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Mayoral Challenger Paul Honeman Hopes for Come-From-Behind WinSaid city needs a change in leadershipRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - Absentee voting has already begun, and next Tuesday the rest of anchorage voters will head to the polls. They'll choose from six men to be the next mayor of the city. Incumbent Dan Sullivan and Assemblyman Paul Honeman appear to have the most support judging by a recent poll. In a recent survey conducted by Dittman Research and Communications, 500 Anchorage voters were asked who they'd they vote for – Mayor Dan Sullivan came out in front with 56 percent of the vote. But his closest opponent, Assemblyman Paul Honeman, who polled at 35 percent, isn't letting that get in the way of his campaigning. “It's great; the energy is just building, we've got the enthusiasm… the support is just building and building," Honeman said. In the final days of the campaign Honeman and his supporters are trying to reach as many voters as possible. "A good part of me said we wish we had another month or so to capitalize and plug into the energy," Honeman said. So what are some of the big issues Paul Honeman, who said he's neither a Democrat nor Republican, will tackle if elected? Restoring confidence in the budget finances of the municipality is just one. "This administration would like you to believe we are broke and we can't afford government and labor is expensive and can't afford the services that we're paying for,” Honeman said, “but in fact we really can." He also said the school district's budget needs to be better managed, with a three to five year budget plan that includes the known costs. "If you can say our student baseline for education, we know what labor is going to cost us, we know what the benefits typically cost, how much our food service program going to cost," Honeman said, “and then the only unknowns [are] going to be the costs of fuel – energy costs." Honeman said the current administration is taxing people more money and not showing anything for it. "27 and a half million dollars this administration's had, and 12 and a half percent increase since [Sullivan has] been the mayor, and yet we have more money in surplus that came at the expense of no services – less services – and programs, libraries shut down parks programs being eliminated, less police, less fire," Honeman said. Honeman said he'll concentrate on maintaining the city's infrastructure but isn't opposed to new development. "If we need to build roads or build infrastructure that will help business and help our residence to a better quality of life, let's do it. A lot of our opportunities will be seen in Girdwood, Eagle River Chugiak Birchwood area," Honeman said. And the big talking point on next months ballot: Proposition 5, which, if passed, will give legal protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or transgender identity. Does Honeman believe the commercials produced by the “Vote No” campaign – which many find offensive due to its cartoon depiction of a cross-dresser – should be pulled from the air? "People have the right under the first amendment to say a lot of things,” Honeman said. “Do I personally believe so? Sure. But it's clearly up to the group which is supporting their message they have the right to say what they want to say." Absentee voting has already begun with the official polling day next Tuesday. On Friday’s broadcast we'll bring you an interview with Mayor Dan Sullivan speaking on some of the key issues leading up to election. |
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Anonymous said on Friday, Mar 30 at 11:34 AM
he is as guilty as that PA coach for not reporting a rape of a human being...and he thinks he will get elected? really?
86028816Raven33 said on Friday, Mar 30 at 12:29 PM
Now lets hear from the other 5 candidates. P. Honeman will not win and needs to realize he is in danger of losing the position he has now. How much is his inaction going to cost the city when we pay out millions to the women raped by Rollins? Honeman has a part to play in this fiasco!
86034376Jim said on Friday, Mar 30 at 12:44 PM
Paul Honeman, as an APD supervisor, authorized the illegal arrest of petitioner Uwe Kalinka and attorney Karen Bretz at the Sulivan Arena, when Mr. Kalenka was campaigning against Honeman for a board seat on Chugiak Electric. The decision cost Anchorage over $50,000 in compensation to Mr. Kalenka and Ms. Bretz, plus other costs and penalties for his illegal and arbitrary act. Honeman has used government power before in ways that are illegal and arbitrary, to support his personal goals. Honeman is not the type of person I'd want to exercise the power of the Mayor's office.
86035986Dan Harrington said on Friday, Mar 30 at 4:02 PM
Honeman has done quite enough damage from his seat on the assembly, we don't need him as mayor. He's trying to buy votes with his support of the gay rights legislation which will doom Anchorage to billions in imaginary discrimination law suits. Sometime you don't get hired, or get fired because you can't do the job, not because your gay. Grow up.
86054364dz311 said on Saturday, Mar 31 at 12:26 AM
What about the character of Dan Sullivan. If he wins will he have his mistress swear him in again while his poor humiliated wife stands by? He has cut vital services: People Mover, the police and fire departments. Dan is against equal rights. There will be no more law suits from Gay people than there are from disabled, minorities etc. If a person has a legitimate complaint they should be heard. If a case is without merit I'm sure any judge would throw the case out. I think Paul Honeman is an honorable man. He is easy to talk to. He does a lot of things behind the scenes to help people in which he never toots his own horn. He does these helpful things because it the right thing to do. He does not treat others as if they were above or beneath him. If you were a homeless person or a top business exec he would give you a chance to speak and express yourself. Paul Honeman has my vote and he deserves yours.
86079004Lluna said on Saturday, Mar 31 at 11:13 AM
dz311 said today at 12:26 AM "Paul Honeman has my vote and he deserves yours." ................................................. well that's because your gay and think he really cares about your kind.
86112746Phoenix said on Saturday, Mar 31 at 3:26 PM
Dan Sullivan has my vote. We have seen what APD has been like with P. Honeman and that man has NO BUSINESS anywhere near a position of power!
86126244bigeed said on Tuesday, Apr 3 at 6:02 PM
hi i think Paul Honeman has a good track record and should be given the same chance as everyone for the seat of mayor he has done alot for anchorage and we need to respect that fact and he subports Community Patrols they do alot for us--Honeman stated mayor’s attempts to claim public safety as his issue and telling reporters that Sullivan only embraced it as Election Day nears and that is a proven fact the mayor did infact do that very thing
86374223Raven33 said on Wednesday, Apr 4 at 11:56 AM
Hey Paul... Still hoping for a comeback???
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