Council Narrowly Rejects PANDAA Request

Jay Barrett/KMXT
The vote over the controversial resolution asking the Kodiak City Council to declare a federal law unconstitutional had to go to a mayoral tie-breaker last night. The resolution, suggested by local followers of the group “People Against the National Defense Authorization Act,” or PANDAA, was tied three-three on the six-man council, forcing Mayor Pat Branson to cast the deciding vote:
“I am going to give you the reasons why I’m going to vote no on this. I think the PANDAA group has been very passionate. It’s not that I disagree with some of the things they brought up. Originally when this was passed in 2011, I was kind of shaking my fist at Congress, saying, ‘what the heck are you doing?’ I think Congressman Young has stated that as well. However, it’s up to congress to change this.”
Branson suggested the PANDAA group put their campaign against the National Defense Authorization Act to a vote of the people of the entire borough, or perhaps even to the state legislature.
“It’s not that I disagree with some of the points that have been raised. I think probably every council member agrees with that. But I think if you want to make this more meaningful for a community, you need to take it outside the city limits.”
Mayor Branson’s no-vote joined the no votes of councilmen Charlie Davidson, Gabriel Saravia and John Whiddon. Councilmen Terry Haines, Rich Walker and Randy Bishop voted in favor of passage.
We’ll have a follow up story next week with the reasons the councilmen voted the way they did.