If the idea is approved, Assemblyman Dan Coffey's resolution would have Assembly Chairwoman Debbie Ossiander appoint the nine-member citizens' task force within 30 days. Ossiander would pick three on her own and choose the remaining six from a pool of nominees suggested by other Assembly members.
The task force would have up to 60 days to come up with a plan for proceeding, and then another 12 to 18 months to study the degree to which discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered individuals exists in Anchorage, as well as what consequences a law protecting their rights might have on the rights of others.
"It gives everybody a forum, a place to go, not in public necessarily, and talk about their concerns on all sides of the issue," Coffey said. "And hopefully, maybe, what that leads us to is a mutual understanding and some sort of (middle ground).
"Some sort of, 'Well, if we do it this way, that's OK with me. I don't like it all but I'll live with this because it's better than that.' That sort of thing."
If the Assembly chooses to take Coffey's advice, action would be postponed indefinitely on three versions of the original sexual orientation ordinance and on a separate proposal by Assemblyman Matt Claman to address the discrimination issue in two charter amendments on next spring's city election ballot. All are up for action Tuesday.
It is unclear how much support Coffey will find at the Assembly table.
"Actually, I think there's a lot of merit to it," Ossiander said. "I don't know if this is going to appeal to very many members of the Assembly, though."
Both supporters and opponents of the anti-discrimination measure said they think the Assembly should just go ahead and vote on it, and not delay its decision.
"We're past the point of studying this," said Jackie Buckley, a spokeswoman for Equality Works, one of the primary movers behind the anti-discrimination ordinance.
Buckley said the case that discrimination exists has been made convincingly and that it's time for the Assembly to vote.
"Absolutely," she said. "This is going to be an ongoing battle until it gets solved. These are basic rights. This is all about jobs and housing and public accommodation. Just the basic ... civil rights."
One leading opponent of the ordinance, the Rev. Jerry Prevo of the Anchorage Baptist Temple, also wants to see the Assembly vote Tuesday.
Passing Coffey's resolution, he said, "will just delay the action and put the city through the same thing again, 14 months from now. I think they ought to deal with the issue.
"If the Assembly is going to pass something, and if the mayor should veto it and they should override it, then we should just take it to the voters and deal with this thing and get it over with as soon as possible."
Mayor Dan Sullivan has said he wants to see the details of whatever measure, if any, is passed before deciding whether he would veto it. Overriding a mayoral veto requires an eight-vote supermajority of the 11-member Assembly.
The anti-discrimination ordinance has preoccupied the Assembly for much of this summer. Hundreds of people turned out for hours of public hearings over five meetings in June and July to support or oppose the idea.
The city has struggled with the issue at least three times since the mid-1970s.
Find reporter Don Hunter at 257-4349 or online at adn.com/contact/dhunter.
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