Fairbanks

History
Fairbanks, once designated as the planned location of a UN Space Station, left the Union in 2127, after a long partisan debate over whether to follow in the path of Alaska's former capital in Juneau or its largest city in Anchorage. Ultimately, the city put it to a popular vote, and 63% of the populace voted for independence. For years they'd enjoyed the benefits of selling oil to Anchorage for shipment overseas, but the global crisis weakened those ties, as Anchorage sought new economic opportunities. Fairbanks, however, had received an influx of scientists pursuing the impending space program, and offered subsidies for those scientists to stay, rather than to emigrate back to Union cities. They managed to keep about half of the bright minds, and funneled them into renewable energy programs and communications technology. The city was, for all intents and purposes, cut off from the outside world, becoming self sufficient for both energy and food. They even managed to start an independent space program, and landed a crew of three on the moon in 2139. Upon re-entry, the ship was destroyed by a UN missile launched from their weapons station outside Sapporo, under the mistaken assumption that it was a rocket launched by non-Union forces in an attempt to start a war. The population of Fairbanks was enraged, and set its sights on improving its military to take on any city that stands in the way of justice.

Government
Fairbanks is currently led by Mayor Henry Dimidian, who won the election in 2145 on a platform of measured justice. The previous mayor, Tim Littlefield, had reigned from 2140-2144, promising revenge. With the withdrawal of Sapporo from the Union and the absence of any other Union presence in the region, Dimidian took office promising to maintain a strong military without breaking the budget, while also waiting for the opportunity to prove that Fairbanks' independence will not be limited but outside forces. The mayor is elected by popular vote and supported by a small council of five members, one elected from the sciences, one from the laborers, one from the military, one from local services, and one from education. They are elected by the popular vote of people classified in each of those fields on their voter registration cards.

Economy
Once focused on being a center for northern Alaska and a transporter of oil, Alaska has since lost its sway in trade and transport, and instead focuses on self-sufficiency. It has enough food, mineral, and energy production to maintain itself with very little outside influence. It trades a little with other regional cities, with its main import being seafood and its main export being weapons. Its economy was hard-hit during the oil crisis of 2125, but it had recovered by 2130 and has grown steadily from there.