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Erika Bolstad

Erika Bolstad covers Alaska issues, including the congressional delegation, from Washington, D.C., for McClatchy Newspapers. Before joining the bureau in 2007, she spent seven years as a reporter at the Miami Herald, where she covered politics, government and the state legislature. E-mail Erika at ebolstad@adn.com.

Sean Cockerham

Sean Cockerham writes about Alaska state politics. He spent three years based in Juneau for the ADN before joining the Tacoma News-Tribune to write about Washington state politics. He went to Iraq twice for the News Tribune, and previously wrote about Alaska government and politics for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. E-mail Sean at scockerham@adn.com

Kyle Hopkins

Kyle Hopkins covers politics and other stories for the ADN. He covered the 2006 campaign for governor, has blogged extensively about Alaska politics, covered Anchorage city government and was a reporter based in the Mat-Su. He grew up in Southeast Alaska and previously was a reporter at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Anchorage Press. E-mail Kyle at khopkins@adn.com

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National Dems like Begich's chances

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Posted: July 23, 2008 - 1:33 pm

From Erika Bolstad in Washington D.C. --

The head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is already tallying Alaska in its "win" column.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said today in a briefing with reporters that he's pleased with recent polls showing Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, a Democrat, pulling ahead of Republican Sen. Ted Stevens in the polls. Schumer said he counts the Alaska race as one of five that the DSCC thinks it has a lock on turning red to blue -- the others are in Virginia, New Hampshire, Colorado and New Mexico.

Schumer predicts Begich will do well in Anchorage, and said that when you factor that in with Sen. Ted Stevens' "decline in popularity....we believe we're going to win."

"We think Alaska is a race we're going to win," Schumer said. "Mark Begich is just an incredible candidate. You've got to meet him. He would really do proud in the Senate."

Here's what Rebecca Fisher of the National Republican Senatorial Committee had to say in response: "We obviously think he is wrong on this race and that is because the more voters in Alaska learn about Mark Begich’s dirty little secrets (she cites some of the things they've brought up on this NRSC-sponsored website), the less appealing they will find him."

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3 July 25, 2008 - 12:06am | akmooster

ahh yes....

let's elect marky.
He will fit in so well with the likes of kennedy, sharpton, hillary, reid, schumer, polosie, et al.
They are the politicians who are so in tune with real Alaska and Alaskans.
The best part is that marky will not be saying a word that the idiots named above don't first approve. Of course he will be allowed to speak to the cameras on the weekends when no one is there to listen on CSPAN, but other than that, he will just be their bitch until he gets indicted and goes to jail.
Or, you people can wise up and vote for a candidate of honor and respectability. Someone who isn't afraid to stand up against BS regardless of party affiliation. Join together and say NO MORE CROOKED POLITICIANS FROM OUR STATE, and vote for Ray. You'll feel better for it.

July 25, 2008 - 10:49am | rfn

An amazing number of people

find their headache relieved when they take two tablets of compressed milk solids.

In either case it's a token gesture. If it works for an individual, even if it really does nothing, then it's a good thing. Sort of like voting for "None Of The Above".

Wish it were otherwise.....

2 July 23, 2008 - 3:46pm | I_am_Spartacus

Irony

You have got to love the irony of someone who had his house raided by the FBI and is the subject of a grand jury investigation talking about Mark's "dirty little secrets."

But, when you think about it, he is right. Why would we want someone who only had little secrets? If you are going to be a crook, why not do it Stevens style? If you can't run with the big felons, stay on the porch.

July 24, 2008 - 2:26am | Sheridan_Sheraton

Yeah,

The Dems love Mark Begich.

I bet they loved Jim Duncan when he ran, too. When do you figure he's finally going to be investigated? He Kind of had some shady collusive deals with the Murkowski administration on his way out the door as commisioner.

1 July 23, 2008 - 2:37pm | TheSdog

Chuck Schumer

is the one who is happy if Begich wins.

Time for commercials featuring Marky Mark's favorite Funky Bunch member Chucky in commercials. Perhaps a bit of his ANWR rhetoric?

