Government as Service Provider, Not Social Engineer
Policy Position Paper: Government as Service Provider, Not Social Engineer
By Dana Raffaniello, Candidate for Mat-Su Borough Assembly, District 2
I. Executive Summary: The Mission Drift Crisis
Local government exists to provide essential services—roads, police, fire, emergency medical services, utilities, and infrastructure. These are the foundational functions that justify taxation and public trust. Yet increasingly, our public institutions are being hijacked by activist agendas that transform schools into ideological battlegrounds and libraries into litigation minefields.
The result is predictable: mission drift, service degradation, and institutional paralysis.
When government tries to parent our children, engineer social outcomes, and impose ideological conformity, it stops doing what it’s actually supposed to do—serve the public efficiently, constitutionally, and impartially.
This policy paper outlines a clear alternative: return government to its core functions, protect taxpayers from activist litigation, and restore community trust through transparency and service excellence.
II. Respecting the Will of the People: Term Limits and Democratic Accountability
The District 1 Model vs. The District 2 Problem
Leadership legitimacy flows from the consent of the governed—not from incumbent entrenchment. District 1’s incumbent, at the end of his second term, chose not to run again, honoring the spirit of term limits and respecting the voice of the people who favored rotation in leadership.
In contrast, my opponent in District 2 is seeking a third term, despite clear public sentiment favoring new leadership.
This is not merely a political calculation—it is a disrespect to the democratic rhythm of our borough and a signal that personal agenda has overtaken public service.
When Officials Ignore the People’s Will
The pattern is unmistakable: When an office holder ignores the will of the people and clings to power beyond reasonable tenure, it reveals their true priority—advancing their personal agenda rather than serving as the people’s representative.
This matters because:
Entrenchment breeds detachment: Long-serving officials become insulated from community concerns and accountable only to special interests
Agenda over service: Officials who overstay their welcome are pursuing their vision, not the voters’ will
Democratic fatigue: When the same voices dominate year after year, civic engagement atrophies and trust erodes
Institutional capture: Extended tenure allows officials to stack boards, control processes, and shape institutions to reflect their ideology rather than community values
The office belongs to the people—not to the person occupying it. When officials forget this, they transform from servants into rulers.
My Commitment
I support voluntary term limits and will advocate for formal mechanisms to ensure elected officials do not entrench themselves against the will of the voters. If elected, I will serve with the understanding that:
The people’s voice matters more than my ambitions
Fresh perspectives strengthen governance
Democratic rotation prevents institutional capture
Service means knowing when to step aside
Public office is a temporary trust, not a permanent entitlement.
III. The Core Services Mandate
What Government Should Do
Local government has one legitimate job: provide the essential services that communities cannot efficiently provide for themselves. This includes:
Public Safety: Police, fire, EMS, emergency preparedness
Infrastructure: Roads, water, sewer, drainage, snow removal
Land Use: Zoning, building codes, property records
Parks & Recreation: Trails, facilities, community spaces
Administrative Services: Elections, assessments, tax collection
These services are non-partisan, non-ideological, and universally necessary. They don’t require government to take positions on social issues, impose values on families, or override parental authority.
What Government Should Not Do
Government should not:
Act as a surrogate parent, making decisions about children’s identity, values, or beliefs
Use public institutions to advance activist social agendas
Override community standards in the name of “progress” or “inclusion”
Expose taxpayers to endless litigation by importing culture war controversies
Prioritize ideological conformity over operational excellence
The principle is simple: If it’s not about delivering services efficiently and constitutionally, it’s not government’s job.
III. Case Study: How Social Agendas Undermine Core Services
A. Libraries: From Community Asset to Legal Liability
Public libraries should be safe, welcoming spaces for literacy, learning, and community access. But activist litigation has turned them into culture war flashpoints.
The Problem:
Leftist groups file lawsuits demanding that libraries include sexually explicit and ideologically charged materials in collections accessible to minors
These materials often violate Alaska Statute § 11.61.128, which prohibits distributing indecent content to minors
Borough staff are caught between activist demands and community standards, creating legal exposure from both directions
Library resources are diverted from literacy programs, technology access, and community events to legal defense and culture war compliance
The Cost:
Legal fees drain budgets meant for books, programming, and facilities
Staff morale collapses under ideological pressure and public controversy
Families lose trust in libraries as safe spaces for children
The library’s core mission—promoting reading and learning—gets lost in the noise
The Solution:
Assembly member Dee McKee’s pre-purchase review policy is a critical first step. I fully support this initiative and will work to strengthen it by:
Establishing Clear Legal Standards: Materials must comply with Alaska law and community decency standards before purchase
Enhancing Transparency: Monthly public posting of proposed acquisitions with clear review criteria
Empowering Community Voice: Volunteer board includes parents, educators, and legal experts
Implementing Tiered Access: Age-restricted materials available only in controlled adult sections
Shielding Staff from Coercion: Clear policies protect librarians from activist pressure campaigns
This is not censorship—it’s constitutional stewardship and fiscal responsibility.
