Budget for 2023 Comes With a Restriction Against Using Funds Towards Hickel Contract Settlements:
The Anchorage Assembly continued its efforts to limit Mayor Dave Bronson’s abuse of taxpayer dollars last week, passing a 2023 operating budget which included a caveat that any settlement of the Hickel Contract cannot use money from the budget without Assembly approval.
The $583.6 million budget proposed by the Mayor’s office was largely a continuation budget from 2022, with a few alterations. Those included cuts to The Anchorage Fire Department’s Mobile Crisis Team and a $250,000 increase to Bronson’s legal budget.
The amendment to bar operating and capital improvement funds from being used to settle the unauthorized debt with Roger Hickel Contracting came from Assembly member Chris Constant during deliberation.
Earlier this year, the administration greenlit Hickel Contracting to begin work on the Tudor and Elmore Navigation Center without Assembly approval and without disclosing that the cost estimate for completion of the project had increased by over $3 million. This violates municipal code.
After finding out, the Assembly issued a stop-work order. In response,Hickel Contracting sent a series of demand letters for the debt Bronson allowed them to rack up.
Constant explained that according to Municipal Code, an administration can use any funds available within the budget to settle legal cases. Constant’s amendment would still allow the assembly to approve a settlement, but would not allow Mayor Bronson pay a settlement without seeking assembly approval first. Constant argued the amendment would protect the separation of powers which gives the Assembly control of contracts and expenditures. It passed 9-3, with Jamie Allard, Kevin Cross, and Randy Sulte voting no.
Assembly members also added in funding for snow plowing, mental health and substance misuse services, homelessness services, and three firefighter positions. Within this funding, there is money allocated to Recover Alaska, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Volunteers of America and The Brother Francis Shelter.
The Assembly worked alongside the Administration to restore funds to continue operating the Mental Health Crisis Team out of the Anchorage Fire Department, alongside the Mobile Intervention Team which operates out of the Anchorage Police Department. The two teams fill different roles in community mental health response. As explained during a prior worksession, the Mobile Intervention Team responds with an armed officer to mental health calls involving a higher threat level, and the Mobile Crisis Team responds to calls involving lower threat levels.
The final approved budget comes in at $587 million, which is about $1.2 million under the tax cap.
Parking Minimums Removed:
Last week the Assembly removed minimum parking requirements citywide by unanimous vote. This means that there are now fewer barriers to businesses who want to use some of Anchorage’s glut of empty real estate, as well as to the development of new businesses and housing supply.
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