The opening acts have left the stadium, the stage has been set and the classic battle between "conservative" and "liberal" has been created in the runoff of a "nonpartisan" race for the mayor of the Municipality of Anchorage.
I think this happened because, while many people vote for a particular candidate, many others vote for a cause. Whether that is the "conservative" or "progressive" cause, there are many who give their votes after just hearing enough to know the candidate will fit into their ideological box. This "base" of voters, combined with the voters who voted for both Demboski and Berkowitz because they liked them regardless of party, led us to where we are today -- a partisan battle in a nonpartisan race.
The problem with this is that it will shape the wrong question going forward. The question that will be inherent will be -- do we want a conservative or a liberal mayor of Anchorage?
That is the wrong question.
We have a nonpartisan mayor's race for a reason. Local government has very little to do with what political parties preach about. What kind of city we want will now be the focus of the mayoral race runoff, with two candidates from the opposite ends of the political spectrum facing off with one another.
I grew up in Anchorage. This is my town. I grew up in different areas spreading from Mountain View to Independence Park. As a kid, I appreciated the underdeveloped city I lived in. It gave me room to expand my imagination and spend my days in worlds I still remember, while wandering though the woods by my house. All that land is now developed and is helping out a little bit with the housing crunch in Anchorage.
As an adult, I appreciate the city Anchorage has become. I utilize the parks and trail systems that Anchorage has to offer. I enjoy the fact that I can walk from a local restaurant to the Performing Arts Center and watch a quality touring performance or the local symphony.
On days off, coffee warms my body and walk through Town Square Park or time spent with Cuddy Park ducks will warm my heart. Often you can find me walking the trails of Kincaid Park looking for moose and other wildlife, while feeling like I'm in the middle of nowhere, right here in the city.
I appreciate the flowers in downtown Anchorage in the summer and the "city of lights" in the wintertime. Ice sculptures, salmon art and many other things about downtown help to make it a place where people want to live, work and play.
These wonderful parts of Anchorage, however, need to be protected. Bar break violence and the growing gang problem downtown has people concerned about their safety as they make their way from various activities. The walkways of Cuddy Park need to be cleaned better, the garbage cans are often overflowing, and the park features a beautiful amphitheater that is far too underutilized.
Anchorage also has a growing bicycle community. Every winter we see more and more fat-tire bikes making their way through the trails, sidewalks and bike lanes around the city. Many of these bicyclists do so out of need, but most appreciate the lifestyle choice.
I want to live in an Anchorage with all of these perks -- and more. The next mayor of Anchorage will need to think beyond the basic functions of government, and have a vision as to what we want Anchorage to be in 2015, 2020 and 2030. I envision an Anchorage that cares about cleaning up the trails around the pond at Cuddy Park, clearing trails for bicyclists in the winter and creating more trails, so that they have more options.
The next mayor will also need to have a serious focus on public safety. Many of us are willing to pay a little bit more in property taxes every year to ensure that the men and women putting their lives on the line for our safety every day are being paid well and their departments are well staffed. The next mayor is going to need to put more of a focus on the growing gang problem and the bad actors that are starting to get a grip on downtown Anchorage.
The stage has been set and the runoff election is less than a month away. On May 5, we get to make our decision as to which candidate will make Anchorage look more like what we want to see tomorrow and into the future. Exercise your right to vote, and help choose in what kind of city we want to live.
Mike Dingman is a fifth-generation Alaskan born and raised in Anchorage. He is a former UAA student body president and has worked, studied and volunteered in Alaska politics since the late 90s. Email him at michaeldingman(at)gmail.com.
The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com.