Video Clips
Quoted moments from Alaska public meetings, hearings, and press conferences.
0:36
Suzanne LaFrance
“if the Assembly approves the grant award, a good neighbor agreement is required. between True North and the community. Keeping in mind though, this is by-right zoning use. Behavioral health services were once provided at this location and anybody could go in and provide those services without any additional requirements. But with a grant from the municipality and through— for the HUD funding, this is when a good neighbor agreement would be required.”Anchorage Assembly: Housing and Homelessness Committee · Jun 17, 2026
0:45
Speaker G
“This is a recommended grant for $750,000 of Community Development Block Grant funding that was selected through a competitive request for grant proposals in spring of 2025 for purchase of a building that True North Recovery is proposing to use as a base for operations in Anchorage.”Anchorage Assembly: Housing and Homelessness Committee · Jun 17, 2026
0:27
Speaker G
“Services not proposed: crisis services. There'd be no crisis services at this facility. They will continue their current work of providing providing that through mobile outreach, and the new vehicle will assist in that and make that a more streamlined and efficient process”Anchorage Assembly: Housing and Homelessness Committee · Jun 17, 2026
0:51
Suzanne LaFrance
“True North has revised their proposal. I'll let them go into the details, but they are now proposing outpatient services and administrative office space to be co-located with Access Alaska. There will be no crisis services provided out of that facility. We all know that we still need more crisis care, behavioral health resources, and access to treatment. True North plans to purchase a mobile crisis command vehicle to provide these services wherever they are needed”Anchorage Assembly: Housing and Homelessness Committee · Jun 17, 2026
0:30
Suzanne LaFrance
“True North was planning a launchpad project where crisis services would be provided on-site.”Anchorage Assembly: Housing and Homelessness Committee · Jun 17, 2026
0:55
Thea Agnew-Bemben
“the thing we're doing very directly right now is we're applying for funding from the Rural Health Transformation Program, and the, what we are applying to do is to implement client records at all three of our departments—fire, police, and health—which we are in kind of different stages of right now, and then to be able to connect those to the health information exchange, which will allow us to actually have a way to communicate and share information with hospitals.”Anchorage Assembly: Housing and Homelessness Committee · Jun 17, 2026
0:31
Thea Agnew-Bemben
“The proposal, it's a 3-year proposal. The first year is gonna be about $3.1 million, then a couple million each year after that. So it's a big lift for us to do this, but the goal is that that will get us over a hump that will allow us to not only coordinate care within Anchorage, but also statewide.”Anchorage Assembly: Housing and Homelessness Committee · Jun 17, 2026
0:50
Speaker G
“Under the revised proposal, these are the services that they are proposing to offer at this location. This would include integrated behavioral health assessments, telehealth therapy, medication-assisted treatment, medication management. All those would be outpatient services only, not any inpatient or residential services. Um, it also housed their administrative offices, office space for their mobile outreach staff, They are, as, as mentioned, also purchasing a mobile command center vehicle that they will use to move around the city to provide crisis services.”Anchorage Assembly: Housing and Homelessness Committee · Jun 17, 2026
0:39
Kimberly Rash
“after the grant expires, HUD requires us to track the progress project deliverables for 5 years after the end of that grant agreement. The use of the facility as acquired has to stay the same for at least, at least 5 years up to 15 years. And so the, the use does have to stay the same.”Anchorage Assembly: Housing and Homelessness Committee · Jun 17, 2026
0:37
Thea Agnew-Bemben
“that's also the step towards us being able to bill for services. We have 13 clinicians just between fire and police, not to mention all the clinical folks at the health department. We're not billing for those services right now, and that's revenue that we could be capturing to help meet the need. And then also included in our proposal is 6 different pilot projects.”Anchorage Assembly: Housing and Homelessness Committee · Jun 17, 2026
0:28
Thea Agnew-Bemben
“one of them is to be able to do short-term assisted living for people who otherwise would be— Uh-huh. In shelter as a way to bridge them into the benefits that are needed to get them into actual assisted living.”Anchorage Assembly: Housing and Homelessness Committee · Jun 17, 2026
0:30
Erin Baldwin Day
