘left fork-in-the-road’ policy proposals
An analysis of some bills that are left over from last year that are decidedly leftist.
Alaska oil: $77.13
Henry Hub gas: $3.04
Alaska North Slope Production: 481,891
Permanent Fund (principal and earnings reserve): $78,510,400,000
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Excellent column and info on local politics and news. Thank you.
Yep, just like Washington, Anchorage has its own swamp creatures. If DeSantis or Trump is elected, I predict there will be a flushing of the swamp in Washington. Anchorage needs to show the way.