By MICHAEL TAVOLIERO
What a surprise — Chuck Kopp is running for the Alaska State Legislature again, this time challenging conservative incumbent Rep. Craig Johnson.
But before we jump to conclusions about what Kopp claims he’ll do, Anchorage’s District 10 voters would be wise to remember the last time Kopp was in the Alaska Legislature.
Let’s discuss it.
Kopp wants us to believe he will prioritize education, improve teacher retention, and solve Alaska’s economic woes. But this is the same politician who was soundly defeated by Rep. Tom McKay in 2020 for his poor choices and failed policies in office. Voters in District 10 should take a hard look at his record, particularly his support of Senate Bill 91 (SB 91), ranked-choice voting (RCV), support of public employee defined benefits, reductions to the Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD), and the expansion of the state bureaucracy.
One of Kopp’s most glaring failures was his leadership role in pushing SB 91, a disastrous criminal justice reform bill. SB 91 was meant to reduce prison costs, but what it really did was unleash a wave of crime across Anchorage and other parts of Alaska. The city saw an increase in property crime and public safety concerns skyrocketed. Who was at the helm advocating for this reckless policy?
None other than Chuck Kopp.
The result was chaos, making communities less safe. Kopp’s willingness to prioritize cost-cutting over public safety showed poor judgment. How can we trust him to make sound decisions on educational funding, workforce retention, or economic reforms when he was responsible for such a blunder?
Then there’s Kopp’s support for ranked-choice voting, a policy that has confused voters, complicated elections, and fueled concerns over election integrity. What was supposed to ensure more voter representation instead led to widespread disengagement and confusion.
Rather than offering transparency and reliability, Kopp backed a system that only adds more layers of complexity to the electoral process, making it harder for voters to trust the outcome. His support of RCV effectively removes our choice in the election process. If Kopp truly wanted an open and transparent government, why support a system that does the exact opposite?
Kopp’s support for reducing the PFD is perhaps the biggest slap in the face to Alaskans. The PFD is not just a bonus check — it’s a lifeline, especially for rural residents who face higher costs of living. Yet Kopp consistently voted to reduce the PFD, even while supporting more government spending. Billions of dollars that should have gone to Alaskans went instead to feed a bloated state bureaucracy.
Alaska is unique. While 66% of the state population is urban, a staggering number of rural Alaskans depend on the PFD to make ends meet — almost 250,000 Alaskans. And still, Kopp’s policies undermined their economic stability, robbing families of much-needed support. His promises of economic reform ring hollow when his actions have led to deeper financial insecurity for countless Alaskans.
Kopp also championed government expansion at a time when fiscal restraint was desperately needed. Because of Kopp’s time in the Alaska State House, he participated in laying the groundwork for a continuing pattern of increasing the state’s budget, rewarding the state bureaucracy but punishing his constituents. At every turn, he seemed more interested in growing the state bureaucracy than solving real problems. Whether it was backing unnecessary regulations or increasing state spending, Kopp showed time and again that he prioritizes the government machine over the people.
When the economy was on the brink during the Covid pandemic, Kopp aligned with restrictive measures that strangled small businesses and delayed meaningful relief. His decisions caused further financial strain on families and workers who were already struggling to survive. Instead of fighting for his district, Kopp dug in and sided with policies that worsened the economic fallout.
In his latest pitch, Kopp talks about diversifying Alaska’s energy sources and supporting new environmental initiatives. But where was this enthusiasm when Alaska industries were drowning under federal overreach? Many political figures, like Kopp, have supported federal funding, with its sweeping progressive regulatory requirements. This only harms Alaska’s future economic growth. Small businesses and large industries alike have faced unbearable costs and regulatory hurdles that stifled growth. Kopp’s track record shows little to suggest he would be any different.
Kopp’s support of the return of an Alaska state-defined benefit plan for public employees will bankrupt the state because it guarantees fixed lifetime payouts based on salary and years of service, regardless of the fund’s actual investment returns or state revenues. It will also install a permanent bureaucracy class in a natural resource development state. How will this benefit our communities and their people? With Alaska’s volatile oil-dependent economy, inconsistent revenues, and the growing number of retirees, the state risks massive unfunded liabilities. This burden would likely require increased taxes or cuts to other critical services, further straining the state’s finances and potentially driving Alaska into deeper fiscal crisis.
“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.“
Chuck Kopp may sound like he has all the answers now, but we’ve seen this before. His previous tenure in the Legislature was marked by failures that hurt the safety, prosperity, and economic stability of Alaskans. Kopp claims to be a problem-solver, but when given the chance, he pushed policies that caused more harm than good.
District 10 voters should not be fooled again. We deserve a representative like Rep. Craig Johnson, who puts Alaskans first, who fights for our financial independence, and who works to keep our communities safe, not someone who will grow the government at our expense.
Michael Tavoliero is a resident of Eagle River and writes for Must Read Alaska.
He had me bamboozled till I researched him also, I wish he would knock on my door now asking for support I would make him do my lawn walk my dog & wash my car come back to the hood Chuck. La la la la la la la France your fake & lame ma’am
Chuck Kopp also helped organize the House with and to the benefit of Democrats.
He is a WOLF in a fake sheep outfit.
Typical RINO, he is. Says one thing to get elected, another afterward.
I know Chuck personally, and Michael, I have to agree with you. Chuck made terrible choices like limiting the PFD and supporting SB91. Chuck isn’t the only one who got the boot. Cathy Giesel and John Coghill lost their seats too. Giesel recovered (sort of) and Coghill is trying to recover in a mayors race up in Fairbanks. The electorate is not stupid, as many politicians believe they are. They are usually remembered more for their poor choices, rather than good ones.
I don’t believe Chuck will win his race.