Clean Elections Resolution passes Anchorage Assembly

By Myrl Thompson

The Anchorage Assembly voted to support a resolution in support of the Clean Elections ballot measure at their Tuesday meeting. Prior to the Resolution vote, the newly elected members and new leadership were sworn in. Matt Claman was unanimously elected as the new chairman replacing Dan Coffey. Sheila Selkregg was elected as vice chair by a 7-3 vote.

A vote on the Clean Elections resolution had been postponed numerous times by the Coffey led Assembly. The new Assembly wasted little time passing the resolution by a 7-4 vote. Voting in favor of the resolution were Chairman Matt Claman, Vice Chair Sheila Selgregg, Jennifer Johnson and newly elected Assembly members Harriet Drummond, Mike Gutierrez, Elvi Gray-Jackson and Patrick Flynn.

Voting against the Clean Elections resolution were Ex-Chairman Dan Coffey, Bill Starr, Chris Birch and Debbie Ossiander. The Municipality of Anchorage joins a number of other Boroughs in supporting resolutions for Clean Elections, including the City and Borough of Sitka, the Lake and Peninsula Borough, the Bristol Bay Borough and the City Council of Homer.

The Clean Elections Initiative will be on the August 2008 primary ballot. For more information concerning Clean Elections, their website is alaskansforcleanelections.org

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Myrl Thompson is a veteran Capitol watcher, former candidate for state House, and award-winning free-lance journalist based in Wasilla, Alaska.