“MHOP is a decade overdue, as we heard from Member Martinez, it is a proven concept. This kind of development, these sorts of zoning overlays, have proven to be extremely successful elsewhere in environments like ours, and it reflects a decision point at whether we are willing to take the steps that are outlined in our comprehensive plan to incentivize housing in the places that it already makes sense.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:54
George Martinez
“The starting point is very, very simple to me, that people in the past were able to identify things that they knew the city would need to have the thinking about for the future, but that they weren't ready to take on at that time. So when I got elected, I didn't make up the term Transit Supportive Development Corridor. It was already on a plan.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:44
Erin Baldwin Day
“the maximum height is 40 feet, which is 10 feet higher than what is currently permitted in most residential zones, 30 if the underlying zone is R-1. So one of the things we heard during the TSDO process was a really significant current concern about shadows in these R1 neighborhoods, the residential single-family neighborhoods. And so this was a response to that concern to say, okay, in R1, we will maintain the height as is, as it already exists in that zone.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
1:05
George Martinez
“this is really old language that we're bringing to implementation, and Anchorage seems to have a problem where the rubber meets the road. That's where we often seem to not be able to get past, but I recognize that this body has been committed to getting past the implementation snafu that we often find in our community, piece by piece, and this is the next attempt.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:19
Erin Baldwin Day
“in 2012, we did a housing market analysis. McDowell Group and ECHO Northwest did an analysis of our housing demand. And I believe that this was prescient writing. So the study's key finding is that there was not enough buildable land to accommodate future housing demand.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:27
Erin Baldwin Day
“for decades now, we have had this instruction, this aspirational language in our land use plans that say we should have more types of housing buildable in these areas. And we have never made the leap from plan to implementation.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:41
Erin Baldwin Day
“the assembly moved to allow accessory dwelling units in all residential zones in 2023, duplexes by right everywhere in the Anchorage Bowl. That was the HOME Initiative. 3 And 4-plexes were reclassified from commercial to residential construction, and some residential design standards were paused. And with all of this work that's been done since 2022, we are just now beginning to see an uptick in residential permit So 261 residential permits, residential units permitted in 2023, 299 in 2024, and 393 in 2025. And I'd like to posit that that trajectory does not get us to 10,000 homes in 10 years.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:28
Anna Brawley
“this ordinance at least represents one way that we can implement the main piece of the plan. And so I think the— Thank you. Questions that I'm putting on the table for everybody to consider is that big picture kind of what do we do with our Comp Plan? And if this is not the way to implement the major piece of the Comp Plan, what are we doing with that plan?”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:36
Erin Baldwin Day
“they called out that the mismatch between future housing demand and land supply demanded our attention, and if not properly addressed, the housing gap could affect population growth in Anchorage as well as decrease affordability. And here we are, nearly 15 years later, and we are seeing this prediction come to fruition.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:40
Erin Baldwin Day
“what the Missing Middle Housing Overlay aims to do is to reduce some of those regulatory barriers and to create flexibility in the places we've already said it makes sense. MHOP— in practicality means flexibility in how a building can be placed and oriented on a lot. What size that lot can be and what size the building can be, the number of units or structures that can be on a lot, and the removal of those roadblocks that often force people into a rezone process. Again, this is a— this is strategically along our most traveled roadways, and I think it's important to note that this is an opt-in situation.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:23
Erin Baldwin Day
“what the Missing Middle Housing Opportunity Overlay does is it says that minimum lot dimensions are not static. They are determined by subdivision requirements, which are located in a different place in Title 21. It increases maximum lot coverage to say you can cover more of a parcel, up to 70%. It says that you do not have any minimum required setbacks from the front of the lot.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:20
