Proposal: Take a stand supporting affordability in Juneau

By Angela Rodell

Over the last several weeks, thousands of you took the time to sign petitions calling for a cap on our rising property taxes, exempting essential groceries and utilities from sales tax, and returning to a poll-based voting system. Your signatures are more than just ink on a page; they’re a clear, powerful statement that Juneau families want affordability, stability, and a voice in how Juneau moves forward.

It’s no wonder people are looking for relief. Water and wastewater rates are rising — without even a mention from CBJ about the additional sales tax you still pay on top of those increases — and landfill fees are going up too, Meanwhile, city leaders adopt additional hikes to property taxes and consider sales tax increases for the summer months. 

The three petitions you signed don’t just change policy — they change direction. They signal that keeping Juneau affordable for families, seniors, workers, and young people must be a top priority. These initiatives protect the people who live here now as well as people who might come later. They provide relief, yes – but they also create some certainty. Certainty for homeowners, certainty for renters whose landlords pass property taxes along, and certainty for small business owners trying to manage rising costs across the board.

Capping the mill rate: This measure puts a ceiling on how high your property taxes can climb. With property assessments soaring, it’s a simple truth: without a cap, your tax bill can spiral, even if your income doesn’t. This petition doesn’t shortchange our future – it asks city leaders to live within their means, just like the rest of us do every day.

Exempting sales tax on groceries and utilities: Groceries, electricity, heat, water – these aren’t luxuries, they’re necessities. Taxing them hurts those who can least afford it. By exempting these basics from sales tax, we’re ensuring that no one pays more simply for trying to live with dignity in Juneau. It’s a compassionate, and fiscally responsible choice.

Returning to poll-based voting: Our third petition restores the simplicity, security, and transparency of poll-based voting. Mail-in voting has its place and will still be an option, but the delays, confusion, and ballooning costs we’ve seen under the new system aren’t sustainable. Poll-based voting is a simple, trusted, time-tested system that gives voters confidence and delivers election results promptly.

These petitions aren’t just about saying “no” to higher costs. They’re about saying “yes” to a better way forward.

Juneau has much to look forward to. The future isn’t bleak — it’s brimming with potential. We are on the verge of unlocking over a billion dollars in economic activity, from the exciting development of Aak’w Landing to the upcoming homeporting of the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Storis. These projects will grow our economy, boost assessed property rolls, and generate organic growth in property and sales tax revenue — without raising rates on the rest of us.

Let’s be clear: Economic growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of the people who already live here. We can do both – welcome new opportunities while protecting the people who’ve built their lives here. By signing these petitions, Juneau residents showed that we’re not against growth — we just want smart, sustainable growth that keeps our community strong and livable.

This is what democracy looks like. When elected officials forget who they serve, the people remind them. You stood up. You signed your name. You made it known that affordability and accountability matter.

To everyone who carried a petition book, signed one at our booths or stopped to talk about the issues with us — thank you. You’ve shown that people-power is alive and well.

Now the process moves forward. The petitions will be certified, and then it’s up to the voters to decide. But no matter what comes next, one thing is clear: Juneau is paying attention. Juneau is engaged. And Juneau is ready to build a future that works — for everyone.

Let’s keep going. Let’s keep building a community where people aren’t taxed out of their homes or priced out of a life and town they love. Let’s create a city that welcomes opportunity without sacrificing stability. That’s the Juneau we all deserve.

• Angela Rodell is a member of the Affordable Juneau Coalition.