The liberal majority on the Anchorage Assembly is moving forward with yet another restriction on public participation, with a new rule that would allow the chair to block individuals from testifying more than once per quarter.
The proposed change, which is embedded in a broader package of procedural rules, states:
“If the person requesting an appearance has submitted multiple appearance requests within a 90-day period, the chair may, at their discretion, limit the speaker to one appearance every quarter. The clerk shall provide written notice to the speaker on behalf of the chair prior to denying a request pursuant to this subsection.”
In other words, it will depend on whether the chairman of the Assembly likes the testifier.
This latest proposal is just the newest layer in a pattern of measures adopted by the Assembly that are designed to suppress dissent and limit public participation..
The Assembly already enforces several restrictions on how and when residents may testify:
- Time limits: Individuals are limited to three minutes of comment per agenda item.
- One chance to speak: Residents may only testify once on each item, even if the item spans multiple meetings or amendments.
- Mandatory sign-ups: Testifiers must sign up in advance, often online, and in some cases are required to summarize their comments in writing ahead of time.
- Content restrictions: Comments must remain on-topic, and rules prohibit any “criticism or attacks” on individuals — even public officials.
The rule barring criticism has been inconsistently applied and has drawn fire from residents who view it as a way to shut down legitimate grievances. The chair, currently Assemblyman Chris Constant, retains wide discretion to cut off comments for what he deems inappropriate behavior or language.
Several high-profile incidents have fueled concern that Assembly leadership is more interested in silencing the public than hearing from them.
In one recent incident, Assembly Chair Chris Constant was caught on camera mouthing an expletive (“F— you”) at a woman waiting to testify during a heated meeting. The moment was captured on video. Watch the clip here.
In another case, a young Anchorage man spoke passionately during public comment about his decision to leave the city due to deteriorating conditions. After respectfully calling out the Assembly’s decisions, Chairman Chris Constant lashed out at the man and audience, calling them “disrespectful.” Watch the exchange here.
Both instances sparked outrage among citizens who say Assembly leaders show open contempt for the people they serve.
The proposed quarterly limit is yet another mechanism to insulate the Assembly from accountability and avoid difficult conversations. While proponents claim the move is about “efficiency,” the real motivation is to stifle frequent critics and prevent ongoing scrutiny from the public.
The rule change would grant the Assembly chair nearly unilateral power to decide who gets to speak and how often.
In recent years, residents have noted that the Assembly has become less welcoming to public participation. With meetings dominated by procedural formalities, a limited window for public input, and an overt hostility toward criticism, the suppression has worked, as public attendance at Assembly meetings has dropped dramatically.
The ordinance can be found at this link under the new public hearings agenda item. The Anchorage Assembly meeting begins at 5 pm on the ground floor of the Loussac Library in Anchorage. Agenda and agenda packet are at this link.
Past time for a Revolution with this poor excuse for a governing body. Constant wants to be crowned “king”. Tar, feathers and a rail full of splinters is what needs to happen.
And yet they still keep voting them into office. The blind leading the deaf.
“… That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. …”
Hmmmm limiting speech, how very liberal of them.
We the people have the right to redress our government representatives!
They operate with the understanding that they are completely immune from being voted out of office. It is not from conservative apathy to vote, it is not because Anchorage is top-heavy with socialist voters. It is because the elections are rigged in their favor. The Lt. Gov could stop it. Likely, any Lt. Gov is under some kind of threat.
The REAL fascists have shown their faces. Right there, on the Anchorage Assembly. Make no doubt about it.
FASCISTS! On full display.
How do we silence the idiots on the assembly? 16% voter is going to do it.
If this goes through, then the Assembly only needs to meet once every 90 days. Why meet any more than that if you are not going to allow everyone to testify regardless if they testified at the last meeting and the Chair does not like what they said last time? Another show of contempt of the public the Assembly supposedly serves and represents. Only those that they agree with and like will be allowed to testify, free speech be darned.
This is some next level censorship. But this is also what we get for all those that didn’t take the time to vote.
Why even bother to meet in public anymore?
Aren’t we way past due to recall the dictator Chris Constant? Threatening another tax to pay for something that we are already being taxed for makes me want the books opened to see where the money is going not another tax so we shut up.