Economy

Affordable Housing • Defined Benefits

By the end of the 2024 term, Chris hopes to:

Reverse the trend of out-migration and population loss in Anchorage.

Reduce job vacancies in municipal government to background levels.

Nurture and encourage hospitality and tourism businesses to maintain and build Anchorage as a world-class destination.

Support and encourage jobs that offer a living wage to employees.

Reduce the cost and increase the availability of affordable housing.

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The Challenges to Overcome

Anchorage is Alaska’s hub community; the air crossroads of the world and a major cargo hub. People from all over the state and the world come to Anchorage to live, work, and play. Unfortunately, the Anchorage people see today is not the once-vibrant and livable city it used to be. It has fallen into disarray thanks to years of political chaos and mismanagement which has damaged our economy and quality of life.

There are a number of factors that contribute to the loss of population in Anchorage. Housing costs, the lack of competitive salaries and benefits for career Muni and ASD employees, a deterioration of the quality of Anchorage schools, to name a few.

The Cost & Availability of Housing

can be addressed in part by:

Streamlining permitting processes for construction.

Providing incentives for the construction of new high density housing at all price points.

Provide incentives for the conversion of large vacation rental properties into long-term housing.

Facilitate the conversion of unused commercial space into residential space.

Chris will provide incentives for individual and commercial property owners to convert short-term vacation rentals into long-term housing. Where applicable, Chris will provide clear administrative hurdles and provide incentives for vacant commercial properties to be converted to housing.

Workforce Retention & Job Opportunities

Much of the loss in population and workforce in Anchorage is due to the comparative loss of attractive jobs, particularly for State, Muni and ASD employees. People are leaving Anchorage because there simply isn’t enough education and job opportunities and families don’t feel safe in their neighborhoods and in their places of recreation. Salary, benefits and working conditions are much more attractive Outside. Reinstating defined benefit plans would be a huge step towards retaining Municipal, State and ASD employees.

Chris Tuck will do everything in his power to reinstate defined benefit plans for municipal employees, as well as advocating with the Alaska Legislature and Governor to reinstate these plans for state employees.

Anchorage needs a mayor that has a vision to get Anchorage back on track and the proven leadership necessary to make it happen. I will advance policies that improve the lives of everyday Alaskans. I will work to ensure we have a thriving economy, good-paying jobs, and affordable housing and I will work with stakeholders to foster a flourishing, vibrant and livable Anchorage – our residents, our business community, our labor unions, and especially the nonprofit sector which is working overtime to address many of the challenges we face. We need to invest in and create fair-wage jobs to lift everyone and give them the opportunity to contribute to our economy.

A thriving and stable economy in Anchorage benefits all of Alaska.

Working together for our future.

Homelessness

Ethical Government

There are three hallmarks of each plan:

Goals

Each issue will have clear, measurable goals and benchmarks.

Roadmap

A roadmap to address each issue, with specific examples and initiatives needed to achieve the goals.

Stakeholders

A recognition and invitation for all stakeholders* to participate in the planning and execution of the solutions.

*These groups include the Mayor’s Office, the Anchorage Assembly, Municipal government, state and federal government, business leaders, faith-based and nonprofit groups, community councils, civic groups and any other stakeholders.