Okay Anchorage, you have but ONE extremely important task today, GO VOTE!!!

There are a number of bonds to vote on and two school board seats, which you can read about here (By the way Service High School REALLY needs that 37 million dollar upgrade.), but the main battle lines are drawn over Mayor Sullivan's attempt to oust three of the Anchorage Assembly members that refuse to let him fake a financial crisis so he can use it to cut city services. (I know, how dare they?)

They are Harriet Drummond, (My fiery Assemblywoman) Elvi Grey-Jackson, and Mike Gutierrez.  These three have held the line against Sullivan's careless fiscal policies and called him out on his lies repeatedly, and he wants to get them out of his way.

Personally I really like that they are in his way.  It makes me feel much better about my city and our future.

Now the opponents that Sullivan has hand picked to challenge these three are simply lapdogs and sycophants that will jump through whatever hoop he holds up, in exchange for a little tummy rub, or promises of working for him when he attains the office that he REALLY covets, which is Mark Begich's Senate seat. (Yes Danny-boy we know all about your secret backroom deals and shenanigans.)

In fact THAT is really the driving force behind Sullivan's attempts to paint himself as a fiscal conservative willing to take on the unions and kiss the ass of big business, rather than a bumbling moron using his father's famous name to get himself elected to a cushy, and influential, political position.

You can learn more about these candidates, and Sullivan's agenda, by visiting Mudflats, Alaska Commons, and Bent Alaska.

However for me the choice of who to vote for when it comes to the Anchorage Assembly could not be any more simple. If this fraudulent, morally bankrupt, sorry excuse for a public servant is FOR somebody, than in all good conscience I have no choice but to be against them.

In other words, would you accept a political endorsement from THIS GUY?

Nope!  Not me either!

As for the candidates for School Board, I admit I have no been paying as close attention as I should but I really hear good things about Pat Higgins, and here is a pretty sweet ad that my friend Dennis Zaki made for him.



Look the bottom line is. get out and vote. Your neighbors, your children, and your community are counting on you.

Namaste my friends.

Sullygate heats up as Anchorage Assembly member Matt Claman adds his own resolution to the one presented by Harriet Drummond.

So now we have another Assembly member demonstrating some chutzpah and "sacking up" to take on this clearly illegal brazen robbery of the city's treasury.

About damn time if you ask me.

Just look at this little prick to our left.

Would you trust this guy to even sell you a used car?  Hell no!

He is exactly the kind of guy who gives politicians a bad name. And the same hands that he is using to grope these poor young women are the ones he now uses to count his ill gotten gains. (Here I picture Sullivan laying on a pile of money yelling "Mine, its' all mine!" That is MY visualization, of course you are welcome to come up with your own.)

However the city also has heroes, and right now our main superhero is Assembly member Harriet Drummond, who was the ONLY person on the Anchorage Assembly to recognize that there was a serious problem with the original resolution that was introduced on February 16th.

On this issue, at least when it comes to the Assembly, Harriet Drummond is clearly Batman.  And she immediately reached into her utility belt and produced her own resolution challenging the validity of the Mayor's payout.  Of course where would Batman be without a sidekick.  So now we can add Matt "Robin" Claman's resolution to Harriet's. (Are there OTHER heroes on the Assembly who have not donned their colorful costumes and decided to join the team?  I don't know, but I certainly hope so.  I visualize a kind of Justice League of Anchorage!)

Those are the heroes we have identified in the Assembly thus far, as for superheroes in the community well you can find that person by clicking right here.

Assembly member Harriet Drummond just sent the posse after Dan "the desperado" Sullivan to retrieve the money he stole from our city's treasury.

This is Resolution AR No. 2010-91, which Harriet Drummond, this liberal bloggers favorite Anchorage Assembly member, just submitted for consideratin on March 23.

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
AR NO. 2010–91


A RESOLUTION OF THE ANCHORAGE MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY TO AUTHORIZE ENGAGING THE SERVICES OF INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL TO REVIEW AND REPORT TO THE ASSEMBLY ON THE LEGAL AND CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, IF ANY, AND THE AUTHORITY OF THE ASSEMBLY, IF ANY, REGARDING PAYMENT OF $193,000 IN MUNICIPAL FUNDS TO THE GEORGE M. SULLIVAN IRREVOCABLE LIFE INSURANCE TRUST, AND PROVIDING FOR AN APPROPRIATION.

