Anchorage Assembly passes mayoral removal ordinance

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The Anchorage Assembly met Tuesday night to go over a wide variety of topics, with their biggest ordinance including legislation to remove a mayor from office for breach of public trust.

On Tuesday, the ordinance passed 9-3. Assembly members Jamie Allard, Randy Sulte and Kevin Cross voted in opposition.

The ordinance was brought forward by assembly Vice-Chair Chris Constant that would allow an Anchorage mayor to be removed from office over a breach of public trust which includes:

1. Acceptance of cash gifts from one doing business with the municipality
2. Violation of chapter 1.15
3. Perjury
4. Falsification of records
5. Filing false reports
6. Nepotism
7. Making personal use of municipal or school district property
8. Destruction of municipal or school district property
9. Actual or attempted official misconduct, as defined by state law
10. Ordering a municipal employee or contractor employed by the supervisory board to undertake an unlawful act
11. Substantial breach of a statutory-, Code- or Charter-imposed duty
12. Failure to faithfully execute the directives of a duly enacted 9 ordinance.

“There exists a method for removal of a mayor, it’s called a recall,” said Mayor Dave Bronson. “Why is this method not good enough? No mayor present or future should be subject to a coup by an assembly that doesn’t agree with his politics. I will continue to fight this with all available means.”

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