Begich will make people like Schumer successful in turning AK into nothing but a preserved playground.

July 23, 2008 - 6:17pm | akmc

only one happy?

Well, him, and the majority of voters should he be elected into office.

July 23, 2008 - 3:15pm | rfn

Happiness

would also flow to Schumer because having Mayor Mawk in the senate would make him (Chucky) look so much less Liberal.

July 23, 2008 - 4:48pm | fred280403

Wow, dude....

That is serious delusion on your part if you really believe Mark Begich is to the left of Charles Schumer. Whatever you're smoking, it's quality stuff....

July 23, 2008 - 4:57pm | rfn

Certainly the record

in Seattle-North suggests I'm accurate.

But if one ignores all the local stuff....maybe the boy mayor could be thought of as a wee-tiny bit less Liberal than his friend Schumer.

Start believing that stuff about flying in the face of party policy and opening ANWR and I have a parking lot I'd like to sell you.

July 23, 2008 - 5:21pm | chilcoot

By American Standards....

....Mayor Begich is not particularly liberal. Claim otherwise if you must to give people some reason to oppose his candidacy, the people of Alaska know that's simply not the case. He's moderate, and his record and views are widely supported by Alaskans. It's why so many of us overwhelming re-elected him a couple years back against another cranky old-guard conservative type.

As for that parking lot, I'd like to buy it from rfn, because I question her grip on reality and am confident I could get it for a song. Literally.

July 23, 2008 - 6:20pm | rfn

Finally!

Hey, everybody! I've found one of the folks who gets giddy with glee when the property tax bills come in!

And who gaily gavottes when taking the vehicle to the I/M test!

And gushingly giggles while writing the checks for those benefits of voting Begich!

I knew there had to be at least one!

July 23, 2008 - 8:05pm | chilcoot

Proud to Pay

So this thread is about me now? I thought it was about the senatorial election. I guess we're to talk about me now.

I actually am proud to own property and pay taxes based on its value to support this community. I have a good paying job and have a terrific lifestyle.

I am an adult and know that the services I and others demand from my government (police, fire, roads, schools, libraries, public health, clean air, transit) cost money. And so I'm happy to pay my share. Because I'm mature and know what separates us from low-tax, fend for yourself hellholes like Somalia and Haiti.

Good eye :)

July 23, 2008 - 8:29pm | rfn

Keep on demanding more services

and the whole population will pay more.

But, hey, if that makes you happy!

An awful lot of people are close to being "Begiched" out of being able to even think about buying property in Seattle-North. Not necessarily the price; the taxes. Of course if enough houses go unsold because buyers can't afford to pay the taxes on them then prices will fall. Especially on existing homes.

I will say, though, that Mayor Mawk would make a much better Senator than Representative. That's because tax legislation can only originate in The U.S. House of Representatives. Confining him there will keep him from ramrodding a national property tax.

July 24, 2008 - 11:00am | blue_in_AK

Anchorage residents whining about taxes

when we have no federal or state income tax, no city sales tax, and we get Permanent Fund checks every year. I'm with Chilcoot on this one. If you want services, even basic ones like roads and public safety, the money has to come from somewhere.

July 24, 2008 - 4:03pm | Sheridan_Sheraton

If you want a good paying

If you want a good paying job (to pay those taxes), with good benefits and a respectful workplace you should plan on giving a good campaign donation too.

July 23, 2008 - 8:56pm | chilcoot

Not Sure

Maybe I just travel in better circles, but I've never met anyone who says that their Anchorage property taxes have gone up so far that they can no longer afford to live in Anchorage. I guess in a city of 270,000 that's possible, but I'd guess that the underlying cause of the person's financial distress is probably something other than property taxes.

I do know that these arguments about Begich being a big taxer were the only foundation of Jack Frost's run against the mayor in 2006, and Begich trounced him.

Good luck with that angle, but I don't think enough voters believe that, particularly since Anchorage has been so prosperous of late.

July 23, 2008 - 9:04pm | rfn

Perhaps

you didn't read today's print edition of The ADN.