Erin Baldwin Day
“An overlay is not a rezone. It does not change the underlying classification of any of the properties. It simply allows property owners to opt in to a more flexible regulatory framework.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:49
Erin Baldwin Day
“trying to walk that line between what is the minimum, minimum effective dose, as it were, of zoning reform versus what kinds of changes are acceptable to our neighbors has been a really tricky thing. And I think that's, that's why we've landed where we've landed.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:26
Anna Brawley
“this policy has been written into the plan for 25 years. And so the question I keep asking the community is, if not this, then what?”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
1:01
George Martinez
“we have a disconnect between visioning of the past and where we should get to, and it seems like every time you get closer to the rubber meets the road, the level of contention increases. I wanted to note the difference between the visioning of plans that we inherited with the obligation of implementation meets the implementation moment of an excited public working through challenging issues.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:58
Erin Baldwin Day
“this is a follow-on piece of legislation from the Transit Supportive Development Overlay, or TSDO, which was introduced last fall, and it was paused pending additional community dialogue. You'll see lots of references to TSDO in the materials before you for this reason. Again, this builds on the work of TSDO, and I want to be very clear about that.”Anchorage Assembly: Worksession re AO 2026-85 amending Anchorage Municipal Code Title 21 to create a new missing... · Jun 17, 2026
0:17
Martin Heinrich
“I just want to ask unanimous consent to enter a letter from Governor Guerrero and Governor Apateng regarding deep seabed mining into the record.”Senate Energy and Natural Resources (Murkowski): Business meeting to consider S.1547, to amend title 54, United States Code, to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. · Jun 17, 2026
0:14
Henry Hofschneider
“Governor Hapiteng and Governor Guerrero have written a letter to Chairman Lee to introduce the legislation to place a moratorium.”Senate Energy and Natural Resources (Murkowski): Business meeting to consider S.1547, to amend title 54, United States Code, to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. · Jun 17, 2026
0:37
Lisa Murkowski
“I'm wondering if you can share with the committee what you might consider meaningful consultation with territorial governments would look like. Before the federal government advances any future leasing decisions.”Senate Energy and Natural Resources (Murkowski): Business meeting to consider S.1547, to amend title 54, United States Code, to reauthorize the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. · Jun 17, 2026
0:53
Caleb Lee
“Earlier this year, my colleagues and I called on the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the Interior to terminate the CNMI Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program, a Biden-era policy that allows nationals from the People's Republic of China to enter the Northern Mariana Islands for up to 14 days without a visa. This policy has threatened uh, to create, and in some cases created, serious problems. Chinese nationals have been convicted of trafficking methamphetamine into the CMI— CMI. The program has facilitated birth tourism and created additional travel avenues to Guam.”Senate Energy and Natural Resources (Murkowski): Hearings to examine the state of the U.S. Territories. · Jun 17, 2026
0:24
Caleb Lee
“Mr. Henry Hofschneider, Chief of Staff to Governor David Apatong of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or CNMI, here today because the governor is dealing with the impact of a major typhoon that has hit his territory.”Senate Energy and Natural Resources (Murkowski): Hearings to examine the state of the U.S. Territories. · Jun 17, 2026
0:36
Caleb Lee
“I continue to urge the Department of Homeland Security, along with the Department of the Interior, to terminate the CNMI Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program and to end Hong Kong's participation in the broader Guam CNMI Visa Waiver Program.”Senate Energy and Natural Resources (Murkowski): Hearings to examine the state of the U.S. Territories. · Jun 17, 2026
0:16
Caleb Lee
“Mr. Hofschneider, do you think it makes sense for the citizens of one of America's biggest, most menacing adversaries, that is the People's Republic of China, should be allowed to enter a U.S. territory without a visa?”Senate Energy and Natural Resources (Murkowski): Hearings to examine the state of the U.S. Territories. · Jun 17, 2026
0:11
Speaker A
“6.5%, we estimate will bring in $128,309,000.”Mat-Su Borough: Regular Assembly Meeting June 16 · Jun 16, 2026
