Juneau harbor staff ask board to set hearing on charter passenger fee, with no figure proposed

Juneau charter operators could pay more per passenger. Port Director Carl Uchytil is recommending the City and Borough of Juneau Docks & Harbors Board schedule a public hearing before changing the passenger-for-hire fee, now $2.05 per passenger embarked plus $711.45 per inspected vessel for the season, both adjusted annually to the Urban Alaska Consumer Price Index. His memo proposes no new figure. The Docks & Harbors Operations & Planning Committee takes up the recommendation Wednesday.

Uchytil's Aug. 18 memo ties the review to harbor reserves. "Our Harbor Enterprise projected fund balance at the end of FY27 is anticipated to be only $1.2M, perhaps the lowest amount ever for the account," he wrote. The FY27 city budget does not transfer the State Fisheries Business Tax to the Harbors Enterprise, an unexpected loss of $450,000 a year.

Passenger-for-hire revenue now exceeds $500,000, up sharply since the $13 million Statter Harbor improvements were completed in 2023. Uchytil wrote that, anecdotally, he believes the charter fleet needs more oversight than Statter Harbor staff can provide; the Deputy Harbormaster has just four harbor officers and one technician covering several facilities daily, Memorial Day through Labor Day.

The memo notes tour operators warn such fees threaten Juneau's competitiveness. No charter operator position appears in the packet. The committee item includes public comment before any hearing is scheduled.