Budget advisory commission proposes Reddit 'Ask Me Anything' to boost public engagement

Ian Mills, chair of the Budget Advisory Commission, told the Budget and Finance Committee that the commission is pursuing a public-engagement experiment: a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" session to answer budget questions from Anchorage residents.

"The AMA stands for ask me anything," Mills said, describing a process in which the commission would solicit questions in advance, hold a work session to prepare answers and FAQs, and then post answers and address live questions during a one- to two-hour open window. Mills said staff are working with the moderators of the Anchorage subreddit to ensure the session is properly noticed and does not conflict with forum rules. He added it likely will not happen within the next month but that the committee would hear about it again at the next meeting.

Committee members responded positively to the idea and had no immediate objections. The proposal is intended to expand public education about the municipal budget and the school district's finances; no formal committee action was taken.