Midtown is at a crossroads, and as someone who’s lived here for nearly 30 years, I’ve seen what happens when we prioritize politics over people. I’m running for the Anchorage Assembly because I’m tired of watching our community struggle with the same issues year after year. My background isn’t in career politics; it’s in nursing, running a small business, and working as a paralegal. In those roles, you have to be able to listen if you stand any real chance of solving problems.

Take public safety. We all want to feel safe in our neighborhoods, but we can’t just keep doing the same things and expecting a different result. I’m a huge supporter of the Mobile Crisis Team because it has been proven to work. It gets mental health professionals to the people who need them so our police officers can get back to doing the jobs they were trained for. It’s about being smart with our resources so our first responders aren’t stretched thin.

Then there’s housing. We’ve all seen the “For Lease” signs, dilapidated buildings and empty lots. I want to cut the red tape that makes it so hard to build in this city. We should be revitalizing our underused commercial areas and turning them into workforce housing. It’s a way to grow our economy and give families a place to live without affecting the feel of the neighborhoods we love.

One of the biggest honors of this campaign has been receiving the sole endorsement of the Anchorage Education Association. We are losing our best teachers and paraprofessionals to the Lower 48 because we can’t afford to give them a secure retirement or the pay they deserve. If we want a strong Alaska, we have to invest in the people who keep it running, and that starts with our schools. Educators: On the Assembly, I will have your backs.

I’ve spent 18 years running a water treatment business and decades fighting for women and families as a paralegal. I’m ready to bring that same grit to the Assembly to make sure Midtown is a place where our kids want to stay and build their own lives.

I’m Janice Park, and I’d be honored to have your vote on April 7.

Janice Park is a candidate for Anchorage Assembly District 4 Seat G.