Free public Wi-Fi downtown, increased bus service to the Mendenhall Valley and studying Juneau’s humpback whales are among the projects that could be funded by the fees paid by cruise ship passengers each year.
City Tourism manager Alix Pierce said residents have until March 25 to give feedback on those proposals.
“That helps the Assembly make their final decision on this budget and how we ensure that these funds that are designed to be used for improvements for visitor services and passengers can be leveraged to benefit the community as a whole,” she said.
The city collects a $5 fee from each cruise ship passenger that comes to Juneau. Those fees can go toward funding projects that serve visitors and ease tourism impacts on locals.
With 1.65 million passengers expected to visit Juneau this summer, city leaders expect the fees will generate $21.5 million in revenue.
Every year, the city asks Juneau residents to submit proposals on what projects they want to see funded.
Other proposed projects include funding boosts for police and ambulance support along with bigger infrastructure investments — like Marine Park improvements and putting $5 million toward offering more shore power for cruise ships.
Most projects that are funded by marine passenger fees are downtown, near the waterfront area. Other parts of town are eligible — like the Mendenhall Valley near the glacier — but they need to be popular with visitors.
In a 2019 settlement agreement with Cruise Lines International Association Alaska, limits on how the city uses the funds were put into place, and some projects require approval by the tourism industry.
“We can do activities that serve the visitor industry, within mapped zones — and then outside of those zones, we need to negotiate with the industry on how we use these fees,” Pierce said.
The public comment period on the proposed projects closes March 25. After that, the Assembly Finance Committee will review the proposals, public comments and the city manager’s recommended list. Then, the Assembly will decide which projects to fund during the spring budget cycle.
People can submit comment to Pierce at [email protected] or by visiting the Marine Passenger Fee Program website.
