Juneau Proposition A ballot summary omits 'services,' city says vote is unaffected

The City and Borough of Juneau says a missing word in the Proposition A ballot summary does not change what voters are deciding or how the sales tax would be collected. Voting ends at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Proposition A would extend the temporary 3% areawide sales tax for five years, from July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2032. The total rate would stay at 5%. The city estimates the tax would bring in about $34 million a year.

If voters reject it, the rate drops to 2% on July 1, 2027. The city says that means a $23 million reduction for general services and an $11 million reduction for capital projects. As now, the Assembly intends 1% for general services, 1% for capital improvements, and 1% divided yearly among capital improvements, an emergency reserve and other general public services.

The summary on the official ballot asks whether the city should tax "all taxable sales of goods and delivered" in the borough. The word "services" is missing. A member of the public alerted the city Oct. 1, according to a city statement. The city said the error appears only in the summary; the title of Ordinance 2026-13 includes the word. The question itself reads "Extend 3% sales tax five years," with Yes and No choices.

"This is a truly unfortunate typo that should have been caught and corrected during the legislative process, before ballots were printed and distributed last month," City Manager Katie Koester said.

The city said the same omission appeared in the 2021 renewal ballot language.