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Property tax assessments rose an average of 12 percent this year, Swope said. To compensate, he recommended cutting the current 11.17-mill tax rate by .42 mills, in addition to a .33-mill decrease previously recommended.

When the mill reduction is coupled with a year's delay in issuing voter-approved debt bonds for a new high school, the actual tax accompanying new assessments would increase just 1 or 2 percent for most property owners, Swope said.

"It won't quite neutralize it, but it comes close," he said.

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Nearly $1.4 million directed to Juneau by Senate Bill 231 must go toward cost increases in the public retirement system. Out of the remaining $1.2 million, Swope recommended boosting local funding of education by $344,000 to meet a new cap, adjusted upward by the Legislature this year.

Nearly $21,000 more would go toward federally mandated transportation of homeless students, and another $63,000 would go to busing for after-school activities.

Swope recommended against $50,000 requests from the Juneau Family Birth Center and the Small Business Development Center, and an $18,500 request from Taikuu Educational Services for an ambassador pilot program assisting tourists downtown.

The Southeast Alaska Avalanche Center had requested $200,000, which Swope whittled to $30,000.

"The avalanche center said there was little they could do with the $30,000," Finance Committee member Jeff Bush said. "Do we know what they would do with the $30,000?"

"I would hope the $30,000 would provide some spring snow avalanche-danger monitoring," Swope responded. "This money could provide helicopter time so they can fly to the top of Mount Juneau and take on-site surveys during a two-month period."

Mount Juneau is where the focus should be, Swope said.

"The question is not if, but when an avalanche will occur at Mount Juneau. I hope it is not on my watch when there is a very serious avalanche."

The committee unanimously accepted Swope's suggestions.