B. Schools: Ideology Over Education
Public schools exist to educate children in reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, and civic knowledge. They do not exist to undermine parental authority, override biological reality, or indoctrinate students in activist ideology.
The Problem:
Schools are implementing policies that exclude parents from critical decisions about their children’s gender identity, pronouns, and social transitions
Female students are losing access to female-only sports and bathrooms as biological boundaries are erased
Teachers and administrators spend time navigating ideological minefields instead of focusing on academic excellence
Curriculum transparency has been replaced by secrecy and bureaucratic deflection
Fear of litigation paralyzes decision-making and prevents common-sense policies
The Impact on Core Services:
Academic achievement suffers when instruction time is consumed by social engineering
Teacher recruitment and retention decline as professionals flee ideological pressure
Parental trust erodes when schools operate in secrecy
School resources are diverted to legal battles and compliance regimes
The fundamental mission—educating children—becomes secondary to activist agendas
The Solution:
Return schools to their core educational mission by:
Guaranteeing Parental Rights: Full notification and consent required for any gender-related interventions, pronoun changes, or identity discussions
Protecting Female Spaces: Maintain sex-separated sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms based on biological sex, consistent with Title IX
Ensuring Curriculum Transparency: Parents must have full access to curricula, reading lists, and lesson plans
Refocusing on Academics: Measure schools by educational outcomes—test scores, graduation rates, college/career readiness—not ideological compliance
Supporting Teachers: Protect educators from being forced to participate in or promote ideologies that conflict with their professional judgment or personal beliefs
Government schools must serve families, not supplant them.
IV. The Real Cost of Mission Drift
When government prioritizes social engineering over service delivery, everyone loses:
Financial Costs
Legal fees from culture war litigation drain budgets meant for roads, public safety, and infrastructure
Staff time is consumed by ideological compliance instead of operational excellence
Taxpayer dollars fund activism instead of services
Operational Costs
Paralysis: Fear of lawsuits prevents common-sense decisions
Demoralization: Public servants are caught between activist demands and community values
Inefficiency: Resources are diverted from core functions to cultural battles
Trust Costs
Families lose confidence in public institutions
Communities become polarized over issues government should never have engaged
Civic cohesion fractures as government takes sides in culture wars
Service Costs
Roads deteriorate while government fights over pronouns
Police response times suffer while bureaucrats draft inclusion policies
Infrastructure ages while legal teams battle activist lawsuits
Core services degrade while government plays parent
This is not governance—it’s negligence.
V. A Service-First Governance Model
Principles for Restoring Core Mission
- Constitutional Boundaries
Government must operate within legal limits, respecting both state law and community standards
No public institution should violate Alaska statutes in service of activist agendas
Parental rights are constitutionally protected and must be honored
- Operational Focus
Measure success by service quality, not ideological compliance
Allocate resources to core functions, not culture war battles
Prioritize competence over conformity
- Transparency and Accountability
Public has a right to know what government is doing and why
Families have a right to know what their children are being exposed to
Taxpayers have a right to see how their money is being spent
- Community Standards
Local values matter and should be reflected in public institutions
One-size-fits-all mandates from Anchorage or Washington, D.C., should be resisted
Mat-Su Borough should govern itself according to the will of Mat-Su residents
- Respect for Families
Parents, not government, are primary decision-makers for their children
Public institutions should support families, not supplant them
Government serves—it does not rule
VI. Policy Implementation Roadmap
Immediate Actions (First 90 Days)
Libraries:
Strengthen McKee’s pre-purchase review policy with clearer legal standards
Establish formal tiered access system for age-restricted materials
Post all flagged materials and review decisions publicly online
Direct legal counsel to prepare defense against activist litigation
Schools:
Require full parental notification for any gender-related policies or interventions
Protect female-only spaces and sports through explicit policy
Mandate curriculum transparency with online access for all parents
Establish clear academic performance metrics as primary evaluation criteria
Budget Priorities:
Audit all expenditures related to culture war compliance and litigation
Redirect funds to core services: roads, public safety, infrastructure
Cap legal spending on non-essential ideological battles
Medium-Term Actions (6-12 Months)
Institutional Reform:
