By Jason Bockenstedt and 20 former Anchorage City employees
Updated: 4 hours ago, Published: 4 hours ago
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A mass exodus of talented employees, near-constant HR complaints with high legal settlements, incomplete audits, record numbers of people homeless, unplowed streets, potholes, illegal No-bid contract, violation of city charter, contract to friends and relatives. Should I continue?
As former city officials, we have never run the city like this under any administration before Dave Bronson, and we write this letter to share why change must happen on May 14th. Masu.
We signed up to work for the City of Anchorage because we want to help make the city we call home a better place for our families and neighbors. We loved going to work because the projects we worked on and the environment were productive and positive.
Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. You don't have to take our word for it. The mayor's own chief human resources officer cited an “increasingly toxic, hostile and demoralizing work environment” when he resigned last year. This is just one of many people who resigned during Mayor Dave Bronson's term.
Mayor Bronson was elected on a campaign promise to “run the city like a business.'' What company with an annual budget of over $600 million, of which approximately $320 million is paid by taxpayers, cannot successfully complete a timely and accurate financial audit? The city's fiscal year 2022 audit has not been completed. The 2023 audit has not yet begun.
And due to high staff turnover under Mayor Bronson, the expensive outside consultants he hired to perform these basic accounting tasks are now reporting missing receipts and records. are doing.
What kind of business is allowed to operate like this? Which companies can overcome these major leadership failures and keep their CEOs in place? None. We need someone to replace Dave Bronson.
Suzanne LaFrance brings bipartisan leadership, professional executive experience, and a history of rebuilding cities, so we invite you to join us in supporting her. We have watched Suzanne listen to Anchorage residents, work with her colleagues to air her differences, and focus on solving her problems. She understands her job and is ready to do her job. This includes filling more than 100 vacancies in the Anchorage Police Department and filling hundreds of unfilled positions in each department.
Our city is at a critical moment as more young professionals retire and are deprived of economic income. Recruiting skilled workers is becoming increasingly difficult due to poor city management. If we don't make changes now, we will pay the price for decades to come.
Our city looks a lot different than it did three years ago because of the failed policies and practices of Mayor Dave Bronson and his administration. I know it doesn't have to be this way. The time has come for competent and responsible leadership at City Hall. We hope you will enthusiastically vote for Suzanne LaFrance in the May 14 election.
Jason Bockenstedt, former Chief of Staff; Austin Quinn Davidson, former mayor pro tem; Bill Falsey, former city manager. David Ramseur, former Chief of Staff; Mike Abbott, former city manager. Ona Braus, former Chief of Staff; Anna Henderson, former city manager. Alex Slivka, former Chief Financial Officer; Chris Schutte. Michael Johnson. Kendra Arciniega. Carolyn Hall. Nancy Burke. Suze Marshall. Susannah Caldwell. Shaina Kilcoyne. Leslie Riddle. Diane DiSanto. Erin Baca. Ira Slomsky Pritz and Christie Lawton are former employees of the City of Anchorage.
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