Mayor Dave Bronson is on a roll. Over the past week, he has had five fundraisers, each one packed shoulder to shoulder, with more than 350 people having attended events to support Bronson’s bid for reelection.
Last night’s event at Gallo’s had more than 120 people in attendance. It was standing room only in the upstairs event space on Old Seward Highway.
The funds raised at these events will be used to reach voters ahead of the election runoff ballots going in the mail next week.
A comment repeatedly heard at all these events is that “we cannot risk one-party rule in Anchorage.” Another comment heard is that Suzanne LaFrance, the Democrats’ candidate in the runoff, is “a bridge too far in radicalism.” People at the Gallo’s event told Must Read Alaska that they are scared of what could happen if LaFrance becomes mayor. She was, after all, the head of the Assembly during the Covid lockdowns, mask mandates, and business closures.
Penny Johnson wrote on Facebook the concerns the public has with LaFrance and one-party rule in Anchorage, in light of what the Democrat-led Assembly has done over the past few years:
“In memory of Russell Biggs, who originally came up with this list of what the assembly, including Suzanne LaFrance and her votes, did to this city. If you vote for LaFrance for mayor, this is what you will get:
It’s a long, now updated list but you need to know the facts: [Keep in mind, due to term limits, Rivera and Constant terms end in 2026. They will be hired in top Muni positions by LaFrance to complete the transformation of Anchorage.]
Do you remember when Felix Rivera and Meg Zaletel testified multiple times that the Golden Lion would never be used as a homeless shelter (2020), and less than 2 years later are voting to use it as homeless shelter (2022)? I do.
Do you remember this summer (2020) when the Assembly ignored the five days of public testimony in opposition to their plan to use CARES act money to buy homeless hotels and did it anyway? I do.
Do you remember this summer (2020) when the Assembly was told by the Inspector General what they were doing with the CARES act money was illegal, but the Muni said they would wait till after the election so they could get a different answer and are now getting audited because of it? I do.
Do you remember when the Assembly used the CARES act money to pay for grants to badminton clubs and groups promoting “interstellar space travel”(2020)? I do.
Do you remember when the city used even more CARES act money to pay $127,000 for six 86” flat screen displays (2020) while people were losing their jobs and couldn’t buy groceries because the $200 gift card program the Assembly was offering had ran out? I do.
Do you remember the private emails revealed (2021) that Forrest Dunbar and Chris Constant engaged in a behind the scenes shaming campaign in order to get church leaders to give favorable testimony towards using CARES act funds for building purchases? I do.
Do you remember when Chris Constant harassed a rabbi (2020) who was giving testimony in opposition to the homeless hotel purchase, and it made national news? I do.
Do you remember when the Assembly closed the chambers (2020) to the public except for the people giving testimony that favored their diversion of the CARES act money? I do.
Do you remember when the Assembly hired code enforcers (2020) to police local businesses for mandate violations but couldn’t be bothered to police the people openly using drugs and exposing themselves to children at the ice rinks? I do.
Do you remember when private emails revealed Chris Constant and Forrest Dunbar tried to dox a DOD employee that was giving testimony in opposition to the diversion of the CARES act money? I do.
Do you remember when the public showed up for 4 solid days (2021) to testify about the mask mandate, and the assembly shut down testimony by promising to continue it later, and then immediately passed it anyway? I do.
Do you remember when the Assembly doled out CARES act money for bike trails while longtime local restaurants that employed dozens of people closed forever? I do.
Do you remember when Felix Rivera accused the people that were trying to protect their neighborhoods from the Muni’s plan to bypass the zoning board as being racists? I do.
Do you remember when members of the public were told they weren’t allowed to point at or address assembly members by name during testimony? I do.
Do you remember when the Assembly would not let members of the public read another person’s testimony and then walked out of the meeting when those people asked why? I do.
Do you remember when Felix Rivera let two transgender protestors roll around on the floor of the chambers for hours (2020) but then kicked out people for raising their voice during public testimony? I do.
Do you remember when 5000 midtown residents gathered signatures for a recall and then had to defend the recall in court because the entire Democratic leadership of midtown helped sue to block it? Twice? I do.
Do you remember when the Assembly refused to proceed with a special election to replace the mayor because it would be “too expensive”, and left district 3 voters without representation for almost 9 months? I do.
Do you remember when the wealthy downtown property developers got a 12 year exemption from paying property tax but your property taxes went up? I do.
Do you remember when the Muni shut down the homeless services at the transit center so a 60 million dollar hotel could be built there, but then claimed there wasn’t enough property for shelters available near bus routes as justification to change the zoning laws? I do.
