Anchorage Daily News

Anchorage voters gave a big thumbs up to the city and school district's bond propositions on election day.

By late Tuesday evening, with almost all the votes counted, the majority of voters had agreed to tax themselves for significant upgrades at two aging elementary schools and school building renewal projects across the city.

The voters also blessed all five of the city's bond propositions. They approved new roofs and sidewalks for local libraries and the Sullivan Arena, renovations to public pools at five high schools, and public safety and fire protection upgrades, including new technology for ambulances and funds to rebuild a fire training station.

The city and school bonds, which total $102.7 million, will cost the average property taxpayer who owns a $300,000 home an extra $100 per year, including operations and maintenance costs.

"I'm very, very pleased and gratified by the community's support," said Carol Comeau, school superintendent. "The projects are so needed and I'm grateful the voters gave such strong support." About 30 schools will benefit from the bonds, she said.

Mayor Mark Begich called Tuesday's vote a "great statement for our community. ... What it tells me, Anchorage voters are very positive about the future of this city."

Some voters said Tuesday that they felt the bond propositions made a lot of sense.

Wade Obrigewitch said he supported the school district's request for a bond that will fund repairs at Chester Valley Elementary School, where five of his children have gone to school.

"I don't feel the building has been maintained as it should have been," said Obrigewitch, who voted across the street from the school, at the East Anchorage United Methodist Church.

Molly Birnbaum, who also voted at the church, said that she though the bonds were a no-brainer.

"We aren't talking about a lot of money," she said.

Birnbaum added, "I thought (the city and School District) were conservative in what they asked for."

The city's road bond proposition was the biggest single debt item on the ballot on Tuesday: a $44.8 million bond to pay for more than 40 road and drainage projects, including reconstruction of East Sixth Avenue between Patterson and Muldoon, and extending and widening Foraker Drive in the Turnagain neighborhood, to assist with redeveloping land damaged during the 1964 earthquake.

ADVERTISEMENT