Mat-Su Assembly to weigh Talkeetna flood emergency and November tax ballot

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly meets Tuesday with a flood emergency declaration for Talkeetna and a proposed November ballot measure pairing a new sales tax with a property tax cap among the key items.

A resolution on the consent agenda would declare a local emergency in response to imminent 2026 Talkeetna flooding and formally request state assistance. Talkeetna is an unincorporated community within the borough, meaning the Assembly is the governing body that can unlock emergency resources and open the door to state aid. The resolution's placement on the consent agenda signals staff expects it to pass without extended debate. State assistance typically follows a local emergency finding.

A Sales Tax and Property Tax Cap on the November Ballot

The heavier fiscal question comes in new business. Assemblymember Ron Bernier is sponsoring an ordinance that would place a 3 percent areawide sales tax alongside a 4-mill real property tax cap on the November 3, 2026, ballot. The Assembly has seen broad tax proposals before. Earlier this year it turned down a 1.5 percent sales tax sponsored by Assemblymember Stephanie Nowers. That measure also appears on Tuesday's agenda under reconsideration. Residents who testified at the May 19 Assembly meeting warned that high sales tax rates would burden household budgets across the borough.

Marijuana Tax Cut Also on the Table

The same agenda carries a separate ordinance, sponsored by Assemblymember Michael Bowles, to cut the marijuana sales tax from 5 percent to 3 percent. That proposal adds another revenue variable to an evening already dense with fiscal questions. At the June 2 Assembly meeting, cannabis industry representatives argued the borough already operates in one of the highest-taxed marijuana markets in the nation and urged the Assembly to ease the burden.

Tuesday's meeting is an introduction for the Bernier sales tax ordinance. A public hearing is set for the August 4 Assembly meeting before any vote. The flood emergency resolution, by contrast, is on the consent agenda for action Tuesday night. Written comments can be submitted to [email protected], and residents can testify by phone at 1-855-225-2326. The Assembly convenes at 6 p.m. at 350 East Dahlia Avenue in Palmer.