Mayor’s 2024 proposed budget shaves off $2.4M from last year’s proposals

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson released his 2024 budget proposals to the Anchorage Assembly Monday afternoon, which includes more than 1,400 pages of documents. The budgets are proposals for general operations, capital improvements and municipal utilities, enterprise and community development.

The mayor says his budget is $2.4 million less than what was proposed last year for the 2023 operating budget. He emphasized the safety of Anchorage residents as a top priority and talked about investments in snow removal, road maintenance and funding for the continuation of public transit route 85, for which federal dollars will run out in 2024.

The mayor also said that he’s proposing $1.5 million be added to the city’s snow removal budget and $250,000 toward Best Beginnings, a public-private organization that helps with early childhood development.

The mayor also proposed $130,000 for safety inspections.

“My budget prioritizes the people and allows the continuation of crucial services and operations while being $12 million beneath the tax cap,” Bronson said.

Bronson said that he’s proposing no cuts to public safety, including the fire and police departments.

“It’s paramount that the Anchorage Fire Department and the Anchorage Police Department remain fully funded to keep our community safe,” Bronson said.

The mayor will elaborate more on the budget proposal on Tuesday, according to the mayor’s communications director Veronica Hoxie.

Assembly Chair Chris Constant said he’d need at least a couple of days to review the documents to get a better idea of what he agrees with and doesn’t agree with.

“At this point, the level of cuts I am hearing about, the Mayor appears to believe the residents of Anchorage don’t expect much from this administration. If last year was any example, the voters deserve better,” Constant wrote in a statement.

“The Assembly will look closely at the service levels proposed by the Administration and will provide every opportunity for them to participate in the budget process. With or without them, the Assembly will pass a balanced budget that ensures funding for core services; so that our roads can be plowed in a timely manner, our police and fire departments can effectively respond, and so that our parks and roads are well maintained.”

The Assembly will review the budget proposal at work sessions Oct. 13 and 27, Constant said.

Public hearings are scheduled for November.