Do you remember when the AFL-CIO, Alaska Center, and activist groups spent almost $180,000 of Union and Outside money to run ads for opposing recalls, right after they were supporting the Dunleavy Recall? I do.
Do you remember when the Assembly gifted the Alaska Black Caucus, a partisan political organization, millions of dollars to buy and renovate a building (2021 & 2022) while everyone else was just getting $200 relief checks? I do.
Every one of the points above is an example of why we are where we are, because citizens are not getting involved and instead spend their time screaming at the sky – which is ok if that’s what you want, otherwise nothing will change unless you do.”
LaFrance’s team has been busy door-knocking this past weekend and phone-banking, with dozens of Democrat and union volunteers. On April 24, LaFrance is holding a Democrat fundraising event. The push is on for turnout as the Anchorage Assembly is set to certify the results of the April 2 election, in which neither Bronson nor LaFrance received more than 45% of the vote, thus forcing a runoff. That mail-in runoff election will have ballots in the mail April 30, and ends May 14.
My God!!! How fortunate to not be a resident of this Quagmire!!!!!
With the current assembly’s power to override, some may believe voting for Bronson is useless, but keeping Bronson in office reminds the communist coalition majority (which masquerades as an assembly) they merely represent their teeny-tiny constituency and not the Anchorage muni at-large. They hate Bronson and they hate us because they hate anyone who believes in freedom and the Judeo-Christian values embedded in our Constitution. Bronson’s presence pokes them in the eye because every time they see him, it reminds them a majority of Anchorage refuse to submit to their ideology.
Ak Conservative, if “they merely represent (a) teeny-tiny constituency” how do they keep getting re-elected. Your position is like far too many conservatives. You are focusing on the symptoms–not the problem. Those who hate us and hate Judeo-Christian values are our neighbors, co-workers, friends and relatives who vote leftist. We need to confront them at every opportunity.
If you thought Berkowitz was bad as Mayor, imagine Suzanne LaFrance in that position. I feeel nightmares coming on.
She’ll be another AQD.
I would like a Mayor that understands wind turbines and solar panels work in Anchorage during winter time.
I would like a pseudoanonmyous MRAK troll who has a grasp of honesty and reality.
I doubt this will be understood by you, but please be aware that insults are not a suitable replacement for an actual argument.
I doubt this will be understood by you, but please be aware that those who comment without any intelligence, honestyu or sense do not deserve any in response.
Now, off for your next clot shot booster!
It is what a good conformist such as you should do.
And you think that’s LaFrance huh?
I would like a supposed engineer that understands building roads in Alaska is good for Alaskans
Woke does not equal Waking Up!
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Idiocy does not equal Enlightenment.
Thanks for the reminder Penny.
The list of flagrant public ignoring actions by the ASSembly is so long every voter needs to be reminded of the gestapo runamuck ways of governing Anchorage using Covid as a cover for their blatant disregard of listening to the public who they definitely refuse to listen to.
And sadly now a large percentage of voters will listen to Lafrance lie to them and buy their and especially the union votes with our taxpayer dollars.
Pathetic is too mild for their actions.
Unless people actually bother to vote, LaFrance wins.
She wins either way. Conservatives are outnumbered here. I vote for Dave but it’s not going to go well. It’s not because of Dave but because Anchorage is blue and has been for a while. Why does everyone think getting those people out to vote who don’t bother caring enough to vote will pull the election towards the right? Non caring, uninformed voters vote more left, not right. Certain talk shows (Mike P and Crash) push that if people only came out to vote the right would win. That’s 100% incorrect. Our assembly makeup is closer to our population makeup than they realize. Dave barely won last time because his opponent was so blatantly nuts left and the mushy middle just couldn’t stomach him. Suzanne “appears” closer to the middle and more palatable to the mushy middle and the news has had 3 years of dumping on Dave.
Vote for Dave but get ready for mayor LaFrance. Thanks Dave for your service!
IF that’s true then how did he win the last election?
The left didn’t take it seriously.
Get out and vote or get poor and lose freedoms.
Thats about it, and stop voting for these morons that want our destruction.
Voting for Bronson and want more recalls to rid us of these self serving soros funded useful idiots.
Thank you for these reminders!
Can someone afford to post them as an ad on one of the city buses?
Did anyone make a list of all the election challenges ignored by the Assembly, as well as all the changes to Muni election rules/election watching rules, etc, made by the Assembly and Barbara Jones just after Bronson was elected?
