A day after the Anchorage Assembly voted to override Mayor Dan Sullivan's veto of $144,607 in parks funds, Sullivan said the override vote was "just part of the politics" involved in working with the Assembly and involved a difference in philosophy.
"Sometimes it's just good to make a point that, here we are trying to save the taxpayers' money, and at the same time as achieving efficiencies, which is the goal of my administration," Sullivan said. "There's some folks that seem to think spending other people's money, regardless of achieving efficiencies, is OK."
The cut would have eliminated three full-time positions with the Department of Parks and Recreation, leaving enough money to pay for four seasonal, part-time jobs. Sullivan said Wednesday there was no guarantee that the money returned to the department's $452 million budget would be used to keep the full-time positions.
The Assembly voted 6-5 last week to keep the funds in the city budget. Sullivan vetoed the money Tuesday, and the Assembly restored it by an 8-3 vote later than night. After first voting against including the funds in its version of the budget, Assembly Chairwoman Debbie Ossiander and Assemblyman Bill Starr voted to override the mayor's veto Tuesday.
Sullivan also said Wednesday that he was fine with extra restrictions placed on personal fireworks use on New Year's Eve in Anchorage.
The Assembly voted Tuesday to prohibit fireworks in mobile home parks and restrict their use -- allowed for 3 1/2 hours New Year's Eve -- to private property at least 200 feet from another person's house, among other restrictions already in place. An amendment passed Tuesday night also says people using fireworks must clean up the debris within 12 hours.
"I have no objection to the restrictions. The key point is whether we're going to be able to enforce a whole lot of it," Sullivan said. "Even before the law passed, you could stand on a roof on New Year's Eve and see pretty good fireworks displays all over town."
Reach Casey Grove at casey.grove@adn.com or 257-4589.
