By EMILY DEGLER
Two years ago, when my husband and I were planning to make a move from Texas, our home of most of the last 16 years, to Alaska, it did not even occur to us to look into the local political situation here in Anchorage because of Alaska’s staunchly conservative reputation.
As we got settled in town, we began to notice things in the city that were concerning, such as the increasing homeless population, the rising crime, and the lack of services for the mentally ill, along with ridiculous and trivial policies that were set to take place, like the prohibiting of plastic bags and the charge for paper ones at all the stores.
It was the first time we began to really look into the city government, and question their motivation and long term goals of the policies that were being enacted.
We were shocked to see how many “progressive” initiatives were already underway, and the extensive damage to the city that had taken place, especially in the last five years.
And then came coronavirus. Being a medical family, I assumed the conservative approach that was taken in those early days was truly in the best interest of the city. But, in very short order, it was clear it was more about using the virus and people’s fear to the advantage of those in control, and also to the special interest groups that helped them maintain power.
My husband and his colleagues testified at city council meetings, and were roundly ignored and passed over, even though they are physicians who actually work in the hospitals that the Assembly spoke so “knowledgeably” about.
I have seen these men and women harassed and silenced over their scientific opinions. That is when it became impossible to ignore a far deeper agenda in the city government: To keep control in the hands of a few, in order to change the fundamental way in which this city, the largest in Alaska, was to run.
It was then we began to look into the hopefuls for the 2021 mayoral election, in efforts to do our part to help bring back the city of Anchorage, and hopefully the state of Alaska also, to the ideals that have sustained it thus far. As we dug deeper into the candidates, one truly rose to the top of the pile.
When we spoke to members of the Dave Bronson campaign, we found a sort of kindred spirit of individuals who loved the freedom, strength, and the fierce independence that had always been our idea of what characterized Alaskans. They arranged for us to meet Dave and his wife Deb.
After that meeting, there was no doubt in our minds Dave Bronson was the best possible candidate to lead this city in its fight to regain its economic stability, undo unnecessary policies that benefited the special interest groups which funded many of the current assembly members while severely crippling its citizens, as well as overseeing a return to the spirit of the city charters that govern Anchorage, not just what the lawyers could get away with.
In the months since that first meeting, we have come to know Dave Bronson even better as we worked with his campaign. We have found Dave to be a man of incredible integrity. He will run this city with a deeply seated code of morality and transparency because that is the way he runs his own life.
I have found Dave to be incredibly knowledgeable about so many things. I attribute this to his years of being a pilot. Instead of filling his downtime in between flights with meaningless activities, he read books on a variety of subjects. He likes to not just have an answer, but to have the best answer. And if he does not know it, he finds it. Dave surrounds himself with people who are experts in the fields he is not. He researches cities that have done things well in things like combating homelessness, working with the mentally ill, in order to find policies that will help better guide our city and its citizens.
I have watched him lead with a quiet confidence. As you would expect a former bomber pilot to be, Dave is incredibly cool under pressure. And one thing I greatly admire about him is his approachability. I have watched as he speaks to people from every walk of life, with genuine interest into their lives and their concerns and issues that face them as citizens of a city which he hopes to lead.
Dave Bronson attends almost all Assembly meetings. And that is so admirable in a leader. He is not just around when the cameras are on or the press is there, he is in the trenches with his fellow citizens, fighting for what he believes in.
As a mother of special needs children, I am so excited that he hopes to fight for the education of the children in this city, like mine, who have been incredibly neglected by the school district in the last 12 months. I am thankful he pledges to lend his support so that school administrators feel that they can safely open schools instead of working against them, like we have seen the last several months with the current city government.
I am not naïve that the job in front of him isn’t monumental, as he would strive to dig Anchorage out of the deep hole it is currently in. But, the steadfast character he possesses, as well as his exemplary work ethic, make Dave Bronson the right man for the job.
Lovely article and lovely family. Welcome to the Alaska where I grew up and grew old. We need you. May God bless you and your beautiful family.
Bravo! My residency in Alaska spans 52 years. Anchorage was always the one “ escape” from the quiet bush experience my family endured. We’re city people at heart. There was always good shopping and fun at the end of the road. Now, there is nothing. Nothing…….
I’ve heard scuttlebutt that city managers actually asked Nordstrom to leave. I’ve also heard that the
“ managers” raised rent on other commercial properties. They left also. One of those city managers has been removed from his mayorship. The other city manager has now resigned.
Adding to the loss of good shopping in Anchorage, someone voted into our Assembly a group of people who do not understand economy nor do they understand what propels economy….it’s a studied “yes” to development. For a select group on the Assembly, their mentality appears to be / what is down is up, and what is up is down. ( I owe Dan Fagan for the phrase)
Thank you Emily Degler for writing so well. And yes, I already voted for Dave Bronson.
