The Candidates for school board and city assembly in Juneau’s Oct. 6 municipal election took part in a televised forum Wednesday evening with different positions on taxes, housing and tourism during the 2026 City and Borough of Juneau Municipal Candidate Forum hosted by the League of Women Voters at KTOO.

“Remember, vote like democracy depends on it because it does.” Said Patricia Turner Custard, from League of Women Voters.

Voters will decide three ballot propositions this fall, including whether to extend a temporary 3% sales tax, raise the city’s property tax cap from 9 to 12 mills, and add a new seasonal 1% sales tax to support recreation.

Several assembly candidates, including Malachi Thorington and Joyce Niven, said they support all three measures to shore up city services.

“I will be voting in favor of all three of these tax measures. Juneau… is currently in a funding deficit and a bit of a hole that we need to crawl back out of.” Said Thorington.

While David Morris and Brad Sapp, argued Juneau has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.

“I intend to vote yes on the 3% and no on the seasonal and no on the mill cap… It wasn’t about people being unwilling to pay taxes. It was about: ‘City, stop wasting our money.’” Said Sapp.

On tourism, candidates split over whether proposed cruise ship docks on North Douglas should count toward Juneau’s five‑ship limit. Some urged a data-driven passenger cap and a moratorium on new docks.

“The tour industry accounts for 25% of city revenue right now and 20% of our employees… I fully support the tour industry. I fully support its expansion.” Said Sapp.

“I believe the five‑ship limit should stand… If you do the same thing in Douglas, you’re going to have to have the second crossing… I think five ships is the limit because of the pollution problem and the access problem.” Said David Morris.

Housing and public trust emerged as recurring themes. Multiple candidates called for opening more land for development and streamlining the planning process, and others, like Carla Hart said, “I think we should have houses as homes and not as houses as investments.”

Ballots will be mailed Sept. 18 and must be returned or postmarked by Oct. 6.