Go Mayor Bronson!
“…….the public begins to wake up………”
The public will never wake up.
You got that right. The biggest threat to Alaska and The United States is the democrats. Them and perhaps the rino Trump. We can’t win.
Trump is no RINO, all the RINO’s in D.C. hate him so that argument is stupid.
Trump flipped on Tik Tok and abortion. Not to mention his lack of moral fiber. I think we are going to have to go to city states like old school. Anchorage needs to get their head out, and stop this monkeying around.
If I was voting for a Savior, I wouldn’t vote for Trump. I will be voting for an executive to look after our Constitutional Republic. Trump did a great job. In a heartbeat I’d vote for him again. I don’t believe you’re saying that Biden is woven of a superior moral fiber.
Not at all. I won’t vote for Biden or Trump. My vote isn’t for sale.
Got news for you Skippy. Not voting is a vote. Albeit a wasted vote.
I’m still for Bronson🇺🇸
Every single Republican, Independent or voter wanting sanity must get out and VOTE. Or we will quickly become the next Portland or Seattle. And we all know how they have failed solving homeless problems. It’s worst than ever. And that’s what we will get if La France prevails.
This should be required reading for all voters.
What fundraisers?
Go to his campaign website and sign up for email reminders.
I certainly hope Anchorage voters turn out and stop a one party rule.
Dont count on them, they complain and do NOT follow through by voting in good candidates.
Stupid that they are, they dont bother to be educated about their vote and put constantly complaining and his evil side kick dunbarbell back in along with the RINO contingent.
SFP all the way, following the whack a moles and voting in more domoncrats….
I feel sorry for Anchorage if they elect La France, I have friends who live in Anchorage and the don’t want her! I really hope they kick her to the curb. I have enough problems out here in the valley so I hope you guys/gals in Anchorage see the light!
The rich people of Anchorage are scared of having to pay their fair share of taxes again. Bronson has literally been a managerial disaster since taking office, but as long as he keeps slashing services to avoid raising taxes? The wealthy love him. Vote the bum out.
You need to re read this article. Mayor Bronson has been FIGHTING FOR US! It is the commie ASSembly majority that overrules his decisions.
Stop voting in the ASSembly commies and we may get our city back.
LOL! What is a “fair” share? Almost the entire budget is funded by property owners. The richer your property, the more you pay in property taxes. How is it fair that people should pay vastly different amounts in taxes for the SAME amount of city services? Maybe taxes should be based on lot frontage. At least then you could argue that you are taxed on snow plow and storm drain services. Or maybe taxes should be based on how many children you have in public school. That accounts for over half the city budget.
Remember when the Assembly banned plastic bags? I do.
Remember when the Assembly banned stores from providing free paper bags? I do.
Remember when the Assembly created an alcohol sales tax? I do.
Remember when the Assembly banned licensed therapists from treating “gender dysphoria?” I do.
There is no such thing as “gender disphoria”, its called PUBERTY.
Do you remember the Assembly employs the Municipal Clerk who counts the votes for Assembly recall petitions and for Assembly members running for re-election? We do.
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Do you remember that one of the Municipal Clerk’s Assembly employers was Assembly Chair Suzanne LaFrance, who is now a mayoral candidate? We do.
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Do you remember when the Assembly forced the very easily corruptible mail-in voting on voters, employed pseudo handwriting experts to justify rejecting ballots, implemented use of vote tabulation gear operating on proprietary software, and required use of ERIC-corrupted state voter rolls? We do.
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Do you remember when the Assembly gave themselves broad subpoena powers to retaliate publicly against election observers who blew the whistle on thumb drives of mysterious origin and content inserted into the city’s vote tabulation gear? We do.
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Do you believe these and the Biggs List may be evidence of federal crimes under RICO, Honest Services Fraud, and Federal Bribery and Public Corruption, which a grand jury should investigate? We do.
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From “Handbook for Federal Grand Jurors”, page 4:
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” the federal grand jury’s function is to determine whether the person being investigated by the government shall be tried for a serious federal crime alleged to have been committed within the district where it sits. Matters may be brought to its attention in three ways:
(1) by the government attorney;
(2) by the court that impaneled it; and
(3) from the personal knowledge of a member of the grand jury or from matters properly brought to a member’s personal attention.”
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Do you like (3)? We do.
Yes, I like 3. In fact 3 is my favorite number.
Ditto. Number 3.
Nice to see people attending Bronson’s fundraisers, but will they actually vote?
Dont coun5 on them!
I cry MAGA tears for you