0:34
Speaker B
“In the 2025 assessed values listed here, $388,087 is your average value. Mill rate area-wide, 8.485. So the total tax paid would be $3,292. If you take 6.5% into that, you find out that you have to spend about $50,646 to meet the same tax you would pay for the property.”Mat-Su Borough: Regular Assembly Meeting June 16 · Jun 16, 2026
0:32
Speaker B
“Right now, area-wide property taxes for fiscal year '26, I think it was, was about— it was just shy of $130 million. We didn't even run a 5% calculation with all the price elasticity of demand and all that because we never had this conversation. Like, we want to help you with these numbers, but some of this stuff is just happening right now. And there would— so there's been no analysis on 5% because no one mentioned 5%. We, we ran numbers on 6, 6.5, 7, and 8 to provide a range.”Mat-Su Borough: Regular Assembly Meeting June 16 · Jun 16, 2026
1:44
Speaker A
“the borough's ordinance serial number 26032 would impose a 6.5% area-wide sales tax in addition to the city's existing sales tax, resulting in a combined sales tax of 9% within the city of Wasilla. And whereas the proposed borough sales tax would substantially increase the tax burden on purchases made within the city and may negatively affect local businesses, residents, nonprofits, and consumers.”Mat-Su Borough: Regular Assembly Meeting June 16 · Jun 16, 2026
0:44
Speaker B
“I wanted 5%, I actually wanted very little tax, but the numbers that we were provided by Cheyenne basically show that we would need about a 6.5 to 7% sales tax to reach the same $130 million.”Mat-Su Borough: Regular Assembly Meeting June 16 · Jun 16, 2026
0:03
Speaker A
“7% Would bring in $138,179,000.”Mat-Su Borough: Regular Assembly Meeting June 16 · Jun 16, 2026
0:48
Speaker A
“I'm here representing the city in strong opposition to the ordinance 26032, and I just want to read our resolution into your record.”Mat-Su Borough: Regular Assembly Meeting June 16 · Jun 16, 2026
0:59
Speaker B
“People that do not benefit from this, the people who will pay more, who shoulder more of the tax burden, are renters, the uninsured, and small businesses.”Mat-Su Borough: Regular Assembly Meeting June 16 · Jun 16, 2026
0:30
Speaker A
“This is a transfer of administration to the borough, and with an estimated $360,000 for 2 full-time employees to manage this, what I would say, a very complex tax system— we literally chase people around for $12.50.”Mat-Su Borough: Regular Assembly Meeting June 16 · Jun 16, 2026
0:50
Speaker A
“Based on the information that we've reviewed that came from your finance department, the impact on our city is a decrease gross sales of 9.75%. Consumers will shop outside the region. They'll go online and they will buy less.”Mat-Su Borough: Regular Assembly Meeting June 16 · Jun 16, 2026
0:39
Frank Richards
“I'm told, but I've never seen it, it's less than $150 million. Understood. No, I think that's helpful because we've heard numbers from $150 to $200 and then $240, so we should be thinking in the range of the $150 range. Through the chair, Senator Steadman again, and I believe that that includes not only not only the initial 38 miles, but also extensions out now out to North Pole and potentially out and beyond into Eielson.”Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 16, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 16, 2026
0:54
Adam Prestidge
“That additional cost, if the RCA were to approve a tariff that spread the cost across all of the users, would be a a very low additional cost to Fairbanks consumers on top of what would be the $16 tariff. when we're talking about the incremental cost that would be spread across customers, you're looking at, you know, something— 10 cents. I can't pin down an exact number, but in the range of 20 to 30 cents per MMBtu of gas would be the amount that would be spread across all buyers.”Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 16, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 16, 2026
0:46
Claire Knudsen-Latta
“spreading the cost of the spur line across the entire system acts to decrease the rates related to the spur as costs are spread over a greater area. However, in utility and pipeline regulation, there is a well-founded principle which appears at 3 AAC 48510 that the causer of the cost and consequently recipient of the cost benefit should also be the one to pay the cost. System-wide recovery would be contrary to this principle as not all users of the system are causing the cost or receiving the benefits of the SPUR.”Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 16, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 16, 2026
0:20
Lyman Hoffman
“I would expect, highly expect that there are going to be cost overruns. What happens to the Fairbanks spur line given the language in Section 19 that I referred to?”Alaska Legislature: Senate Finance - June 16, 2026 1:30pm · Jun 16, 2026