Long-time Alaska campaign volunteer Stephanie Taylor is a candidate for Anchorage Assembly, challenging incumbent Forrest Dunbar.
Her website went live today after she filed for office for the local District 5 seat. The election is next April.
Taylor was an active and reliable volunteer on the Bronson for Mayor campaign. She began her political volunteerism in 2010 with the parental consent ballot initiative, which won statewide. A mother of five, she has for the past few years been volunteering as the director of Teen Pact Alaska, affiliated with a national group that runs leadership seminars for youth.
Taylor said that in addition to wanting to work on basic services for Anchorage, such as road maintenance, snow removal, and other essential aspects to making Anchorage more livable, she is very concerned about policies that have crushed small businesses in Anchorage, and with the previous mayor’s policies that have made homelessness a crisis. Rather than coddling the homeless, she would rather see faith-based organizations take the lead again, because they have better success getting people to change their lives for the better. Government has a poor record in this regard.
“It wasn’t Covid that decimated our city, but it was the response to Covid,” Taylor said, mentioning the business shutdowns and the impossible position businesses were in when told they had to limit to 50 percent capacity. It was not reasonable, and it was unfair that the Assembly then spent much of the CARES Act money on poorly vetted plans for homeless shelters that never materialized, rather than help businesses survive.
She knows the city well, and has seen Anchorage decline in the past six years, ever since Mayor Dan Sullivan term-limited out of office. Taylor said she thought long and hard about the sacrifice it would take to run for local office, but ultimately, guided by faith and family, she made the decision a few weeks ago.
As a resident of Anchorage for 50 years, she has lived in East Anchorage most of that time, although grew up in South Anchorage and attended Dimond High School.
Taylor is a back-to-basics candidate, concerned about the increase in taxes over the past few years, the serious decline of the downtown business district, and she observed that some members of the Assembly are not listening to the public.
Taylor doesn’t talk about incumbent Forrest Dunbar much, other than to say that he sees the world through different lenses. Dunbar sees more taxes as the solution, while Taylor said she has managed her household of seven on a single income for decades, saving money all the while. She has lived the fiscally conservative life.
“This was no easy task. The incumbent looks for new taxes to solve budget problems instead of spending cuts or modifications. From property taxes to sin taxes—he votes ‘yes’ for them all. Families don’t have that luxury. The Assembly needs a different approach to the city budget. As your Assembly member, I’ll work to end the frivolous spending and put the dollar where it belongs—in your pocket,” she said.
Taylor said she would begin walking door-to-door, as she did for Mayor Bronson when he was running for mayor this past Spring. She said she has a large number of enthusiastic people who have volunteered to go with her and she plans to knock on 100 doors a week starting Monday.
Read Dunbar desperate: Lifts lockdown to save his campaign for mayor
Dunbar lost his bid for mayor to Bronson in a runoff election in May. He has served two terms on the Assembly for the East Anchorage seat and the April election would be for his final three years. Many believe he planned to run for higher office, due to the fact that he ran as a Democrat for Congress against Congressman Don Young in 2014.
YES. How encouraging!!! Her philosophy and values sound wonderful. What is her party affiliation?
Republican. -sd
I am in this district, is there fund raising or a campaign I can contribute too?
ty
JG – The link to her campaign is in the story. You can find the donate button there. – sd
Would it matter if you like her values and philosophy?
Would it matter if you like her values and philosophy?
Will you please report accurately how Mayor Sullivan defunded the police?
Susan, if you’re going to do as Brian asks here and report on Dan Sullivan’s policing budget, please include Mark Begich’s contribution to the issue. Police retired in droves after he signed his famous labor contracts with city unions in exchange for supporting his US Senate run.
Do you have a source for your post? How many is droves?
Assembly races are non-partisan, it appears that you would vote against somebody with wonderful values and philosophy if the person was a democrat, or independent. That is OK, you can vote for whomever you want for any reason, we have had duds and great Assembly reps in West Anchorage over the last 20 years. I have been a registered Republican since 1983, Party affiliation does not matter to me when voting for the Assembly and it should not matter to you
Frank, you are delusional if you think that “party affiliation does not matter” when voting for the Assembly. Well, to be precise, it may not matter if the candidate in question is Republican, but if they are Democrats, then they are almost surely in lockstop with every part of the radical, authoritarian, Covidian-hysterical, “woke” agenda, as virtually every Democratic politician whom I see today is.
God Bless, please help this woman retake East Anchorage!
God’s will, I hope she wins! I have seen Anchorage falling apart with all these elites on the Assembly.
Stephanie will make a great alternative to Forrest Dunbar. She is grounded in her beliefs and is a very hard worker.
An inert carbon rod would make a great alternative to Dunbar.
.
I plan to support, either through cash contributions, or actual boots on the ground campaigning every candidate that is running against a sitting Assembly member (with two exceptions).
.
If 2020 and the panicdemic have demonstrated anything to the people of Anchorage, it is that the Assembly does not represent the best interest of the taxpayers and residents. Vote them all out.
simpsons reference?
She will be a vast improvement
Forrest Dunbar showed Anchorage actually who he is, and it wasn’t pretty. In fact he was a disgusting political candidate with outside ideas and principles. I pray Anchorage has seen enough of him. As a veteran, I’m amazed he is allowed to be an officer in our national guard. He took an oath and he in his own words said he doesn’t believe in the constitution.