Or might have overlooked the real estate article in which would-be buyers indicate they have stopped looking at properties in Seattle-North (the city formerly known as "Anchorage"). Not because of the prices - which are falling - but because of the perpetual property tax burden. I can address personally three cases of downsizing couples whose plans to locate in Eagle River changed when they got the estimates on property tax for the houses they were considering. They each have homes of approximately the same design in The Valley and pay about $1,400 less per year in property tax than they might have in ER. Sewer and water much lower, too.

You never know.....The ADN likes to think it's right....but it's never wrong to be suspicious.

So long as you're not seeking to sell your house and don't find the property tax burdensome, all is well.

July 24, 2008 - 4:43pm | akprincess2k

I value my time and gas money so I live in Anchorage

I wonder how all those folks who drive back and forth from Mat-Su feel about their less expensive houses now? Their fuel costs are through the roof, vehicle maintenance costs quite a bit more when you are driving 500 miles a week as opposed to an in-town commute of 14 to 80 miles. And don't they value their time? Or perhaps they are so busy yakking on their cell phones or putting on makeup or drinking $4 lattes that they don't even notice the hours driving by. BTW, Seattle (the real thing) is FAR more expensive a place to live than Anchorage. Sales taxes, high property taxes, a state income tax, etc. And they have true traffic problems, unlike Anchorage whiners who can't handle a ten-minute wait at rush hour at Lake Otis & Tudor. At least Seattle has a real mass transit system but I'll bet they sure are sorry they turned down the light rail/monorail a couple of years back.

July 24, 2008 - 4:57pm | rfn

No question it's poor economics

to commute any distance. Wasn't a smart thing when gas was under $2.00 because of the time factor.

It might make sense for two-income couples when one works in the city and the other in the ever-increasing number of businesses in The Valley. It might have been moreso had the boy mayor not backed off the "gross receipts" tax a while back. It also makes sense for parents who don't want their children growing up in a gang-ridden environment. But for some the economics would override that sort of nonsense.

I would not hold my breath waiting for any kind of light rail from The Valley. Parking and continuation travel at both ends. Varying work schedules, single track roadbed, relatively light passenger load potential (in terms of what it takes to make a rail service pay). More likely, businesses that aren't dependent on walk-in customer drifting off to The Valley and some difficulty in recruiting good employees in town.

The city formerly known as "Anchorage" is at an awkward stage. Not big enough to support an efficient public transit system but big enough to have outgrown existing infrastructure.

The coming depression should help, though, as people do as they did in the 1980's. Tuck those little tails between their legs and run back "home". That'll lower property prices and should lower property taxes accordingly. Not likely, though, because it's a "revenue cap" not a "tax cap". Major mistake there.... rivaling that of Seattle (the original) having turned down real mass transit; something that city is big enough to support.

July 24, 2008 - 11:00am | AKvasari

Well according to a few

Well according to a few national studies, one just recently out of DC, Anchorage has ranked 49th and 50th out of 50 largest cities of each state for property tax burden. we have no income tax, no sales tax and as someone who has lived in 5 other states, i can attest that the property taxes here are certainly not uniquely high. i've never paid so little in taxes and i've lived on both coasts and in the midwest, as well as in europe where the tax burden is certainly heavier in many parts. but then again, they receive services i'd love to have like free and adequate health care, guaranteed subsidized child care, maternity leave for longer than a measily 3 weeks and free high quality post secondary education.

but as for Anchorage, Begich does not control the value of your homes, the market does. and while constituents ask every year for increased services and quality of services, but shoot down any of Begich's or earlier mayors' attempts to relieve property owners from the tax burden by a sales tax or any other similar proposition, any administration is faced with the decision to either tax and give the majority of the constituents the services for which they ask, or to not.

July 24, 2008 - 11:04am | rfn

Which raises the question

of why, when there are places where there's free and adequate health care, guaranteed subsized child care, etc. would anyone in the right mind who likes those things move to Alaska?

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National Dems like Begich's chances