Nicholas Danger is one of three candidates running for Anchorage Assembly District 1, representing North Anchorage. We asked each candidate the same five questions and gave them 90 seconds to answer each one. Read the transcript of Danger’s answers below and click the play button above to listen to where he stands. Find the rest of the Anchorage municipal election candidates’ Q&As here.
1. Why should people vote for you for Anchorage Assembly?
Well, I'll tell you why. I've lived here for 49 years in Spenard. I've lived in Girdwood, Eagle River and Anchorage. I'm the only Assembly person that's done that. So I know all the issues of all three of the little cities. I'm not a politician. I'm a regular guy, and I want to do the right thing.
2. What is the single biggest issue facing the city and how would you address it?
I think, as far as I'm concerned, the biggest issue in this town is the only revenue is coming from property tax, and the property owners, as I am one, it's crazy. People retire and they can't even live in their own house. You never will own your house in Anchorage, Alaska, ever, ever, because of the taxes. We have to find another revenue for it. We have to find some way to pay for everything else and everybody's out there. So… sales tax.
3. What do you see as the best way to address Anchorage's trend of outmigration in recent years?
Well, I'll tell you right now, with the taxes, the way they are, getting a place to live, even to rent, is just insane. They're just pushing people away. And back in the 80s, the same thing happened when Tony Knowles was the mayor. They were going to the airport and leaving their cars at the airport and getting on a plane. That's how bad it was. You could buy a house, no money down, a suitable loan, and you own that house. That's how bad it was, and we're going that way right now. That needs to be addressed big time.
4. How would you reduce homelessness in Anchorage?
The only thing that really makes me mad about homelessness is they keep moving them all around. We need to find one place, permanent, and that's where they can go and park their camper or build their tent or whatever. So I don't know, we just keep moving them all over. I've talked to them, they go, ‘Well, you know, I was here for a week. I was there for a week. I was over there for three weeks.’ They need a place to go. You can't make a law where you have to move and not be able to tell them where they need to move to. So that's what makes me mad.
5. How would you improve public safety in Anchorage?
Well, I think that we needed a, well, some of the laws have changed here recently. You know, you could steal $500 from a store. It used to be $50. That needs to be put back in. Jaywalking needs to go. We need more foot patrols. We need more police officers. I know that's hard because they can't find anybody to do it, but, you know, we need to do something then to make it so it's easier to do, or whatever, and then, you know, get the numbers back up. So until that happens, we're just going to have a little problem.
Read the candidate Q&As with Danger’s competitors: Daniel George and Daniel Volland.