The Anchorage Assembly’s 2026 Legislative Program identifies several budget requests plus advocacy for particular statutory changes and administrative actions, including support of HB 78, which seeks to establish a new defined benefits program for public employees.
Budget Requests
The Assembly’s top budget request is $200 million of state funding for the continuation of the Don Young Port of Alaska Modernization Project (PAMP). The Port of Alaska handles 75% of Alaska’s inbound cargo, drives $14 billion in economic activity annually, and supplies 90% of Alaskans with basic necessities. The project, created in 2014 to create four new terminals, seeks to improve operational safety and efficiency, enable modern shipping operations, and improve resiliency to seismic activity.
The rest of the budget requests are grouped into three main goals: safe, secure, and affordable.
Aiming to make Anchorage a safer place, the Assembly requests $1.5 million for the APD Real-Time Crime Center, which would connect up to 750 camera feeds to a centralized network. They also request $1 million in blight reduction funding, stating that the Municipality has targeted over 200 derelict structures for remediation or demolition. Additionally, they ask for a full contribution to the Community Assistance Fund to be used to enhance public safety via Police and Fire Departments and $200,000 to equip the Anchorage Fire Department with two unmanned aerial systems for emergency response…