Capital election: Juneau leaning against paying for a new city hall

By
Suzanne Downing
-
22
714

Juneau residents were split on the question of whether a new city hall should be built, one that would cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. On Tuesday, the general sentiment in the all-mail-in election is “no.” Proposition 1 is facing 2,552 to 2,470, but there are still many more ballots to be counted, as mail trickles in.

Juneau voters have been asked this question before and turned it down just last year. This year, the Juneau Assembly spent $50,000 of taxpayers’ money to try to convince voters that a new city hall is needed; the old one has been allowed to deteriorate and many opponents of the question believe that the deferred maintenance is part of the strategy to convince people to build a new structure. The Assembly also restructured the plan to make it appear to cost less, but it seems voters were not persuaded.

Juneau had 10 candidates on the ballot for the two areawide Assembly seats. Paul Kelly leads the pack with 1,946 votes, and Ella Adkison appears to be winning the second seat with 1,698 votes so far. A total of 9,565 votes were counted in that race last night.

For Assembly District 1, it appears incumbent Alicia Hughes-Skandijs has been reelected with 2,872 votes. Joe Geldof got 2,033.

For Assembly District 2, incumbent Christine Woll won with 3,094 votes. David Morris had 1,703.

For the Board of Education, David Noon, 3,216 and Brittany Cioni-Haywood with 2,993 won seats.

The numbers reported on Election Night included ballot return envelopes that were received before Election Day that had been reviewed and approved for counting. Ballots returned on Election Day will be processed after Election Day and will be reported in updated results in subsequent days. The Canvass Review Board process for ballots is Oct. 16, and the election will be certified on Oct. 17.

Tower of Power II: Juneau again debates building a new city hall

22 COMMENTS

  2. Even if the vote comes out 100% against the new City Hall, the Assembly will OK it anyway, and proceed as if the vote never happened.

  3. Last year, on the day after the election, KTOO reported:
    ‘Proposition 1 asked voters to authorize the city to borrow up to $35 million to help pay for a new City Hall. “No” votes led by fewer than 40 votes.’

    So, if the same trend repeats this year, the “No” votes should increase. Maybe.

  4. Juneau probably has 20,000 registered voters. Very sad that so few participate in an election that has financial consequences. A symptom of too much easy money. People would pay more attention and vote without a PFD IMO

    • Excuse me but a $1,312 PFD is “Too much easy money”?!? Hahahaha! In 1973 dollars maybe; in the 2023 Juneau here and now $1,312 PFD ain’t $hit. I find it highly dubious that such a paltry sum would influence peoples’ decision to vote on this local ballot. People aren’t running around here thinking “I’m not concerned about mill rate increases or property assessment increases and the City and Borough spending money they don’t have because the PFD is so incredibly large that I don’t need to worry about money.”

      And P.S.: EVERY election has financial consequences, one way or another.

    • the reason people don’t vote is because it doesn’t work, they don’t listen. They’re going to do what they want one way or another. As far as the PFD goes, anyone remember a year when the legislators didn’t try to get their hands on it……(didn’t think so).

    • People would pay more attention if their employers and mortgage companies did not withhold taxes and provide that money to the government on behalf of their employer/mortgagee.
      .
      Want citizens to actually care about what government spends, stop allowing employers to withhold taxes. All workers must write a check every week/month for their estimated taxes. You will see a LOT more people start caring.

  5. The elected leaders spent $50 Grand of the peoples money for it so it looks like the people of Juneau deserve it whether it passes or not.

    • I don’t argue. We keep re-electing these losers or something close to them.

      Just like Anchorage, our wounds are self inflicted.

        • Nope. You beat me to it. I’m just a guy watching the community he loves commit slow motion suicide.

          Apparently you’ve never read Milton.

          • Okay… my man, you need to calm down a bit and touch some grass. Get off your political high horse and actually enjoy the world

  6. I am saddened that Joe lost!

    Juneau wants perpetual higher taxes, zero job growth and a continuing loss of the next generation.

  7. The people of Juneau don’t deserve it, we get it poked into us like a vaccine jab. We have our secret tabulation building which I’m sure is fixing this small lead that the “no’s” have presented.

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