Tourism

The City and Borough of Juneau has appropriated $847,000 to date to defend itself in a lawsuit brought by the cruise ship industry. At stake is the city’s passenger fees that raise millions for port infrastructure and other tourism-related projects.

Gov. Walker’s budget fills a gap that could have shut the ferry system down for much of the spring. It also provides nearly level funding for the next year.

If approved, Juneau’s total commitment since the case began in 2016 would be $847,000. On top of that, the head of the city’s finance department is recommending setting aside another $750,000 later.

Cruise ships sailing to Alaska are getting bigger and bigger. One planned for 2019 is twice the size of many of the ships already sailing here.

Alaska’s two U.S. senators not only helped Republicans pass their tax cuts early Saturday. They made a pair of 11th-hour additions: one kills a new tax on the cruise industry, another helps Alaska Native Corporations.

A memorandum of understanding between the Municipality of Skagway and White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad is moving forward. The Assembly advanced the document at a special meeting Thursday, just over a week after a mayoral veto put on the brakes.