Heidi GantwerkSeptember 15, 2010

Anchorage Community Conversations:Bringing the Public to the Table

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Overview

Introduction

Key findings

Implications for leaders Bringing the

public to the table

Key recommendations

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Introduction

Conveners: University of Alaska Anchorage

Anchorage Chamber of Commerce

Commonwealth North

Eagle River Chamber of Commerce

Funded by: Rasmuson Foundation

Northrim Bank

First National Bank of Alaska

Municipality of Anchorage

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Introduction

Four Community Conversations with about 350 Anchorage residents One group invited, others open to the public

Every zip code but 1 represented

Somewhat older, wealthier than general population, with fewer minorities

Great diversity of opinions and perspectives coming in

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Service levels and choices

Discussion 1: The future we want for Anchorage Choice #1: Reduce services and keep taxes low

Choice #2: Tax to the cap to maintain services

Choice #3: Increase taxes to improve Anchorage services

Discussion 2: Choices to balance the budget Potential service cuts

Potential sources of revenue

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KEY FINDINGS

ANCHORAGE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION

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KEY FINDINGS:

Core Values

Love of Anchorage and Alaska

Ethic of mutual responsibility

General sense that officials mean well

Deep frustration with government inefficiency

Limited awareness of steps taken to address inefficiencies and reduce costs

These core values shaped participants’ response to the choices and tradeoffs

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KEY FINDINGS:

Participants reframed the three choices

Our top priorities: Avoid cuts

Make efficiency gains

Only then (and only if necessary) increase taxes

If tax increases are necessary, we do NOT support increasing property taxes (but we are open to considering some other taxes)

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KEY FINDINGS:

Services/Spending

We don’t want large service cuts – instead address inefficiencies

If cuts must be made, focus on the places where we see greatest inefficiency and largest budgets: Administrative/support services Maintenance/operations Police

We want to maintain (and if possible expand) essential services: Fire protection Police Public transportation Health and Human Services

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KEY FINDINGS:

Revenues

We are generally willing to raise taxes if it is necessary to maintain essential services – IF efficiency comes first 66% generally willing (57% when asked about specific

amounts)

This increase should NOT come in the form of higher property taxes! 62% oppose increase in property taxes

73% want more diversified tax base (even if total receipts stay same); only 24% want to stay with current property tax-based system

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KEY FINDINGS:

Revenues

Responses to specific revenue options:

Alcohol excise tax: strong support, little opposition

Sales tax (year-round or seasonal): some support but also strong opposition

Increased user fees & fines: mixed support and opposition

Increased property taxes: strong opposition

We prefer to tax what people do… (e.g. buy alcohol, rent facilities, run red lights)

…Rather than what they have (e.g. property tax)

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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DECISION-MAKERS

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Recommendations

Priorities for engaging the public and addressing the budget:

Identify and address inefficiencies, and create systems to prevent them from recurring

» Some significant, some powerfully symbolic

» Information alone cannot address – need active two-way communication and a sense of public ownership

Develop a broader, longer term vision

Acknowledge and address the school district budget

Go beyond the “usual suspects”

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Recommendations

Create and tell the story: A new era of efficiency and accountability

What gains have already been made

Incentives to improve departmental efficiency

Ongoing reporting about improvements, how public input is making a difference

Only in combination with these steps can a discussion of raising revenues begin

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Bringing the Public to the Table

Opportunity exists to engage public in designing and implementing solutions

Conversations are a starting point: a window of opportunity

Feedback was positive: people found sessions helpful, said they impacted their thinking

Chance to start ongoing conversation about efficiency and good government

Residents eager to engage and ready to face tough choices