"property taxes"

Because property values have gone up, the city would get more property tax, even with a lower mill rate.

The City and Borough of Juneau sent property assessment notices to Juneau homeowners earlier this month. Some homeowners reported a significant increase in their assessment values.

This question asks voters to repeal measures the Juneau Assembly adopted in 2020 and this past February that mandate sharing real estate sales prices with the city assessor’s office.

The group will get 10 extra days to collect more signatures as city election officials continue work through the signature validation process.

Assembly members chose not to raise property taxes in the city after seeing better-than-expected property values and a potential uptick in tourism.

City finance officials project the near-final tax rate and budget would burn through about $5.7 million of the city’s savings over the next year. 

The Assembly also heard from an emergency operations official with a plan to stand-up same-day COVID-19 testing locally. The tech being considered could process 1,300 tests a day.

Meanwhile, the city’s budgeting process is underway and filled with unknowns. Juneau’s city manager proposed a significant property tax increase to balance the budget.

The city’s budget maintains the same level of services and operations from the previous year. But the Alaska Legislature’s ongoing special session leaves several things up in the air.

Mayor Beth Weldon proposed the increase and suggested that the added revenue go toward school bond debt reimbursement or other school facility projects.