WHEREAS, pursuant to Assembly Memorandum No. AM 76-2010, the Assembly was requested by and on behalf of the Mayor to appropriate One Hundred Ninety Three Thousand Dollars ($193,000.00) from the Areawide General Fund (Fund 101) for disbursement to the George M. Sullivan Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust; and

WHEREAS, Assembly Memorandum No. AM 76-2010 declared that disbursement would be made under a life insurance contract; and

WHEREAS, Assembly Memorandum No. AM 76-2010 did not disclose that the George M. Sullivan Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust was administered by the Mayor in his private capacity as the son of George M. Sullivan and Trustee of the life insurance trust; and

WHEREAS, Assembly Memorandum No. AM 76-2010 did not disclose that no life insurance policy was in place and no written life insurance contract existed; and

WHEREAS, AR 2010-33 was passed and approved by the Assembly, on February 16, 2010, authorizing disbursement subject to receipt of proper documentation from the George M. Sullivan Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust; and

WHEREAS, the full circumstances purporting to legally obligate the Municipality to make a payout of $193,000.00 in public funds are more complicated than provided in the summary under AM 76-2010; and

WHEREAS, the payout of $193,000.00 in public funds for life insurance without a life insurance policy in place has raised many concerns in the mind of the public and one or more Assembly Members, including these questions:

• What is the legal basis for asserting the existence of a life insurance policy or contract?

• What is the legal basis for asserting a contractual obligation in the absence of a written contract?
• What is the legal authority of the Salary and Emoluments Commission to authorize an employee benefit after employment has terminated?

• Were the legal requirements, procedures and process under Charter Section 5.08 (c) properly followed?

• What, if any, is the extent of a municipal obligation to make payment of $193,000 in life insurance without a life insurance policy?

• What is the current Assembly’s authority to approve or disapprove a life insurance payment in the absence of a life insurance policy?

• Is this disbursement recognized in the FY 2010 General Government Operating Budget?

• What process should be used under the Ethics Code to ensure that an elected public official does not sit on both sides of a municipal transaction?

• Under what public purpose are public funds being disbursed as life insurance? and

WHEREAS, the current Mayor is also actively serving as Trustee of the George M. Sullivan Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust, creating a situation in which he serves on both sides of a significant financial transaction involving public funds; and

WHEREAS, as Mayor, the incumbent is required to represent and act in the Municipality’s best interests; and

WHEREAS, as Trustee of the George M. Sullivan Life Insurance Trust, the Trustee has a fiduciary duty to the Trust to represent and act in the best interests of the Trust and its beneficiaries;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Anchorage Assembly resolves:

1. Because the events surrounding the creation and administration of a special benefit for the Honorable George M. Sullivan occurred after he was no longer in office and over the course of several mayoral successions without a full and public review before the Assembly, the Assembly authorizes an independent legal review to include the following:

• The authority of the Salary and Emoluments Commission, after the mayor or other elected official has left elected office, to authorize a special life insurance benefit;
• Whether a special life insurance benefit was legally effectuated for George M. Sullivan, when, and by whom or under what actions;

• The legal obligations and risks to the Municipality concerning the special life insurance benefit (prior to payment);

• The authority of the Mayor to request an appropriation when the Mayor also currently serves as Trustee of the George M. Sullivan Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust, without disclosure of the potential for conflict of interest;

• The public purpose under which disbursement of public funds is allowed as life insurance proceeds, without a fair market life insurance policy or premium payments.

• The authority of the Anchorage Assembly to approve an appropriation of public funds for this purpose.

2. The services of independent legal counsel shall be selected by the Internal Auditor, the Municipal Clerk and Assembly Counsel under a small procurement contract not to exceed [$5,000 – $10,000], and an appropriation of [$ 10,000] for this purpose is approved.
3. Until the Assembly is assured by independent legal counsel that payment of $193,000.00 in public funds is legally appropriate, the Mayor, in his private capacity as Trustee for the George M. Sullivan Irrevocable Trust, is respectfully requested to return any funds disbursed under AR 2010-33 to a special account to be held by the Municipality.

PASSED AND APPROVED by the Anchorage Assembly this ______day of ____________, 2010.

______________________________
Chair
ATTEST:
____________________________
Municipal Clerk

Damn! It is about time SOMEBODY took Sullivan to task for emptying the city's cash reserves while cutting services to its citizens!

If you are late to the party and a little confused by this resolution just go here, here, and here and you will soon know why Anchorage residents are so angry.

By the way, is it too early to draft Harriet Drummons to run for mayor of Anchorage? State Senator? How about Lisa's job?

(H/T to my friend, and fellow Alaskan blogger Phil Munger)