Forrest Dunbar, along with Chris Constant, Felix Rivera and former acting mayor Lesbian Hyphen, have all proven themselves during this COVID panicdemic to be power-lusting sociopaths, it is that simple.
I live in Eagle River. Can I donate to her campaign? Sounds like a real fiscal conservative.
Her web page donation button works in Eagle River, too. – sd
With the recent 9th Court ruling you can give unlimited amounts to Stephanie’s campaign
Keep the Liberals out if you want freedom and prosperity.
None of my east Anchorage neighbors in Huntwood supported Dunbar in the recent mayoral race. There were no campaign signs for him anywhere nearby. None of us recall him going door-to-door in our neighborhood. He refuses to engage in invited discussions with us. As a result, we can’t stand him.
.
Stephanie Taylor will be a welcome change on the assembly. East Anchorage will show our support for her with our votes, volunteering, donations, and yard signs in our yards!
.
YOU GO, Stephanie. [And GET LOST, Forrest.]
I’m in Dunbar’s district and I’d crawl over broken glass to vote for Stephanie.
Crawling through broken glass will probably be the next COVID-related mandate from the nine radical leftist sociopaths in the current municipal assembly. It has already long been in place for the devastated small business community.
Same, I do it every day though… living under this administration/assembly.
Literally… walk down East XXth. Pick any of them. You will too.
Wonderful step in the right direction!
She will need people to pitch in as she won’t have the San Francisco money or the union “volunteers”.
Big thumbs up for Stephanie Taylor!
I plan on campaigning against every sitting Assembly member up for re-election this time around. (With one exception). It will be cash contributions, and as I can schedule it, actual boots on the ground campaigning.
.
2020 and this panicdemic clearly demonstrated that the Assembly is negligent in representing the residents and taxpayers of the Muni, and it is time to clear house. If you are in a district where the Assembly member is up for re-election, let them know that you plan on working against them. I have already done so to the one representative from my area.
.
Anchorage should be tired of a bunch of elected “representatives” ignoring the will of the people. Get involved.
Go Stephanie!
“… Taylor said she has managed her household of seven on a single income for decades, saving money all the while. She has lived the fiscally conservative life.”
–
How refreshing! Exactly the mindset this city needs to get back on track. Thanks for taking the Big Step forward Stephanie!
Wonderful! Someone to make Forrest Run, and she is black! Hahahaha.
( I am just joking over the last sentence-I couldn’t help myself afterall Forrest said he wants more people of “color” representing government. Maybe Forrest will dye his hair blue? Hahahaha)
With just her announcement I’m smiling a wider smile, have a longer stride, and feel more cool clean air in my lungs. Thank you Mrs. Taylor for entering the fray that we all know will draw vitriol from those we seek to replace.
Look for my contribution in your IN box.
This is going to be interesting to watch. The only thing the Marxists abhor more than a Trump voter is a black conservative. Just ask Cal Williams. And a black woman to boot? Stephanie, I admire your dedication to your family, and to the community. I wish you the best of luck. Stay strong. And remember, the vitriol that will be coming your way is based on nothing more than pure hatred for someone who has the strength and conviction of faith to stand strong against tyranny.
Thank you Stephanie! Where do I send the check to support your campaign?
MJ – There is a link to the campaign in the story. – sd
Stephanie appears to be a great candidate, but the truth matters. During Mayor Sullivan’s tenure the homeless population stayed at around 1100 and services were concentrated at Bean’s and 3rd Avenue. Faith-based services have not been able to fix the problem and new alternatives should be evaluated. Good luck with your campaign.
Frank, by opposing and denigrating Stephanie Taylor, you are obviously a racist white bigot..
.
Now, how does it feel to have the shoe on the other foot?
Three challenges for Stephanie Taylor:
.
The Assembly Clerk counts the votes. The Assembly Clerk works for the Assembly, which includes Mr. Dunbar.
.
Nothing protects the Taylor campaign from ballot-harvesting abuses.
.
If the mayoral election was any indication, nothing suggests the Assembly Clerk will allow Taylor campaign poll watchers to observe vote counting up close and personally; or to assure themselves that Dominion vote-tabulation equipment operates properly.
.
So, Ms. Taylor, what do you intend to do?
The Clerk works for the administration, not the assembly. Perhaps you recall Mayor Sullivan’s Clerk who did not plan for enough ballots on election day?
Exciting to see Stephanie Taylor step up and be willing to challenge Forrest Dunbar. He is a politician – looking out for his own interests. The Assembly needs fresh perspective and you are it!
It’s great and refreshing to see someone going against the dictator Dunbar. It’ll be very interesting to watch and see the lies and garbage he will try to through out..I support her in all she’s doing…now the next one…Midtown needs help #4..
Run away, Forrest, Run Away!
.
(And try not to prance while you run.)
The entire Taylor family is amazing. Wonderful people, all. East Anchorage would be lucky to have Stephanie representing them.
Finally a good choice to replace Dunbar. Pray he has met his match. I’ll be donating to her campaign . Good luck Stephanie.
Comments are closed.