By AlaskaWatchman.com

There are many issues plaguing Anchorage that presently dominate our time and energy.  From the economy, to crime, to homelessness, to education, to burdensome government regulations – we certainly have plenty of challenges to solve.

With the right leadership in the right places, we will fix these problems, just like Americans have in previous eras throughout our nation and throughout the world.  If we are not careful, however, the tyranny of the urgent may keep us from the right path forward. Don’t get me wrong, these are huge challenges for us, but there are other big issues that we need to consider: Where do we want to be as a city in 25 to 50 years?

As a longtime Anchorage resident these issues are extremely important to me.  Four generations of my family reside here. We’ve lived in Alaska since 1954.  All have owned their own businesses in Anchorage and have been actively involved in the community for years.  As such, the following matters are vitally important to me.

If we fail to look ahead, we are destined to fall behind.  We have the tendency to let the immediate problems of the day so dominate and cloud our lives that we lose sight of the ultimate goal.  That is why we need leaders with vision, leaders who can see and help us solve immediate problems while keeping their eyes on the horizon for where we need to go. We need leaders who can navigate the pressures and complexities of the moment and still steer us into the future.  Mike Robbins is that leader.  He has a vision of where Anchorage must go.

Mike wants to begin working on the Knik Arm Bridge as soon as he’s elected mayor. This will provide jobs and open numerous residential, commercial and industrial opportunities.  He will also go to work on the North-South Bypass which will greatly improve infrastructure and traffic congestion on the arterial roads that connect the Seward Highway and Glenn Highway.  He will get the port project back on track. The Port of Alaska is the only intermodal deep-water port in Alaska.  It is time to resolve past failures and move forward to meet the facilities’ potential.  Along with the port, building a first-class waterfront with shops and restaurants for residents and tourists to enjoy will help revitalize downtown.

The question for those of us in Anchorage is not just “Where are we today?” but “Where are we headed tomorrow?”  For us to head in the right direction, we need a leader with vision. They only candidate in this mayoral race who has talked about these visions for the future of Anchorage is Mike Robbins.  It is for this and many other reasons that he has my vote!

The views expressed here are those of the author.

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OPINION: Mike Robbins has a long-term vision for Anchorage

Janice Brewer
Janice Brewer a long-time resident and businesswoman of Anchorage, where four generations of her family have resided.