Mat-Su voters reject sales tax, lean against alcohol tax and road powers

Mat-Su Borough voters rejected a 1% boroughwide sales tax by about 2 to 1 in Tuesday's election, according to unofficial results, and were also voting down a 5% tax on alcohol and a measure giving the borough as a whole power to build roads.

The sales tax lost 15,138 to 7,688. That margin is bigger than the up to 5,934 absentee, questioned and special needs ballots still to be counted, so those ballots can't change the outcome.

The tax would have come with a break for homeowners: a $75,000 property tax exemption for homes their owners live in. Borough finance staff projected the sales tax would bring in about $21.5 million a year, while the exemption would cost $7.9 million to $15.9 million. Assembly member Stephanie Nowers, who sponsored it, argued it was the only option that sent the full benefit of the break to people who live in the borough. Assembly member Michael Bowles argued a later budget would take the exemption away.

The Assembly blocked an earlier version in May and killed this one in June before reviving it in July.

The alcohol tax was losing 13,617 to 9,897, and the road measure 12,708 to 10,023. Those leads are smaller than the number of uncounted ballots, but supporters would need at least 81% of them to pass the alcohol tax and at least 73% to pass the road measure.

The road measure would let the borough as a whole buy rights-of-way and build roads, sidewalks and drainage, work now handled only by individual road service areas.

A fourth measure, lengthening school board terms from three years to four, is too close to call. It was trailing 11,702 to 11,310, a gap of 392 votes. If it passes, this year's two school board winners would serve two-year terms ending in 2028 to make the switch.

Mailed ballots must arrive by Friday, and the Assembly is set to certify results Nov. 17.