I wonder if the taxpayers of the City and Borough of Juneau realize the expenses and responsibilities they will incur if the CBJ Assembly decides to go ahead, as the Empire recently suggested, with a petition to annex large portions of Admiralty Island, including Funter Bay, Horse and Colt Islands, and more. If CBJ does go ahead and petition the Local Boundary Commission to allow such annexation, they will, according to the Commission’s provisions, be committed to providing “ the full development of essential borough services” to all those areas within no more than two years. What are essential services? Police and fire protection? Education? Dock maintenance (with fees)? Does the borough really intend to provide these services?
How could property taxes assessed on the few cabins in these areas offset the costs of servicing them? The areas are remote, accessible only by boat or float plane, and transportation, except on calm summer days, is subject to severe weather that can make travel or transport of materials difficult, hazardous, and expensive. In spring, fall and winter, access can be delayed by weeks or more, and people who make it out there for hunting or other recreation are often stuck for days. Servicing these areas and developing the infrastructure and personnel time that would be required would be a huge expense.
Finally, if the Assembly does decide to petition and their petition is granted, who will bear the burden if rural residents decide to take that decision to court, incurring legal expenses and court fees?
The CBJ staff says that annexing these areas now will reduce time and paperwork by grouping large areas together — and that we need to move before some other borough tries to grab these areas. What about the time and money being spent now in pursuing this proposal? And what other borough has indicated any interest at all in annexing these areas?
With the city’s tight budgets and the loss of services we are already facing within the borough, why are we sticking our necks out for more long-term responsibilities and expenses? It just doesn’t make sense.
Marge Hermans Osborn,
Auke Bay