Ballots for the city election are in the mail, Anchorage! In addition to deciding the mayor’s race, one assembly seat and several school board members, voters will determine the fate of ten ballot propositions. Let’s dive into what each ballot prop is designed to do, and what supporters and detractors say about each.
We provide most of the actual ballot language, and then, if a backstory is required, we give you the scoop. We also provide you with the gist of supports’ and opponents’ arguments for each prop. We take no position on any of these other than Ballot Proposition 9 because frankly, we hike the sunny side of Flattop a LOT in the summer and the parking situation is godawful and frankly, unsafe. Otherwise, we’ve tried to mimic Switzerland and stay neutral. No matter how you lean on these ballot props, fill out and return (or postmark) your Muni ballot no later April 2.
Prop 1: School bonds 🏫
Ballot language: To provide educational capital improvements, construction, upgrades, planning, design, and renovation of school facilities and educational facility building life extension projects within Anchorage, as provided in AO 2023-123, shall Anchorage borrow money and issue up to $62,370,000 in principal amount of general obligation bonds?
What it would pay for: School improvements across Anchorage and Eagle River/Chugiak, including roof replacements, school renovation design, and planning for 2024/2025 projects. The big-ticket item is the replacement of Inlet View Elementary at just under $19 million.
Supporters say: These bonds fund meat and potatoes-style improvements for neighborhood schools in Anchorage and Eagle River. Inlet View Elementary is beyond repair and must be completely rebuilt; redrawing school boundaries is not ideal because no alternative elementary schools exist within the Inlet View area. Neighborhood schools are important to the community.
Opponents say: District enrollment continues to decline and one elementary school has already closed. The school district has thousands of square feet available and could move boundaries, etc., to accommodate students. Anchorage voters have previously rejected bond propositions that included Inlet View’s replacement.
Prop 2: Charter amendment requiring Assembly confirmation of Chief Medical Officer 🏛
Ballot language: This proposition would amend the Anchorage Municipal Charter to read as follows (bolded words represent proposed new language):
Section 5.02.– Powers of the mayor.
(a) The mayor shall appoint all heads of municipal departments and the chief medical officer of the municipality, subject to confirmation by the assembly, on the basis of professional qualifications. Persons appointed by the mayor serve at the pleasure of the mayor.
Shall the Anchorage Municipal Charter be amended as set forth above?
The backstory: The Assembly disapproved strongly of the mayor’s former chief medical officer. The assembly wants to change the city’s charter (the equivalent of the city’s constitution) to force any future mayor’s chief medical officer to be approved by them, i.e., the city’s legislative body.
Supporters say: The role of chief medical officer is too important not to be subject to Assembly approval and the city charter should reflect that.
Opponents say: The system for vetting candidates for municipal leadership has been in place for decades and used by many mayors. That process was subsequently changed since the process was found to be flawed, making a charter amendment unnecessary.
Prop 3: Roads and drainage 🚧
Ballot language: To provide for roads and storm drainage capital acquisition, construction, renovation and upgrades in the Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area, as provided in AO2024-4, shall Anchorage borrow money and issue up to $47,110,000 in principal amount of general obligation bonds and increase the municipal tax cap by an annual amount not to exceed $48,000 to pay for associated annual operations and maintenance costs?
Supporters say: This bond provides for a basic function of city government: building and repairing local roads.
Opponents say: No formal opposition, but in general, opponents would argue property taxes are too high already.
Prop 4: Parks and trails 🌳
Ballot language: To renovate and rehabilitate trails and parks, and making improvements at various parks and recreational facilities in the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Service Area, as provided in AO 2024‑7, shall Anchorage borrow money and issue up to $4,350,000 in principal amount of general obligation bonds and increase the municipal tax cap by an annual amount not to exceed $241,000 to pay for associated annual operations and maintenance costs?
Supporters say: Trails and parks make Anchorage special, and their improvement/maintenance improves the quality of life.
Opponents say: No formal opposition, but in general, opponents would argue property taxes are too high already.
Prop 5: Renovate APD’s Elmore Road station 🚔
Ballot language: To reconstruct the roof and renovate the heating delivery system at APD Elmore Station in the Anchorage Metropolitan Police Service Area as provided in AO2024‑3, shall Anchorage borrow money and issue up to $1,500,000 in principal amount of general obligation bonds?
Voter approval of this bond proposition authorizes for each $100,000 of assessed taxable property value (based on the estimated 2024 assessed valuation in the Anchorage Metropolitan Police Service Area) an annual increase in taxes of approximately $0.31 to retire the proposed bonds.
Supporters say: Anchorage’s public safety responders, in this case, the police, are entitled to a warm, functional building to include a new roof.
