OPINION: Some questions about Anchorage’s public restroom proposal

Let’s talk about toilets. yes. That’s the topic of today’s morning coffee. toilet.

If you’re reading this while drinking your morning latte, you’re probably well aware of how important it is to go to the bathroom right after you finish your coffee. So the idea of ​​installing clean and fairly sanitary toilets in public places, as opposed to the infamous foyer toilets we’ve all known and loved since the first band concerts, made sense. Masu. Having traveled to most developing countries in Asia and Africa, I cannot stress enough how important public toilets are. Especially the type that doesn’t want to die.

I recently came across the type of toilet that Congress resolved to buy and try in European Anchorage. they were great. clean. There is no unpleasant odor. Toilet paper that didn’t feel like the streamer went bad. Some public toilets in France were better than those found in many hotels.

Which brings us back to the $5 million worth of public restrooms that Congress will put before voters this spring. And remember, these are the same voters who voted against school bonds and library bonds. We are now asking them to buy toilets instead of books, but I wonder how that will play out in the coming months of the campaign.

I follow Congress’s efforts pretty closely. Still, this toilet bond somehow jumped out at me and surprised me. I doubt that much information was released before the bond was set for voter approval. Perhaps the idea is to finally put more information on the airwaves about public restrooms than we would have liked.

As a bleeding-heart liberal, I support these toilets. As someone who once wandered the streets of Kathmandu in search of a place of solace, I sincerely hope to be able to support them with all my might. However, I noticed that I was missing a lot of information that I thought was important.

So, whoever is stepping up the movement to have decent public restrooms in our communities, there are some questions that I really need to answer. First, who will clean it? How many people will be needed for the job? Will they be new employees for the city? Are the toilets connected to the city’s water and sewer lines? Are they checked regularly to make sure someone hasn’t made a mess like the one that gave the porta potty such a great name? By regularly, I mean several times a day. Will it be located downtown? Will it be connected for use all winter long, even after the tourists have left?

These are just some of the questions I have before voting for what is essentially a $500,000 toilet. My house has two bathrooms and the entire house costs a lot less than that.

I don’t know what kind of amenities are included in a 500,000 yen toilet. I just know that a toilet that costs that much should come with amenities. I’m not asking a butler to stand at the door and hand out warm towels. I’m not talking about four-ply toilet paper. I’m simply asking what you get for that price. Are these things covered under warranty even if they don’t make it through the winter? And please tell me that for $500,000 I can expect them to work all winter long.

Yes, that’s true about public restrooms that don’t immediately trigger a bark reflex. Yes, it is a public toilet that can be used by the general public. When tourists no longer have to hide behind buildings to relieve themselves, it becomes even more attractive as a tourist destination. And let’s be honest, homeless people shouldn’t either.

Considering the cost, I’m worried about the future of these toilets. The public generally does not support bonds of any kind. Not to mention a bathroom bond that costs more than your house and car combined.

I think these toilets will have a very interesting campaign season. It’s even more interesting than the (so far unofficial) proposal to permanently name the snowy roadside patch “Bronson.”

Elise Patkotak I’m a columnist and author from Alaska. Her book “Coming Into the City” is available below. AlaskaBooksandCalendars.com And a local bookstore.

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