Juneau voters have spoken, showing strong support for cutting sales and property taxes, and electing some new faces to the Assembly and Board of Education.
The City and Borough of Juneau released the certified election results Tuesday afternoon. Over 10,000 people cast their ballot, representing nearly 37% of registered voters in Juneau.
CBJ will present a more detailed breakdown of the results at the Assembly Reorganizational Meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27.
Tax cuts pass, seasonal tax fails
Voters approved both tax-cutting propositions on the ballot.
Proposition 1 passed by a margin of 157 votes, amending the city charter to lower the cap on property tax rates. Any future increase to the mill rate cap will now require voter approval.
Proposition 2 passed with nearly 70% of the vote, eliminating local sales tax on essential food items and city utilities.
The advocacy group Affordable Juneau Coalition led the initiative to place both measures on the ballot.
Proposition 3, which sought to put in place a seasonal sales tax, failed by nearly 1,500 votes. The Assembly placed the measure on the ballot to offset revenue losses if Propositions 1 and 2 passed. They argued the measure would have shifted more of the tax burden onto tourists.
With all three propositions decided, CBJ estimates a loss of between $10 and $12 million in tax revenue, out of the $143 million in local taxes the city projected for fiscal year 2026 in its April budget.
Brooks overtakes incumbent Bryson for Assembly
Nano Brooks defeated two-term incumbent Wade Bryson, marking Brooks’ first successful bid after two previous campaigns.
Brooks ran on concerns over city spending and the high cost of living in Juneau, which he described as a “unifying factor” among voters this election.
He says that deciding on flood mitigation strategies will be his top priority in the coming weeks on the Assembly. With the U.S. government shut down, the city’s response plan for future glacial outburst floods remains uncertain.
“The health and safety of the community always comes first and foremost, and that’s a very large, looming issue,” Brooks said.
Incumbents Ella Adkison and Greg Smith ran unopposed and will return to the Assembly. Brooks will be sworn in during the Assembly’s Oct. 27 meeting.
Two newcomers, one incumbent join the Board of Education
Incumbent Steve Whitney retained his three-year seat on the board, while Melissa Cullum won the second three-year term. Jenny Thomas secured the two-year term, finishing 132 votes ahead of Jeremy “JJJ” Johnson. Write-in candidate Deedie Sorenson, who entered the race late last month, finished behind the field.
Cullum ran in part in response to last year’s school consolidation, which she believed was rushed. She said her first goal on the board is to help improve school morale.
“Post-consolidation, I really am eager to see what we can do as a board to work on the school climate to improve the overall feeling that students and teachers have when they walk into the building,” Cullum said.
The new members will be sworn in at the Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
