| updated weekly |
home - contribute - donate - message board - events - links - contact us - archive |
| March 8, 2007 Aaron Selbig Is Wrong About Assembly by Dan Sullivan, Anchorage Assembly Aaron Selbig's recent Compass piece rightly described how public involvement can make a difference in the local political process. However, I don't believe he accurately described how the Assembly dealt with several recent issues. He implies that the Assembly's approval of my amendments to the sign ordinance was contrary to "wide public support." The amendments require any new signs to meet new standards (no pole signs, for example) but allow businesses that lawfully placed their signs into service prior to the new ordinance to keep their investment. This saves the business community more than $100 million in unnecessary expense. I spoke at numerous community events on the sign revisions, received many calls and e-mails, and I found overwhelming community support for the fairness provisions. The Assembly wisely agreed. As for the 4th Avenue Theatre, contrary to Mr. Selbig's assertion, the Assembly did not "relent" and grant the theater a $250,000 historical grant. There was never any objection to the grant but rather to the city ownership of the theater. It was Mayor Mark Begich who relented. On the day of the Assembly vote, he put forth a new plan placing the downtown partnership in the ownership role. I encourage residents to participate in their local government. I also encourage those who do participate to objectively report on what transpires. Dan Sullivan is chairman of the Anchorage Assembly. |
-
Columnists -
|
||||||||
| Copyright
2005
Insurgent Media. All Rights
Reserved. in-sur-gent (in sur'jent), n. 1. a member of a group which revolts against the policies of its leadership. |
|||||||||
