Anchorage Assembly: Standing Up for the Community

The Anchorage Assembly has been under fire for taking a stand on federal issues, but critics are missing the point. Local governments have always weighed in on federal policies that impact their communities. It's not about overreach; it's about leadership. For years, cities across the country have passed resolutions on federal matters, from infrastructure to veterans' services. Anchorage is no different. The recent resolution on immigration enforcement is just the latest example of the Assembly advocating for its residents. Critics argue that these resolutions are mere symbolism, but that's not the case. Immigration enforcement directly affects local communities, and the Assembly has a duty to address these concerns. Ignoring federal policies that impact local public safety and community stability is not an option. The claim that focusing on one issue means neglecting others is misleading. The Assembly tackles numerous topics at each meeting, including budgets, public safety, and housing initiatives. Resolutions take minutes, not months, and do not divert resources from critical local issues. Comparisons to other cities, like Seattle or Portland, are unfounded and distract from the real work being done in Anchorage. The Assembly is not creating autonomous zones or instructing police to confront federal agents. These comparisons are red herrings designed to provoke rather than inform.Critics also accuse the Assembly of performative activism, but this is hypocritical. Many of the same voices demanding silence now have historically supported local resolutions that aligned with their own priorities. Municipal advocacy is only deemed illegitimate when it reflects values they dislike. As for the city seal debate or the jaywalking ordinance, invoking them as evidence of "woke theory" is less analysis than an ongoing effort to find something, really anything, that his caucus can hold onto because their team is so bereft of any solutions. If you have no ideas, all that’s left is to complain. Public policy deserves to be debated on facts and outcomes, not reduced to slogans of people without ideas. The Assembly's work on tax assessments, public safety, and senior citizen benefits shows that they are indeed focused on bread-and-butter local issues. Critics who claim otherwise are not paying attention to the Assembly's actual work. Local leaders have a responsibility to address both local and broader issues that affect their communities. The Anchorage Assembly is doing just that, and critics should focus on constructive solutions rather than caricaturing municipal advocacy as dysfunction.