It was a big week: Our I-M Rally, Palin Rally, ASD Debate, Community Council Talk and More!

Last week was a hoot! I met Adam Tromsley and Robin Phillips for 6:30 coffee on Tuesday and Wednesday preparing for our I/M Saturday. Tuesday at 5, the BP Employee PAC interviewed me and later that night I made a little speech to about 600 mostly Alaska Native friends at Tudor Bingo. On Wednesday, Leyla Santiago of Channel 2 interviewed me for the Thursday night news hour and that evening my opponent and I met at ASD for a ‘debate’ on children issues. Thursday began early with Resource Development Council and a commercial taping that afternoon followed by the Scenic Park candidate night. Saturday was our big I/M Day at Boniface and N. Lights where we collected several dozen signatures for a petition to the Assembly that the OUTDATED I/M ordinance be repealed (download a paper copy of the I/M Petition Below, or SIGN THE PETITION ONLINE HERE). That afternoon, I raced off to the Dena’ina Anchorage Convention Center for a Palin Rally (See Pics) and gave a speech (Click here) on the important role the oil and gas industry plays in sustaining our education, public safety and road program and Governor Palin’s importance as a national energy spokesperson.

Petition to repeal the Muni I/M Ordinance:

Friends: Anchorage has not exceeded Co2 levels set by the 1977 Federal Clean Air Act, since 2001. While Assembly Members appear to be well intended in their effort to maintain the I/M program (enacted in 1985 to meet Federal requirements) current I/M inspections are unnecessary and impose the equivalent of a regressive tax on Anchorage families. It is a classic government program which has outlived its purpose, collecting between $60-68/car plus an average repair bill for failing vehicles of nearly $300. Some think continuing I/M could ‘proactively’ head off future pollution problems or save vendors from having unneeded test equipment. But the I/M program extracts revenue for an outdated purpose from citizens (about $9 million/year) for government programs (I/M staff, etc.) and for the benefitted inspectors. This petition is circulated as a public service to inform decision makers of public opinion. Below is additional information for those desiring to pursue a Referendum effort. I urge anyone wishing more information to seek expertise from the Municipal and I/M experts, as I have, and draw an independent conclusion based on the facts. Dave Harbour

(Note: This is not necessarily just an Anchorage Municipal issue. If a cost is to be imposed on citizens for improvement of air quality, there is a public policy question of whether that cost and duty should be imposed on all citizens or just the citizens of certain cities. dh, 10-4-08)

If citizens wish to follow up with an initiative drive you may find information on how to begin to abolish the I/M Program below:

Potential Initiative Language:

“Title: Abolishing the Motor Emission Inspection and Maintenance Program (AMC 15.80.010 and sections of 15.85).

Body: Anchorage’s Motor Vehicle’s Emissions and Inspection Maintenance Program shall be abolished. Phase out of the program shall be at the earliest opportunity consistent with State and Federal oversight programs.”

Petition Submittal Information: (The Municipal Clerk’s Office advises that, “once a petition has been approved for circulation, you have 90 days to collect the signatures. The number of signatures of qualified voters required is 7054 (10% of the number who voted in the last regular Mayoral election). The initiative and referendum procedures appear in the Municipal Charter under Section 3.02 and Municipal Code Section 2.50. Click here to view Municipal Charter 3.02. Click here to view Municipal Code 2.50 as of July 12, 2006. Please see Municipal Code for updates.

Basic Steps of a Petition

Click here for the PDF file of the Petition Application and here for the Word file. Petition forms:

www.muni.org/assembly2/Petition.cfm

Petition Application:

1. Provide a Primary sponsor and an Alternate petition sponsor.
2. Prepare petition language.
3. Collect signatures of 10 qualified municipal voters who agree to act as sponsors.
4. Submit petition application to the Municipal Clerk.

Petition Application Review:

1. Municipal Attorney reviews petition language for legal sufficiency, or lack thereof.
2. Municipal Clerk verifies the sponsors are qualified municipal voters.
3. Petition Primary sponsor is notified if petition application is certified.
4. If petition application is not certified, Primary sponsor is notified and provided with the Municipal Attorney’s memorandum.

Petition Circulation:

1. 1. Municipal Clerk prepares master form to be used to gather signatures. The Municipal Clerk shall not be responsible for reproducing copies of the master form.
2. 2. Petition sponsors circulate petition. Petition signatures must be secured within 90 days from the date of first actual circulation.
3. 3. Petition Primary sponsor submits petition signatures to Municipal Clerk.
4. 4. Municipal Clerk verifies the signatures to determine if signers are qualified municipal voters.
5. 5. Primary sponsor is notified if the petition meets the number of qualified municipal voters, or lack thereof.
6. 6. If there are insufficient signatures to certify the petition, the sponsors will have 10 days from the date the Municipal Clerk mails the notification to the Primary sponsor to provide the Municipal Clerk with clear and convincing evidence that signatures not counted were in fact signatures of qualified voters.