Amid a contentious six-hour meeting, the leftist supermajority of the Anchorage Assembly voted 9-3 to give itself the power to remove any current or future mayor and replace them with a person of their choosing. The July 12 vote to approve the new measure included the backing of newly sworn in Assemblyman Daniel Volland. Below, is a statement released by Bronson following the vote.
BRONSON STATEMENT
The Anchorage Assembly’s action tonight to pass ordinance AO 2022-60 is intended to remove a duly elected Mayor from office.
This ordinance will create discord and distrust amongst the public.
The actions in this ordinance will set a precedent that will forever change how municipal government is administered. This ordinance is clearly a partisan effort to attack the executive branch because this Assembly doesn’t agree with my administration’s policies.
If there was a mayor who identified as being Democrat, would you be pushing this same initiative? Or if there was a Democrat mayor in a Republican majority on the Assembly, would you support this type of legislation?
Why in the 50-year history of Anchorage is this needed now?
As evidenced by the outcry of opposition in the media and in the public, I firmly believe Assembly Member Chris Constant has gone too far. He clearly is ignoring the will of the people who they have decided who their mayor is.
There already exists a method for removal, it’s called a recall. Why is this not good enough?
No Mayor, present or future, should be subject to a coup by an Assembly that doesn’t agree with their politics.
I will continue to fight this until the end.
