Bronson cites $2 billion PFD cost in pitch to Alaska voters

Former Anchorage mayor Dave Bronson said his background as a city executive makes him the strongest candidate for governor, a claim he presented to listeners on the statewide radio program Talk of Alaska earlier this week. The Republican, who finished third in the August primary, positioned his experience as distinct from other fields he has worked in.

“This isn't business. This isn't the military,” Bronson said. “I've been in both of those and led in positions in both of those. This is a political executive position. It's not legislative, and I've got the best resume.”

The interview occurred after Bronson’s single term as mayor ended amid legal disputes and public scrutiny. He described working with an adversarial Assembly that frequently opposed his initiatives on issues such as homelessness and the pandemic response. He recalled instances where supportive assembly members reportedly voted against his proposals to prevent him from claiming a political victory.

“Friendly Assembly members would tell us they'd go into executive session and they would say, ‘You know what they just said? Bronson's idea is a good idea. But we're going to vote against it because we're not going to give Bronson a win on anything,’” Bronson said. “And I got that multiple times.”

Bronson also addressed his standing in the race against Republican Bernadette Wilson, who placed second in the August primary behind Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins. While acknowledging they share conservative views, Bronson questioned Wilson’s management skills, citing her handling of personal and business finances over the previous 15 or 18 years.

The candidates have drawn sharp contrasts on the Permanent Fund Dividend. Wilson has promised to adhere to the statutory formula, a move Bronson estimates will cost the state more than $2 billion. Bronson stated he would also propose a full statutory dividend in his budget but expects the Legislature to reject the cost.

“I'm going to provide a full statutory PFD, and then I'm going to dump that mess on the Legislature,” Bronson said. “And then by mid-March or April, they're going to have to figure it out.” Bronson was the final gubernatorial candidate to appear on the show; Wilson canceled her scheduled appearance this month to attend a rally in Wasilla.