Juneau residents can submit proposals for how the city should spend marine passenger fees next year.
The city has collected a $5 fee per cruise ship passenger since 2000. Those fees, which usually total around $20 million, help fund projects that both serve visitors and lessen tourism’s impact on locals.
“If there are things that can benefit everybody, residents and visitors, and we can use the visitor industry funding stream to do it, then that’s a great thing for the community,” said Tourism Manager Alexandra Pierce.
City departments, business owners and the public can submit proposals for projects until Jan. 3. Pierce said proposals should include a description of the project and a cost estimate. They can be sent by mail to the city manager’s office or by email to Pierce.
Projects funded with marine passenger fees generally need to be in the downtown waterfront area, Pierce said. Other areas of town are eligible, but they need to be popular with visitors. For example, marine passenger fees are paying for improvements to Homestead Park on Douglas.
“We always like good ideas from residents,” Pierce said. “If we can make it work somehow, we try to do it.”
Last year, Capital Transit proposed adding signs at the Downtown Transit Center with information about getting to the Mendenhall Glacier. Other funded projects included Marine Park construction and restroom maintenance at the docks.
Pierce said she plans to recommend funding a circulator bus to spread visitors out throughout downtown, expanding public wi-fi and extending the seawalk from the Franklin Street Dock to the AJ Dock.
“The seawalk is a great community asset, so I’m excited for the opportunity to fund that,” she said.
Once Pierce receives proposals, a draft list of recommended projects will be open for public comment. The Assembly Finance Committee will review the proposed projects, public comments and the city manager’s recommended list. Then, the Assembly will consider which projects to fund during the spring budget cycle.
