Anchorage Voters to Decide on Sales Tax and Infrastructure Measures

The Anchorage Assembly is advancing Ordinance AO 2025-133 to place a 3% sales and use tax proposition on the ballot, with the revenue split evenly across property-tax relief, public safety and infrastructure, and childcare and housing needs.

These steps come at a time when Anchorage residents face ongoing questions about how local government will fund day-to-day services and longer-term projects without adding to existing tax burdens. The measures touch directly on household costs, road upkeep in specific neighborhoods and major port operations that support jobs and freight movement through the city.

Tax and road service proposals

Under the sales tax plan drawn from Source 1, each of the three designated areas would receive 1% of the total levy if voters approve the measure. A separate ballot item for the Bear Valley Limited Road Service Area would allow a maximum 2.25 mill levy dedicated to road maintenance and snow plowing, with the authority applying retroactively to January 1, 2026. Residents in that service area would see the potential for a dedicated funding source for winter road work that currently relies on other municipal resources.

These proposals would give voters a direct say in whether to create new revenue streams for targeted local priorities rather than relying solely on existing budgets.

Port financing and planning changes

The Assembly also approved Resolution AR 2026-95, authorizing up to $400 million in port revenue bonds for debt refinancing and capital improvements at the Don Young Port of Alaska, according to Source 4. Separately, Ordinance AO 2026-46 would permanently end the Urban Design Commission and shift its responsibilities to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Both actions would reshape how the municipality handles port-related debt and development review processes that influence growth patterns across Anchorage.

Next steps include final Assembly votes on the ordinances and resolutions before any ballot items reach voters. Residents can review the full meeting materials from the cited sources to track exact language and timelines for public input on the tax, levy and bond proposals.