Develop clear policies distinguishing core services from social engineering
Create firewall between operational functions and activist pressure campaigns
Implement training for staff on constitutional boundaries and parental rights
Establish community advisory boards for libraries and schools
Legal Protection:
Build coalition with other Alaska boroughs facing similar pressures
Coordinate defense strategy against activist litigation
Explore legislative solutions at state level to protect local control
Community Engagement:
Host town halls in every district to discuss service priorities
Publish quarterly reports showing service delivery metrics
Create citizen oversight mechanisms for controversial policies
Long-Term Vision (1-3 Years)
Cultural Restoration:
Rebuild public trust in government institutions as neutral service providers
Demonstrate that effective governance doesn’t require taking sides in culture wars
Prove that respecting community values and constitutional limits produces better outcomes
Service Excellence:
Achieve measurable improvements in core service delivery
Reduce legal spending through clear, defensible policies
Increase taxpayer satisfaction through transparent, efficient governance
Model for Alaska:
Show other boroughs and municipalities that service-first governance works
Demonstrate that local control and community standards can coexist with constitutional government
Prove that you don’t need to be everyone’s parent to be a good public servant
VII. Addressing Anticipated Objections
“This is discrimination/censorship/exclusion”
Response: No. This is constitutional governance and fiscal responsibility. Requiring materials to comply with Alaska law is not censorship—it’s legal compliance. Respecting parental rights is not discrimination—it’s constitutional obligation. Protecting female sports is not exclusion—it’s fairness and Title IX enforcement.
Government cannot violate the law or override parental authority in the name of “inclusion.” That’s not progress—it’s lawlessness.
“You’re imposing your values on everyone”
Response: Actually, it’s the opposite. Activist agendas impose values on communities by forcing schools to hide information from parents and libraries to carry materials that violate local standards. We’re simply saying: government should not be in the values business at all.
Provide the services. Respect the law. Honor parental rights. Stay neutral on social issues. That’s not imposing values—it’s respecting boundaries.
“This will lead to lawsuits”
Response: We’re already facing lawsuits—from activists demanding that government override community standards. The question is not whether there will be litigation, but whether we will defend constitutional principles and community values or surrender to activist pressure.
I will defend the borough’s right to operate within the law, respect parental rights, and reflect community standards—regardless of threatened lawsuits. That’s what leadership looks like.
VIII. The Big Cabbage Radio Test
When I sat down with Big Cabbage Radio—a left-leaning station where I might never find agreement—I laid out this exact vision: Get social issues out of government. Focus on providing services. Roads, police, fire, EMS. Things we all need and can agree on.
The interviewer agreed.
That tells you something profound: This message transcends ideology. When you strip away the culture war noise and focus on competent, constitutional service delivery, you find common ground.
Libertarians want limited government that stays in its lane
Progressives want functional public services that work
Conservatives want respect for families and community values
Everyone wants roads that are plowed, police who respond, and government that isn’t trying to be their parent
This is not a partisan agenda—it’s a sanity agenda.
IX. Conclusion: Service, Not Social Engineering
Government has one job: serve the public efficiently, constitutionally, and impartially. When it tries to do more—when it becomes a parent, a preacher, or a political activist—it fails at everything.
The choice is clear:
We can continue down the path of mission drift, where libraries become legal liabilities, schools exclude parents, budgets fund lawsuits, and core services deteriorate while government fights culture wars.
Or we can return to first principles: constitutional boundaries, operational focus, transparency, community standards, and respect for families.
I’m running for Mat-Su Borough Assembly because I believe in the latter. I believe government can serve without ruling, provide without preaching, and lead without dividing.
Let’s get back to basics. Let’s get government out of the parenting business and back into the service business.
Let’s govern like adults who respect the people we serve.
X. Call to Action
If you believe that:
Government should focus on services, not social engineering
Parents, not bureaucrats, should make decisions about their children
Libraries should be safe community assets, not culture war battlegrounds
Schools should educate, not indoctrinate
Taxpayer dollars should fund roads and public safety, not activist litigation
Mat-Su Borough should reflect Mat-Su values
Then vote Dana Raffaniello for Mat-Su Borough Assembly, District 2.
Service. Transparency. Constitutional stewardship.
Let’s restore government’s core mission—together.