North Slope voters reelect Patkotak and approve all 11 bonds worth about $1.55 billion

North Slope Borough voters reelected Mayor Josiah Patkotak and approved all 11 bond propositions on the Oct. 6 ballot, giving the borough authority to borrow up to about $1.55 billion, according to results the Borough Assembly certified Tuesday.

Patkotak received 989 votes to 639 for former Mayor Harry Brower Jr., about 60%. The two clashed during the campaign over roads and litigation.

The bonds

Every bond proposition passed with at least 73% of the vote. The largest, Proposition 4, allows up to $327.8 million for water facilities and passed 1,447 to 180.

The others cover light, power and heating systems ($217.5 million), sewage treatment ($204.3 million), general capital projects ($192.9 million), roads and flood control ($178 million), schools ($173.6 million), public safety ($96.7 million), sanitary facilities ($82.1 million), public housing ($76.5 million), communications ($2.4 million) and administrative facilities ($2.3 million). The administrative measure drew the most opposition, passing 1,196 to 425.

A yes vote authorizes the borrowing but doesn't require it. The Assembly decides when and how much to borrow, and the bonds would be repaid with property taxes levied "without limitation as to rate or amount," Alaska News reported before the election.

The borough's 2023-2028 capital plan says $814 million worth of its $4.8 billion in buildings and infrastructure would reach the end of its useful life over those six years.

"We build all of our schools on our own debt in the North Slope Borough," Patkotak told the state House Finance Committee on May 29. He said the state's tax cap formula limits operating dollars, "and then that forces you to shift more cost to long-term debt."

The borough already owes $510.9 million in bond principal across 12 bond series, according to its fiscal 2027 budget letter. About 84% of that is scheduled to mature within five years. Principal and interest payments this fiscal year total $103.7 million.

Assembly and school board

In Point Hope, Eva Kinneeveauk won the District A-1 Assembly seat, 993 to 562, over Robert Rex Omnik. Chalmer Panik in Wainwright, Michael Donovan in Barrow and Cilia Attungowruk in Point Lay and Atqasuk also won Assembly seats.

No candidate for Barrow's District A-3B seat reached the 40% needed to win outright. Stefanie Lozano, with 600 votes, and Craig Moore Jr., with 538, will meet in a Nov. 3 runoff. Martin Edwardsen received 462.

For school board, Heidi Ahsoak beat Megan Edwardson 901 to 694, and Angel Itta beat Neal Johnston II 1,165 to 415, for Barrow seats. Frieda Moore in Barrow and Madeline Hickman in Wainwright and Atqasuk also won seats.