The city is asking residents to weigh in on potential projects that could be funded by the fees paid by cruise ship passengers this year.
Funding an extension of the seawalk, adding more downtown public restrooms and offsetting Juneau Mountain Rescue operation costs are some of the proposed projects. Residents have until May 3 to submit comments.
Each cruise ship passenger who comes to Juneau pays $13 worth of fees, referred to as marine passenger fees. This money can go toward funding projects that serve visitors and ease tourism impacts on locals.
Every year, the city asks Juneau residents to submit proposals on what projects they want to see funded. Ideas also come from businesses and organizations the city partners with, and city staff.
Alix Pierce, the city’s visitor industry director, said some of the projects city staff recommend to the Juneau Assembly come directly from public feedback. She spoke to the Assembly about the proposals at a meeting last week and highlighted a recurring one.
“Every year since I have been in this role, we have had a request for more restrooms downtown,” she said. “It’s definitely an identified need.”
Juneau is estimated to see almost 1.69 million cruise ship visitors this coming tourism season. City leaders anticipate the fees will generate roughly $24.5 million in revenue. But the money can’t be used for just anything.
A lawsuit the cruise industry settled with the city in 2019 clarifies the limits on how and where the city can use the funds. From that settlement, the two parties agreed to meet annually to discuss the proposals with the aim of settling future disagreements outside of court.
Most of the projects funded are downtown, but other areas of Juneau are eligible, too, like the Mendenhall Valley near the glacier, as long as the project is related to tourism.
Pierce reiterated that while cruise lines can object to some of the proposals, the final say about whether to move forward on a project ultimately lies in the hands of the Assembly.
“Passenger fees are not the cruise line’s money — they’re not the private docks’ money,” she said. “They’re municipal funds and they’re highly restricted funds, but they are municipal funds.”
The cruise industry has already reviewed the proposals this year and objected to some, including funding seasonal positions and mileage reimbursement for Travel Juneau staff and paying for postage for Travel Juneau to mail out visitor guides. Travel Juneau is a nonprofit destination marketing organization. Pierce says she plans to advocate for those proposals to receive funding despite the objections.
The cruise industry didn’t object to proposals that would fund boosts to the police and emergency services, continue free Wi-Fi downtown and upgrade the downtown water system.
The public comment period on the proposed projects closes May 3. The Assembly will then review the proposals and public comments and decide which projects to fund. People can submit comments to Pierce at alexandra.pierce@juneau.gov or by visiting the Marine Passenger Fee Program website.