Opponents say: No formal opposition, but in general, opponents would argue property taxes are too high already.
Prop 6: Public safety and transit 🚑
Ballot language: For the purpose of acquiring new replacement ambulances; acquiring and replacing transit vehicles and support equipment; undertaking signal system, signage, traffic calming, and safety improvements; and undertaking school zone safety improvements, bus stop improvements, and improvements to transit facilities and centers, in Anchorage as provided in AO 2024‑8(S), As Amended, shall Anchorage borrow money and issue up to $4,560,000 in principal amount of general obligation bonds and increase the municipal tax cap by an annual amount not to exceed $125,000 to pay for associated annual operations and maintenance costs?
Supporters say: Anchorage public safety responders require modern equipment, like ambulances, to deliver the best service to residents. Safety/traffic calming measures, including in school zones, are a basic function of government.
Opponents say: No formal opposition, but in general, opponents would argue property taxes are too high already.
Prop 7: Cemetery improvements 🪦
Ballot language: To provide areawide cemetery equipment and areawide cemetery capital improvements within the Municipality of Anchorage, including Anchorage Memorial Park, Girdwood Cemetery and Eagle River Cemetery, as provided in AO 2024‑5(S), shall Anchorage borrow money and issue up to $4,100,000 in principal amount of general obligation bonds and increase the municipal tax cap by an annual amount not to exceed $5,000 to pay for associated annual operations and maintenance costs?
Voter approval of this bond proposition authorizes for each $100,000 of assessed taxable property value (based on the estimated 2024 areawide assessed valuation in Anchorage): (i) an annual increase in taxes of approximately $0.83 to retire the proposed bonds, and (ii) an annual increase in the municipal tax cap (Charter 14.03(b)(2)) of approximately $0.01 to pay for annual operation and maintenance costs related to the proposed equipment and capital improvements.
Supporters say: Anchorage’s cemetery is projected to run out of public gravesite space by 2025. Girdwood and Eagle River lack their own cemeteries.
Opponents say: No formal opposition, but in general, opponents would argue property taxes are too high already.
Prop 8: Public restrooms 🚽
Ballot language: To provide areawide public restrooms within the Municipality of Anchorage, of The Portland Loo type or similar, as provided in AO 2023‑114(S-1), As Amended, shall Anchorage borrow money and issue up to $5,000,000 in principal amount of general obligation bonds and increase the municipal tax cap by an annual amount not to exceed $300,000 to pay for associated annual operations and maintenance costs?
Voter approval of this bond proposition authorizes for each $100,000 of assessed taxable property value (based on the estimated 2024 areawide assessed valuation in Anchorage): (i) an annual increase in taxes of approximately $1.01 to retire the proposed bonds, and (ii) an annual increase in the municipal tax cap (Charter 14.03(b)(2)) of approximately $0.79 to pay for annual operation and maintenance costs related to the proposed capital improvements.
The background: Safe, clean public restrooms are hard to find in Anchorage. This bond proposition would pay for the installation of a specific style of outdoor restrooms designed to deter crime and blend in to the surrounding environment.
Supporters say: Anchorage currently offers just a handful of public restrooms, mostly port-a-potties. The lack of facilities can be problematic for tourists, residents, and city park and trail users.
Opponents say: These restrooms are too expensive, and could still be used for criminal activity. Questions have been raised about how much maintenance they will require.
Prop 9: “The parking situation at Flattop’s ‘sunny’ side is a nightmare” proposition ⛰
Ballot language: To provide public access improvements to roads and for parking to trailheads of the Chugach StatePark and within the Chugach State Park Access Service Area, including Canyon Road, as provided in AO 2023‑132(S), shall Anchorage borrow money and issue up to $4,000,000 in principal amount of general obligation bonds?
Voter approval of this bond proposition authorizes for each $100,000 of assessed taxable property value (based on the estimated 2024 assessed valuation in the Chugach State Park Access Service Area) an annual increase in taxes of approximately $0.95 to retire the proposed bonds.
Background: Hiking Flattop’s “sunny” side (the south side) has become much more popular in recent years because of the trail’s more gradual grade, and less climbing “hand-over-fist” approach, which is especially scary near the top. As a result, the parking situation, which has always been um, rustic, is now a bona fide nightmare. This is especially true for residents of Canyon Road, who live on the road leading up to the trailhead.
Supporters say: As the trail becomes more popular, parking and access improvements must keep pace with demand. Canyon Road was not designed for the current level of use, and both residents and visitors are frustrated. Safety is a big concern.
Opponents say: Building new parking lots and access points will only increase demand for the area, and more growth in this unique area is unsustainable. Paying for new trailhead parking is a “nice to have,” not a “must have.”
