The Greater Juneau Chamber of Commerce released a statement last week expressing their opposition to Proposition 3, the seasonal sales tax measure on the October 2025 municipal ballot.
Proposition 3 would institute a 7.5% sales tax rate from April through September and a 3% rate from October through March, replacing the existing 5% year-round rate. The measure aims to place more of the tax burden on Juneau visitors during tourist season.
In a Sept. 18 press release, the chamber said it opposes the proposition due to the operational costs it would place on businesses to alternate between two tax rates.
“Introducing two tax rates within a single year adds confusion for customers and cost for businesses,” one chamber member said. “It’s an unnecessary logistical burden that undermines efficiency.”
The chamber is not taking a stand on Proposition 1 or 2, due to a wide range of opinions among board members.
The Affordable Juneau Coalition is leading an effort to pass those measures. Proposition 1 would lower local property taxes. Proposition 2 would exempt essential food and residential services from taxes.
“This year’s ballot presents three interrelated measures that when considered for their cumulative effect present a significantly more complex set of choices for voters than in recent elections,” Chamber Board President Benjamin Brown said.
Brown said the outcome of the ballots will “significantly affect city revenues which provide for services and capital projects and directly impact the affordability of life for Juneau residents, especially those with less income and more reliant on CBJ services.”
Oct. 7 marks the final day to vote in municipal elections. Ballots can be returned via mail, city drop boxes or city vote centers.
