Anchorage Assembly overrides Mayor’s veto on sheltering costs

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - On Tuesday night, the Anchorage Assembly along with Mayor Dave Bronson and his administration met to discuss topics surrounding homelessness in the municipality, including a previous veto from Bronson.

At the July 12 meeting, the assembly passed an ordinance that would appropriate $2.8 million from the municipal areawide fund, moving the money into their COVID-19 fund in hopes of being reimbursed later. However, acting Municipal Attorney Mario Bird said the municipality will not get reimbursed.

“This veto has nothing to do with spending money to pay for the use of the Aviator Hotel as part of the homelessness response. My veto is strictly because of where we are appropriating those funds from. We can not spend money in the name of COVID-19 response and then try to get FEMA reimbursement if there is no state or local public health emergency,” Bronson said.

The funds are to be given to the Anchorage Health Department to be used for sheltering costs that include:

• Labor
• Supplies
• Professional services
• Mass care
• Other expenses required to preserve and protect the public safety, health, and welfare from COVID-19

These funds assist the health department in covering the costs of sheltering between July 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022, but Bronson wanted the money to be taken out of the Alcohol Beverages Retail Sales Tax Fund.

The veto was overridden by the assembly.

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