Our summer is ending with fireweed signaling to us that fall is in the air. I want to thank all our volunteers for their hard work at the Bear Paw festival and the parades this summer. Without our volunteers, our effort to govern our own communities would die. Thanks to the community members who supported us at the Eagle River Bear Paw Festival and parades. Thank you for keeping the dream of forming an independent borough alive!
On returning to Alaska this month, I am so very proud of the hard-working volunteers that are nearing the completion of the Petition and Charter. Our lawyer is working very closely with us on completing the legal brief required in the petition. We want to have a solid document to turn into the Local Boundary Commission (LBC) for review. With these in hand, we will be taking the petition and charter to the public.
Presenting the petition and the charter to the public will be a monumental step towards giving the citizens of Anchorage Assembly District 2(AD2) a clear choice. If you want to stay with Anchorage, don’t sign the petition. You can sign the petition, which will let the Alaska Constitution process work. With enough signatures and approval from the LBC, all voting citizens in AD2 will be allowed to vote in the LBC-governed election, to either stay with Anchorage or detach and incorporate our own government over our communities.
I have been asked on several occasions, “Why should I sign the petition to detach and incorporate our own governance in AD2?” People are generally happy with life in Eagle River, Chugiak, Birchwood, Peter Creek, Hiland, Thunderbird Falls and Eklutna. We enjoy our large homes and lots. Our roads are well cared for. Public Safety is not a problem in our communities. Most of our families have been happy with the education their children in our neighborhood schools. So why sign?
As anticipated by our founders, when communities grow and are ready to become independent, it is right that they do so.
The complaints against the Municipality of Anchorage are never ceasing. I have listened to them, witnessed a few, and had my own complaints about their treatment of our communities. That does nothing to motivate me. What motivates me and our hard-working volunteers is giving our citizens the opportunity to vote on whether to let Anchorage rule our communities or give our communities their own governance – a government that truly represents us, a government made of representatives from our local communities making local choices about our roads, parks, businesses and public safety.
Most importantly, I want our communities to control our own education system. Those are reasons I would sign the petition.
This process of writing a petition, including a charter and legal brief, turning the petition into the LBC for review and getting their approval of content will allow us to take a completed document to the public. Then we will start collecting signatures required by the LBC. When signatures are completed, we will turn in the petition to the LBC for analysis and judgment. If they approve the petition, the question will be taken ONLY to the citizens of AD2, with a vote in an election governed by the LBC.
We are currently incurring legal expenses which have surpassed our current donation savings. We need funding to pay for the current legal reviews and petition brief. I want to thank everyone who has contributed and contributed regularly. We are planning fundraisers in the next months.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
Personally, I am upping my monthly contribution the next couple of months to insure we get a document out to the public. Please consider donating. PFDs are out and I couldn’t think of a more important and honorable cause to support. Thanks to all of you for your support to keep the dream alive!
To support this effort, we are having a 2022 Wine Tasting event with a silent auction and a wine pull! Come celebrate with us on Friday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Eagle River Lions Club. For those who do not drink we will have soft drinks and fruit punch slushies to enjoy. Click here to go to our website where you can pay for tickets.
Please consider supporting the creation of the next new borough in Alaska. As anticipated by our founders, when communities grow and are ready to become independent, it is right that they do so. It takes all of us! Local voices making local choices!
Donate at www.Eaglexit.com.
Thank you for joining us in this effort!
The views expressed here are those of the author.
11 Comments
I guess a few questions come to mind, I’ve heard about Eagle exit but nobody could tell me anything or not much about it. Now I at least know what it’s about. Questions as how much will it cost us, who is going to pay, what about law enforcement, robbery, and ambulance coverage? These are just a very few of the questions that will need to be answered. Are we truly ready for this? Who determined we are? If we try and fail will Anchorage get a chip on their shoulder and punish us will little to no service because that’s human nature? We have lots to think about and not much time to talk about.
Those are good questions.. I have to say up front, I have no idea as to how much Anchorage is already costing the residents of Eagle River in taxes, real estate etc, but if I were to guess.. when added up, it’s no small amount. There may also be federal subsidies as it relates to population data… As for ambulance services, I think… “think”.. the major costs are born by insurance companies.. I could be wrong on that.. Then, there’s the question(s): Why is Anchorage fighting against it ? Money ?.. I doubt that it is simply because the municipality of Anchorage loves Eagle River… Just my thoughts.
One thing I know for sure is the $200,000 estimated annual cost of operating Fire Station 11 in Eagle River will actually cost 10 times that number. It really makes me wonder how many other costs and revenue are grossly off. My personal opionin is Eagle Exit will more than likely increase our taxes or almost all services will be drasticly cut.
Teachers will go to other school districts and you can’t blame them because you will have no choice but to drastically cut funding to salaries. Why would they stay? I recommend all who think this is a good idea to take a hard look at the numbers.
Those are indeed valid questions. Some people have been following this a little more closely for a long period of time. Others have only heard bits and pieces since it’s not covered by the news, and they don’t know who to ask. For those who have questions, the event on Oct 14 might be a good place to get answers. Your local community council may have some information as well.
A comment from Anchorage: isn’t your whole economy and services dependent on Anchorage? Will your Mayor be Squeaky Demboski? I propose making the Glenn Highway a Toll Road between Anchorage and Eagle River.
Why in the world would you think making even part of the ONLY road into Anchorage a toll road would be a good idea? The commute from the Valley is already a pain, and now you want to charge us to use it, too? Or would Mat-Su Borough residents have a special exemption, and this is really only an attempt to punish Eagle River for thinking about what’s best for it?
This push to get Eagle River out of the Anchorage Muni has been going on for years and years (since the late 1970s at least). Eagle River/Chugiak has grown substantially in numbers since the 1970s. I am not sure with all the price hikes and politics these days if separating would be too painful; but, it is like Eagle River is too afraid to take off the training wheels. Look at Palmer. Has not that city always been separate and somehow did alright for themselves? I seem to remember that the reason Anchorage does not want to lose Eagle River is for tax/revenue purposes – seems to me an even better reason to get out of the Anchorage Muni! I don’t live in Eagle River, but just wanted to share my thoughts.
i exited Anchorage 31 years ago. its a dumpster fire. Eagle river will do just fine. Hope it happens so those remaining in Anchorage either leave due to increased costs or start voting normal rational representatives to the assembly. the influx of mentally challenged liberals ruined Anchorage and it will continue to decline otherwise. thats been the pattern..
I remember this being proposed when I lived in ER. But the distractions of 9/11 killed the momentum; that’s why I moved up to the Mat-Su Borough (after 10 years in ER). I knew it wasn’t going anywhere. Anchorage was using ER for financial support of its own agenda, and we were getting very little in return for our property taxes. For example, one APD Sub-station that had only 2 – 3 officers on duty — for covering a large area from ER to the Knik River Bridge? Unreal.
As much as I am in sympathy with “ EagleExit” and as disgusted with the leftist Anchorage Assembly as I am, I think “ EagleExit” is impractical from a dollars and sense perspective. Eagle River simply does not have the necessary tax base to continue the services that the community now enjoys courtesy of the MOA!! We all hate seeing taken for granted services disappear from APD response to snow removal!! But these all require money and lots of it !! I have it from an inside ( nonelected) source!! The $ just are not there for EagleExit!!
Keep going Shaun!!!