The leftists on the Anchorage Assembly, which enjoy a veto-proof supermajority, voted 9-3 to override Mayor Dave Bronson’s veto of their vastly expanded subpoena powers.
The vote came one day after Bronson issued his veto, which he said was intended to protect the rights and interests of Anchorage citizens.
During Tuesday’s Assembly meeting, the only assemblymen to vote against the override were conservative members Randy Sulte, Kevin Cross and Scott Myers.
The original ordinance, AO 2023-133, was approved during the Anchorage Assembly’s special meeting on January 16.
This ordinance, which grants expanded subpoena powers to the Assembly, has raised serious concerns about its overreach and the potential weaponization of its subpoena authority, the mayor’s office noted.
Bronson highlighted the potential implications of the expanded subpoena powers on citizen participation in their municipal governance. Underlining the voluntary nature of citizen involvement in normal circumstances, the mayor criticized the shift towards mandatory participation through the Assembly’s newly empowered subpoena process.
“The Assembly subpoena process changes voluntary participation into mandatory participation — even in the face of citizen objection,” Bronson stated. “Uncontrolled Assembly subpoena powers will create a chilling effect on citizen volunteers participating in their municipal government.”
Bronson concluded his statement by affirming his decision to veto AO 2023-133, citing the ordinance’s potential impact on citizen rights, the expansion of Assembly powers, and the increased financial burden on the Anchorage taxpayer.
MAYOR’S VETO
9 Comments
I see this as a new way to get what thry want not what’s best for us all!
First they came for control…. TY Mayor Dave…
Hang in there mayor!
Mayor Bronson is awesome!!! We will be praying for him as he uses his integrity to block the efforts of a runaway assembly that disregards citizen rights but pushes for self-serving actions that stifle citizen participation. The assembly members need some lessons in what the Constitution protects! They also should not be using union money to get into office. By accepting union money to overpower the Anchorage citizens they are cheating the union “rank and file” workers out of their free speech rights. The Supreme Court ruled in Janis V. AFSCME, in 2018 that government employees were not required to be in a union or pay dues and/or fees and could still keep their jobs. Their money should not be deducted from their salaries. Assembly members who use union dues as an opportunity to cheat their way into office have been troublesome. For example, one member of the assembly was sent $75,000 from the AFL-CIO on the East Coast to help her escape being recalled when a recall was appropriate.
Union interference is a cheating way to get into office by bypassing the will of the citizens. There are many Anchorage assembly members who lack the integrity to make good decisions on behalf of the communities affected by their reckless ideas to gain more control. Pray for Revival in Alaska and America!
Bronson doesn’t want Demboski, Tshibaka, Gerace, and about 15 others to be compelled to testify.
Sorta like Trump.
Yes, Bronson has been treated “sorta like Trump” by the Assembly and their friends at the ADN since he took office. Orange Man Bad writ locally. It’s a clear sign he’s acting rationally and doing good things.
It is disheartening to see what the Anchorage Assembly has done to Anchorage and how the people of Anchorage have simply accepted it. I always thought Anchorage was a great town until the Communist Assembly took over and created a mini communist Russia. Sadly if that is what Anchorage wants i guess they can have it. I certainly wont be visiting there or spending money there any more then needed. I have to wonder where all the good people went and why they have allowed this to happen. Oh wait, i know they are now in the valley. Well good luck Anchorage i hope you get exactly what you deserve.
I sure hope that there is something that the mayor OR the voters can do (before the next election) to stop these demons that have taken over the Assembly and are burning Anchorage to the ground. I am sure that I heard about another city FIRING its entire assembly and voting in a whole new assembly last fall.