Chamber Advocacy Update

The Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce

Advocacy Report

June 12, 2024

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Topics the Chamber is following closely

Chamber Successful in CBJ Lowering the Mill Rate

At the special assembly meeting held on June 3^rd, the assembly approved a mill rate of 10.04 which is a decrease of .12 from this past year and lower than had been proposed for the FY25 budget. This comes as a result of the Chamber’s efforts to point out areas in the operating budget that could be looked at for savings along with the use of reserves.

The Chamber submitted a detailed letter to CBJ leadership and the Assembly with suggested changes that should result in lowering the mill rate. The letter was followed with working meetings with leadership and assembly members to go through the suggestions.

We are very pleased with the outcome and thank the assembly for listening and for their decision.

Operating Mill Rate by Service Area as approved on June 3rd

Areawide: 6.20 (flat from FY24 Adopted)

Road Service Area: 2.45 (flat from FY24 Adopted)

Fire Service Area: 0.31 (flat from FY24 Adopted)

Operating Total: 8.96 (flat from FY24 Adopted)

Debt Service: 1.08 (a decrease of 0.12 from FY24 Adopted)

Total Millage: 10.04 (a decrease of 0.12 from FY24 Adopted

Protect Juneau's Future

The initial signature-gathering period has closed. The anti-cruise petition does not yet have enough signatures to meet the mandatory 2,359 total, eight days remain to prevent the initiative from reaching the October ballot. Signature gatherers have until June 19 to collect the missing signatures. Your support is still needed.

Ways to support:

Write to the Assembly

It takes only a few moments, and a brief email will do. Together we can shift the narrative to one that represents the silent majority of this community we all love.

PJF has put together a full list of prompts and messaging to help get you started here.

Join the Coalition

PJF is made up of businesses, organizations, and individuals that vocally oppose the anti-cruise initiative. Click here to add your name to the list.

Stay in Touch

Follow PJF on social media channels to stay up to date. We are active on Facebook and Instagram. By liking, commenting and sharing our posts, you help broaden our reach. This is an easy and FREE way to make an impact.

Visit Protect Juneau's Future for more information

Protecting Tourism in Juneau

A press conference was held on June 3rd at the Chamber to announce the finalization of the agreement (MOA #3) which targets a daily limit of 16,000 cruise passengers Sundays through Fridays and 12,000 on Saturdays. The accompanying press release was picked up by the Associated Press and appeared in the Seattle Times.

The Chamber is proud of the work we did to help facilitate this agreement. We remain committed to ongoing dialogue and cooperation that help make Juneau a great place to live, work and visit.

For more information from CBJ, click here.

For Seattle Times article, click here.

CBJ Budget FY25/26

The Borough Assembly is in its final deliberations on the budgets for FY25 and FY26. The Manager’s original budget proposal includes an increase in property taxes. Please contact your Assembly members and encourage them to reduce property taxes for FY25 and FY26 by utilizing the excess fund balances in the Borough’s self-insurance fund. The planned reserves for the coming two fiscal years are significantly higher than historical levels and in excess of amounts needed. These reserves could be used to reduce property taxes thereby helping to ease the high cost of living in Juneau. You may contact the assembly via email at boroughassembly@juneau.gov

Click here, to read the letter the Chamber sent to The CBJ Assembly.

Dock Electrification

The Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce supports the City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) in their efforts to secure a grant through the EPA Clean Ports Program to construct shore power at the two city-owned cruise ship docks. The cruise industry is now one of the largest economic drivers of Alaska’s capital city, impacting directly or indirectly every business in our community. Electrifying the two city docks is another critical step in mitigating the impacts the cruise industry has on residents.

Click here, to read the letter the Chamber sent to the Environmental Protection Agency.

CBJ Fund Balance

The City Manager, Katie Koester, recommended the Assembly set a fund balance ‘floor’ of $9 million over and above the Restricted Budget Reserve. The Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce strongly opposes setting aside fund balance amounts in excess of the formula used to determine the Restricted Budget Reserve. If changes to the existing reserve policy are to be made, we further recommend that the Mayor appoint a new task force to study this matter; however, we see no basis to make changes to the existing policy.

Click here, to read the letter the Chamber sent to The CBJ Assembly.

Advocacy Letters

Mission Statement

The Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce supports economic diversity, encourages entrepreneurship, and endorses responsible, sustainable development to maintain Juneau’s high quality of life while advocating economic vitality for all of Alaska.

2024 Priorities

❖ Housing Development: The chamber’s Housing & Development Committee will focus on identifying ways to promote the construction of single and multi-family housing to meet the current and future demand for housing. ❖ US Coast Guard Icebreaker: Home porting an Icebreaker in Juneau must be a top priority for the CBJ and will continue to actively support this effort.

❖ Property Tax Revenue - Mill Rate - Grants: Work with CBJ officials to establish a transparent and equitable process to determine commercial and residential assessments, and to change the policies and process for setting property tax revenue. The CBJ should establish a process to measure the effectiveness of grants that are routinely approved but may not be producing the intended results.

❖ 5th Dock – “Aakw’a” (HTC): The chamber supports the proposed uplands development of Aakw’a including the floating dock that will provide the 5th shoreside mooring for an additional cruise ship. This will improve traffic flow and provide additional infrastructure for this area of town. The CBJ should agree to transfer the tidelands permit necessary to construct the dock.

❖ Remote Sales Tax / Local Sales / Visitor Industry impact: Monitor the levels and relationships between the three primary sources of sales tax. In regard to remote sales tax, there should be a review of local contractors/businesses that should probably not be charged sales tax but are not captured in the exceptions. (Example – Hecla Greens Creek is paying sales tax on shipments of gravel and concrete coming in on barge from Pacific Northwest, without any limit)

❖ Tourism: The Chamber views a vibrant and balanced visitor industry as a critical piece of the Juneau economy and will work to find an appropriate balance for impacts on business and the community.

❖ Childcare: The Chamber believes that the lack of affordable childcare remains a local (and national) issue that impairs the ability of family members to return to the workforce.

❖ Public Safety: The Chamber supports the funding, recruiting and retention of a fully staffed police force; and legislation and development of facilities and services necessary to address the houseless population living on private and public property.

Chamber Standing Priorities

Develop, advance, and promote the economic, industrial, commercial, professional, cultural, and civic welfare of Juneau.

• Stabilize Demographic Trends: Work with CBJ and other organizations to address declining population and impacts of

the aging population.

• North Douglas Crossing: Continue to engage in the PEL study process and support efforts to secure federal funding as

the project progresses through the environmental and design process.

• Juneau Access (Cascade Point current “next step”): Maintain focus on road access to Juneau but engage in AMHS and

air travel discussions that improve access to Juneau.

• CBJ Budget: Engage in CBJ operating and capital budget process, including monitoring of proposed “big ticket” capital

expenditures and CBJ tax collection in excess of operating costs.

• CBJ Initiatives: Monitor CBJ initiatives that impact the health of the business community.

• State Legislation: Monitor and engage in proposed state legislation that directly impacts the business community.

To read more about the Chamber's priorities and goals, click here.

Have a question or concern? Email us at info@juneauchamber.com or call (907) 463-3488