The Anchorage Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) Board of Directors supports the April 2023 ballot proposal to create the Chugach State Park Access Service Area that would allow the municipality to submit to voters bond propositions for projects that support access to portions of Chugach State Park including, but not limited to, road and parking improvements, park access, and park access-supporting amenities.
We, and the business community at large, have long been committed to making Anchorage the best mid-sized city to Live. Work. and Play. We believe that by investing in Anchorage’s quality of place and leveraging the presence of existing recreational assets, Anchorage’s image will improve as a destination, more visitors will be driven to the city, in-migration trends will increase, and our city’s profile will be raised. Our Board of Directors recognizes that without additional investment in Chugach State Park access, the Park will remain underutilized, and neither Anchorage’s residents nor visitors will be able to fully experience such a world-class recreational asset.
Per the ballot language and the amended AO 2023-8, creation of the service area would allow the municipality to submit to voters bond propositions for projects that support access to portions of Chugach State Park that are located in the service area and ameliorate the neighborhood effects of access by park users. The service area would not levy taxes upon approval of this proposition. Taxes may only be levied if voters subsequently approve a proposition that authorizes levying and spending generally or for a particular project or projects and an annual tax levy for the maintenance and operations of the approved improvements is constructed.
The AEDC Board of Directors supports passage of Proposition 6, the proposal for the Creation of the Chugach State Park Access Service Area on the April 4 Municipal ballot and encourages voters to vote “Yes” on this important proposition.