Anchorage Republicans Declare War on…The Tax Assessor?

In a political landscape increasingly defined by performative outrage and misplaced blame, the Anchorage Republican Women’s Club (ARWC) has once again managed to set a new, bewildering standard. Yesterday, they posted a bizarre defense of East Anchorage Assembly candidate Cody Anderson, complete with a photo of a donation to his campaign.

The post decries an alleged conspiracy to "get Cody off the ballot." ARWC points to Anderson's opponent, George Martinez, as one culprit, and, in a breathtaking leap of illogic, the city’s tax assessor.

The ARWC, seemingly unaware that tax assessors primarily deal with math and rules, has essentially accused an unidentified municipal employee of belonging to a secret, shadowy cabal designed to thwart the will of East Anchorage voters.

Let's unpack.

For those unfamiliar with the unique flavor of Bronson-era Anchorage conservative rhetoric, I must mention that ARWC's President is former Bronson official Judy Eledge, who was tasked with dismantling the Anchorage Public Library system. Her public statements and social media presence over the years have long been a masterclass in grievance politics, often characterized by a complete disregard for facts, a penchant for conspiracy theories, and a rather uncanny ability to turn administrative processes into epic battles against unseen "leftist" forces.

Anyway, the "controversy" surrounding Assembly candidate Cody Anderson is rather straightforward, if inconvenient for ARWC's preferred narrative. Anderson, who previously ran for office in Eagle River (District 2), is now seeking to represent East Anchorage (District 5). Municipal code, that pesky collection of rules designed to ensure fair representation, dictates that an Assembly candidate must reside in their district for at least one year prior to the election.

Here’s where the tax assessor, the alleged puppet master of this grand conspiracy, enters the picture. As reported, Anderson’s Eagle River property was, until recently, receiving a residential tax exemption. For those not versed in the arcane arts of property taxation, this exemption is reserved for one's primary residence. Simultaneously, Anderson's candidacy filing for the East Anchorage seat lists a property at the artist formerly known as Anchorage Baptist Temple.

The irony of Anderson claiming residency at the former Anchorage Baptist Temple is thick enough to choke on. This is, after all, the same institution that famously engaged in a decade-long legal cage match with the municipality over its own "oopsie" regarding tax-exempt status. You can read about that bit of interesting history here. Interesting factaroo, the judge at the time said ABT was engaging in "loosey-goosey" behavior.

Even more telling is the current property listing itself: while the church spent resources rebranding as "Mountain City Church" to shed its "temple" baggage, the Municipal Property Listing still shows the owner as the Anchorage Baptist Temple, making this a fitting home for a candidate whose own residency records are just as blurry.

Now, a reasonable person might deduce that the appearance of having two primary residences across different districts, especially when one is receiving a tax break intended for owner-occupancy, would raise a few eyebrows. The tax assessor’s office, in its mundane but essential function, is simply tasked with verifying such details, likely at the direction of the Municipal Clerk, who received a complaint with respect to Anderson's candidacy. Their "effort" to clarify Anderson's residency status is quite simply their job.

While Anderson may genuinely believe the discrepancies were "administrative errors," as he has claimed, the ARWC's decision to transform a residency challenge and tax inquiry into a battle against "the city’s tax assessor" is dangerously stupid.