Contributed by Alina Rubeo, Candidate for Mayor of Wasilla
Wasilla isn’t simply where I live. It is home.
I was born and raised here. I am a second-generation Wasilla resident, a Wasilla High School graduate, a wife, a mother of four, a small-business owner, a coach and a public servant. This community helped shape who I am, and for nearly 20 years, I have been building businesses, raising my family and investing in the place I have always called home.
Now, I am asking for the opportunity to serve Wasilla as its next mayor.
I have watched our city grow tremendously. Growth brings opportunity: new families, new businesses, new investment and new possibilities. But it also demands leadership that is willing to plan ahead.
We cannot wait until traffic is worse to address transportation. We cannot wait until infrastructure is overwhelmed to plan for it. And we cannot allow growth in government spending to become the automatic answer to every challenge.
Wasilla needs leadership that is prepared to lead today and plan responsibly for tomorrow.
For nearly two decades, I have built and operated successful businesses in this community. Business ownership teaches you quickly that budgets matter, accountability matters and results matter. When challenges arise, you cannot pass responsibility to someone else. You have to listen, make informed decisions, take responsibility and find solutions.
I have brought that same approach to public service.
I served on the Wasilla Planning Commission from 2019 to 2022. I have served on the Wasilla City Council since 2022 and as Deputy Mayor since 2023. That experience has given me a firsthand understanding of our city’s operations, budgets, infrastructure needs and opportunities.
I am not running to learn how Wasilla works. I am running because my experience has prepared me to lead Wasilla forward.
As mayor, infrastructure and transportation will be a top priority. Our roads and major corridors are feeling the pressure of growth. The city must be proactive and persistent in working with the borough, state, DOT and other partners to improve safety, connectivity, utilities and long-term infrastructure.
I will also remain committed to fiscal responsibility. I do not support increasing the city sales tax or adding a city property tax. I want to protect Wasilla’s zero property-tax mill rate, grow our tax base through economic opportunity, support businesses, pursue grants and partnerships when they make financial sense and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.
Public safety must remain a core responsibility of city government. Our families deserve safe neighborhoods, our businesses deserve a community where they can confidently invest, and our police department deserves the resources and support necessary to do its job effectively.
But leadership is about more than policies and budgets. It is about how you lead.
I believe in showing up, listening, doing my homework and asking hard questions. I believe people deserve to know where their mayor stands. I believe in transparency and accountability, even when they are uncomfortable. I will work with people who have different perspectives, because good ideas do not belong to one person or one side.
And when a difficult decision has to be made, I will make it and stand behind it.
As Wasilla continues to grow, I also want to protect something that cannot be measured on a balance sheet: the character of our community.
Some families have called Wasilla home for generations. Others arrived recently and chose to build their lives here. Both are important to our future. We can welcome new businesses, families and opportunities while preserving the sense of community that makes Wasilla special.
The next three years will matter. The decisions we make about growth, infrastructure, public safety and spending will help determine what Wasilla looks like for years to come.
I am ready for that responsibility.
My roots are here. My businesses are here. My family is here. My record of public service is here.
Wasilla is home.
On October 6, I humbly ask for your vote for Mayor of Wasilla.
Born Here. Built Here. Ready to Lead.
