At a worksession on March 9, 2023, Assembly Members Austin Quinn-Davidson and Meg Zaletel announced their intent to formalize a proposal to increase 2023 investments in critical public safety initiatives. The proposal, which members anticipate introducing at the March 21 Regular Assembly Meeting, will direct funds to three major initiatives:- One additional Anchorage Fire Department Academy to onboard new firefighters and align public funds with Municipal efforts, funded by the SAFER grant, to increase first responder staffing levels and meet national safety standards.
- Additional trainings, including anti-bias training, for the Anchorage Police Department.
- An increase to the Municipality’s snow removal budget in anticipation for snow removal needs before the end of 2023.
“The budget we passed for 2023 left $1.2 million on the table,” said Member Quinn-Davidson. “This is our opportunity to prioritize funding for core government services essential to the safety of our community while staying under the tax cap.” “This proposal leverages grant funds already in place to strengthen public safety,” said Member Zaletel. “Tragically, this winter has already delivered a number of emergencies, from car crashes to building collapses, and our Fire Department is the first to respond. We should be braiding public funds into any grant funding available for academies to ensure our Fire Department is well-staffed. This proposal does that.” Learn more about the Assembly’s Focus on Budget & Taxes: muni.org/assembly
###
Contact