As president of the Juneau Housing Trust, Inc. which is in the business of building affordable permanent housing under the community land trust model, I am voting NO on Proposition 1.
The proposition would amend the City and Borough Charter, the governing document for the City, by placing a provision that would limit the CBJ from raising property taxes above 9 mills (.9%). The current rate of property tax levied by CBJ is presently at 10.4 mils (1.04%).
The Juneau Housing Trust has a long-standing relationship with the CBJ, from being founding member of the Affordable Housing Commission, which provides funding for affordable housing and rentals; to, working with the Juneau School District to provide students with the opportunity to build houses under the Juneau Housing Trust direction. The Juneau Housing Trust relies on the ability of the CBJ to fund some of its projects in providing affordable permanent housing in Juneau.
Presently, the CBJ Assembly has the power to set the property tax rate as provided by the Charter. Proposition 1 would take the power away. The CBJ would not have the flexibility to raise the property tax above 9 mills without first submitting it to an areawide vote. We have voted for a decrease in property tax rates only once. Our current cap is 12 mils. The Assembly has worked diligently to remain well below that cap.
As president of the Juneau Housing Trust, I cannot think of any good reason for making Juneau more unaffordable by kneecapping the CBJ in its ability to raise monies for affordable housing, or response to lack funding from state and federal resources, or response to Mendenhall River flooding or any other worthwhile project that the CBJ Assembly, with public input on all items, that come before the CBJ Assembly.
Vote NO on Proposition 1, as it will not make Juneau more affordable.
Stephen Sorensen is president of Juneau Housing Trust.
