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Kyle Hopkins

Kyle Hopkins writes about Anchorage city government and politics. He covered last year's campaign for governor, and has blogged extensively about Alaska politics for the past year. He grew up in Southeast Alaska and was a reporter at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and Anchorage Press. E-mail Kyle at khopkins@adn.com

Sean Cockerham

Sean Cockerham writes about Alaska state politics. He spent three years based in Juneau for the Daily News before joining the Tacoma News-Tribune two years ago 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. Now he's back in Anchorage. E-mail Sean at scockerham@adn.com

Erika Bolstad

Erika Bolstad covers Alaska issues, including the congressional delegation, from Washington, D.C., for McClatchy Newspapers. Before joining the bureau this summer, 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.

Where they make their money

Posted by Alaska_Politics

Posted: May 7, 2008 - 5:42 pm

From Kyle Hopkins in Anchorage --

It never hurts to show where politicians get their money. What stocks they own, who they do business with and who they work for.

But for city officials, those financial disclosure reports still aren't online. At least not on any city or state Web site.

So here's a look at the most recent reports from the Mayor and the new Assembly. They cover calendar year 2007.

Side note: Assemblyman Dan Coffey's report has more pages than "The Great Gatsby."

Mayor Mark Begich

City Manager Mike Abbott

Assemblyman Chris Birch

Assemblyman Matt Claman

Assemblyman Dan Coffey

Assemblywoman Harriet Drummond

Assemblyman Patrick Flynn

Assemblywoman Elvi Gray-Jackson

Assemblyman Mike Gutierrez

Assemblywoman Jennifer Johnston

Assemblywoman Debbie Ossiander

Assemblywoman Sheila Selkregg

Assemblyman Bill Starr

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3 May 9, 2008 - 12:14am | carmina_guidenvio

Did anyone notice

that Elvira's APOC reports that she works for the Municipality of Anchorage, and her retirement is from the MOA. Every Municipality employee is accountable to the mayor. Her form said she did whatever jobs she was assigned to. The mayor would be the one assigning the job. Does anyone else smell a conflict?

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May 11, 2008 - 9:48pm | akprincess2k

Elvi HAS resigned

These are 2007 reports, as required, and Elvi worked for ML&P right up until the election and resigned shortly after that so that she could legally take her hard-won seat on the Assembly. Candidates have to file these reports when they sign up to run, and already-elected officials have to file them I think in February or March.

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May 12, 2008 - 9:41am | akmooster

her hard won seat??

puleeze.
She got it via a well-timed and well-planned lawsuit.
In a fair election she would not have even beaten (fill in the blank with anyone).
she first received an unethical gift of an 80k a year made up job from begich and then wins by default via the court system and her co-conspirator.

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May 12, 2008 - 12:47pm | AK_Lady

Exactly.

How do those people sleep at night? Repulsive.

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May 12, 2008 - 3:42pm | rfn

Please.

You're speaking of folks like your next very own U.S. Senator. Don't believe me, ask either of them.

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May 9, 2008 - 10:11am | I_am_Spartacus

Except....

that she had to resign her job with the Muni as soon as she took office as an Assembly member. She is no longer a Muni employee.

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May 9, 2008 - 10:29am | carmina_guidenvio

Where did you hear that she

Where did you hear that she resigned from? I heard her talking at election central and telling someone that she did not have to resign, nor would she. I also heard her talking to Jim Posey at an assembly meeting about her job and stuff she had to do. It doesnt sound like she was ever planning on resigning.

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May 9, 2008 - 10:27pm | akmooster

Hey Kyle...

I agree this would be a huge conflict and I thought she had to resign too. Did she? Is she still at ML&P? If she is, she works for and at the pleasure of the mayor (who made the job for her after she got fired from the assembly office).
If she is still working, that is huge.

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May 9, 2008 - 4:18pm | AKvasari

she worked for the AK

she worked for the AK railroad. and before that she worked in the city's clerk's office. i don't believe that made her an elected official. if anything, it gave her valuable experience for her position now. and calling her elvira is immature. grow up. i'm sure you're no 10 yourself.

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May 10, 2008 - 1:48am | carmina_guidenvio

I'm sorry

I think you missed a few things. Maybe you missed it, but in the space where she wrote her name and signed it on the form, she signed "Elvira." That is her legal name, that is her license plate, and that is what I will call her. There is nothing immature about calling someone their name.
I think you also missed where she wrote that she works for the Municipality of Anchorage. She also put ML&P, but if she really worked for ML&P, then why does her retirement come from the Municipality of Anchorage. If her retirement comes from the MOA, then also, shouldn't her paycheck?

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2 May 8, 2008 - 7:30pm | snowline

YowZA

Lordy, Lordy Coffey and Johnston have some major buckaroos! $$$

So Johnston may not wind up serving out her remaining 2+ years per constituents. The poor thing looks so incredibly miserable that it breaks your heart to look at her sit there.

Other than "yes" or "no", she never speaks a single word. No poor soul should have to sit there looking as if they've just had a root canal. Perhaps it wasn't what she expected?

I feel for her and if she opts out, I really hope someone who truly wants to serve steps up to the plate that wants to be there.

I think John Tracy is in her district. Maybe he'll run?

Aside from that, very interesting data Kyle and thank you for sharing it!!!

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May 11, 2008 - 9:51pm | akprincess2k

What makes you think...

...Johnston is resigning?

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1 May 8, 2008 - 12:22pm | corafl

Why is it if I forgot to

Why is it if I forgot to file in required info, my form any govenment type would be denied? Just glacing I see Gulierrez forgot to put Date & Place signed/filed. Not picking just on him, some forgot place but did date it.

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