Yeah, I think I am voting for Bronson. I liked Bill Evans at first because of his background and experience, but I’m afraid he’s going to be a squish. I wasn’t impressed with Robbins. So that leaves Bronson who seems to have just as impressive background as Evans but who doesn’t seem so middle of the road in a time when we’re up against extremely destructive forces who don’t play by the rules.
I have felt the same way since meeting this man. I at first questioned his ability to navigate through politics, but he is willing to seek guidance from people who know their way through this. What we need right now is someone who represents the majority of our people, not someone who can tell one side to some people and another to others in order to get their vote so that they can do whatever they want. Some of these candidates cannot even be consistent with their party of choice, through their political careers. I own and run a small business, and would never consider running for political office, unless my business was a failure. If I were a lawyer, I would not consider being a judge unless my practice was a failure. Dave doesn’t have a small business, he is retired and for some internal reason, he wants to give his efforts to the community he loves. Nobody can find anything derogatory about him because it just doesn’t exist. I’ve never trusted a politician, but have always had a great respect for a command pilot, especially one with a great track record. And I would never again hire a career cook for my restaurant. Looks great on a resume, but old habits are not easy to overcome. Same for politicians. Now we can only hope that a great voter turnout might overcome the fraudulent voting system , which will never be corrected unless we have good leadership. Honest leadership.
Just what Anchorage needs some newcomer from Texas telling you how to run the city. Emily Degler has not idea of the issues in Anchorage or Alaska. No services for the mentality ill, how about paying some taxes to support those programs. Any approach that is suggested from a person from Texas is why things are so screwed up in Alaska. All the folks that came up from Texas go back.
“Thank you Emily Degler for writing so well. And yes, I already voted for Dave Bronson.”
Me too! Early on! Best to you!
I have known Dave practically all of his life. We come from the same town in northern Wisconsin and he comes from a family of respect and integrity. He is absolutely the BEST solution to the problem that Anchorage currently reluctantly endures. Elect Dave and he will work hard to change the discourse that the current leadership has charted for Alaska’s Largest city! Go Dave Go!!!
Here-hear – well said, Emily!
With his inquiring mind and uncanny knack to see the root of issues we care about, Dave Bronson is surely our best choice. No other candidate can articulate the issues and propose solutions as well as Bronson has – although it is somewhat vexing-entertaining to watch Forrest Dunbar campaigning as a conservative.
Do we want to vote for a character, or someone with great character? Easy choice – Bronson all the way.
Thank you Emily for writing this article! I agree that Dave Bronson is a man of integrity. He will certainly lead Anchorage in a new direction, and we surely need a new direction. We have been on the wrong path for some time now and need a strong leader who has the wisdom and the strength to make the right decisions. One who can stand up for its citizens and not back down when there is opposition. He will have a difficult time working with those who have progressive agendas, but Dave has the backbone to tackle these difficult issues. Nicely written Emily! Thank you for being brave enough to publish this!! Go Team Bronson!!
While Mike Robbins is filling the airways with his softly spoken ads, speaking vague promises of “fixing the port” (the port is going to get fixed no matter who is mayor, in fact, it is being fixed right now), and talking about “fighting for you”, Mike Robbins has filled his endorsements with some of the worst Deep-Staters you could imagine. Namely Lisa Murkowski and Lesil McGuire and Tom Anderson. Does anybody not remember the past activities of these people? I am aghast that Mike Robbins would have those types of people endorsing him. For that alone, I will NOT vote for Mike Robbins.
I feel badly that some of the good people on his team are merely on his team because “they knew him from radio”. Glen Biegel, really? Are you paying attention? Wake up!
I will be voting for Dave Bronson. He knows what our left-wing nutjob assembly is doing and he will put a stop to it. But, you will have to vote out these kooks too. In West Anchorage, you must vote out Austin Quinn-Davidson, who is illegally holding both her assembly seat and illegally acting as Mayor. There was supposed to be a special election held to determine the mayor, but the assembly just ignored that illegally and put her in as mayor.
Dave Bronson has actual, real, strong ethics and he will straighten up our city of Anchorage. A vote for anybody else is just voting for the Deep State.
Well said, Emily. Welcome to you and your family. Happy Easter to you all.
Either way the mayor race ends, our districts still need to replace the present liberal Assembly members.
Seems cool…
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An incredible bomber pilot… must have an arsenal of countermeasures ready for the flak storm coming his way should he survive Anchorage’s easily corruptible mail-in vote scheme.
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Might be fun watching this guy deal with Dunbar, a serving military officer who dismisses our Constitution as racist.
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