A couple of new projects are making headway that you might be interested in. First, the US Forest Service plans to build a 7,500 square foot, 2-3 story laboratory, plus parking lot, warehouse, and shop on Auke Lake on 7.5 acres of Forest land between the University campus and Back Loop Road. Planned construction is 2011-2012. Because it is Federal property and a Federal project, it requires no local permitting. The contact person is Becky Gravenmier at the PNW Research Station in Portland Oregon. http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/
Second, last Tuesday the Planning Commission approved a permit for a new 80 unit Aspen Hotel on Airport Road. http://www.juneau.org/plancomm/documents/STF_USE09-41_000.pdf
Finally, on Monday 10/26 at 6pm the Assembly Committee of the Whole will review recommendations from Docks and Harbors to move forward on cruise ship docks. This is a politically complex issue with multiple motivations by different groups. The driving force behind this is to not have a ship anchored in the channel, but allow it to dock. Right now, the city dock opposite Marine Park cannot accommodate the larger vessels that the industry is changing to (known as panamax). There were three main proposals—one is to stay with the present docks, but build them out 100 ft to allow the longer size (and also free up the seawalk from Coast Guard/TSA security restrictions). The second one was perpendicular to Merchants Wharf and the third a site at Gold Creek that would probably be privately developed. The Merchants Wharf site was rejected by most everyone for a variety of reasons.
The Cruise Industry prefers Gold Creek because it spreads out their passengers and enables them to transport them more easily. There is an interesting coalition of Downtown Business Owners, Downtown residents, and Docks and Harbors opposing Gold Creek - but for different reasons. DBA opposes it because they feel it will divert customers away from downtown. Many downtown residents don't want the cruise ships spreading out (and have voted against Gold Creek in the past). CBJ Docks and Harbors wants the current dock option because it is under their control and would keep them receiving the dock revenue. Fascinating dynamics. You can see maps and other info at http://www.juneau.org/clerk/ASC/COTW/2009/documents/2009-10-26_Harbors_Dock_Proposal_and_Request_for_State_Funding.pdf
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
2009 Election
This year’s election is over and the incumbents won (both Assembly and School Board)- plus election of the centrist Ruth Danner to the seat vacated by Sara Chambers.
It is reported that 28% of Juneau voted last week, but maybe not. We show almost 25,000 registered voters, and there are not 25,000 adults in Juneau. We add people who newly register, but there is no mechanism for dropping people who leave. Juneau’s population is around 30,000 and according to the census we have about 22% under 18. That leaves 23,400 18 and over. The Census bureau says that in 2000 about 70% of eligible voters were registered to vote. If that were true for Juneau we would have about 16,380 registered voters actually living here. Maybe it is a higher rate for Juneau than for the U.S. as a whole, so let’s bump it up to 17,000. There were 7,091 ballots cast in Juneau which would make turnout around 42% of registered voters and about 30% of the voting age population. [Still not great] Aren’t you glad you know all this? See the precinct by precinct votes at http://www.juneau.org/clerk/elections/documents/2009-10-06-Friday-Results_CBJ_Election_Unofficial.pdf
I was quite pleased to see Ruth Danner win her election, and I am disappointed to hear that some folks (even on the radio) are claiming improprieties in the vote by “the Democratic machine.” Ruth won 54% of the vote. Look at last year. Bob Doll – an active Democrat running against Wade Bryson, a dedicated pro road Republican, won by 55%. Of course there were other races – but many of them swung on issues of personality. Think of Randy Wanamaker vs. Dixie Hood or Johan Dybdahl against Marshall Kendziorek. And maybe this race swung on personality as well. You be the judge.
Also interesting is the letter to the editor by Karen Lawfer in Sunday’s Empire claiming that money doesn’t make a difference in elections. Hmmmmm. http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/101109/let_503563563.shtml
I guarantee you that a newcomer better be ready to raise and spend some money if they want to overcome the name recognition of an incumbent. The fact is that name recognition is still one of the greatest determinants of voting and incumbents have the advantage there. She poo-pooed flyers, mailers and signs – but they put your name out there. As do radio and newspaper ads. The candidate forums reach a few hundred people – maybe more with the broadcast KTOO forum. But you need 3,500 – 4,000 votes to win. Each of us knows a few hundred people, maybe more. You have to convince at about 3,000 people who never heard of you to vote for you. That’s the job of the campaign. [FYI – Incumbents do lose in Juneau. In 2004 Jeff Bush beat incumbent Jeannie Johnson, 2003 Dan Peterson beat incumbent Dale Anderson, 2002 Merrill Sanford beat incumbent Frankie Pillifant]
Next year, Randy Wanamaker in the valley is termed out - so no incumbent. Start thinking about it and talking to people. Contact me if you’d like to chat.
---------------
As far as Monday night’s (10/12) Assembly meeting – I don’t see anything too controversial. We will (probably) pass the Animal Control Ordinance, returning to past ordinance language on competent voice control. We will probably pass an ordinance relaxing zoning for Single Room Occupancy buildings and accessory apartments—hoping to facilitate affordable housing. And we will probably adopt regulations for Downtown Historic District Design Standards Guidelines. Background on all this is found on the agenda page – (follow the Assembly Agenda and Minutes link at right
It is reported that 28% of Juneau voted last week, but maybe not. We show almost 25,000 registered voters, and there are not 25,000 adults in Juneau. We add people who newly register, but there is no mechanism for dropping people who leave. Juneau’s population is around 30,000 and according to the census we have about 22% under 18. That leaves 23,400 18 and over. The Census bureau says that in 2000 about 70% of eligible voters were registered to vote. If that were true for Juneau we would have about 16,380 registered voters actually living here. Maybe it is a higher rate for Juneau than for the U.S. as a whole, so let’s bump it up to 17,000. There were 7,091 ballots cast in Juneau which would make turnout around 42% of registered voters and about 30% of the voting age population. [Still not great] Aren’t you glad you know all this? See the precinct by precinct votes at http://www.juneau.org/clerk/elections/documents/2009-10-06-Friday-Results_CBJ_Election_Unofficial.pdf
I was quite pleased to see Ruth Danner win her election, and I am disappointed to hear that some folks (even on the radio) are claiming improprieties in the vote by “the Democratic machine.” Ruth won 54% of the vote. Look at last year. Bob Doll – an active Democrat running against Wade Bryson, a dedicated pro road Republican, won by 55%. Of course there were other races – but many of them swung on issues of personality. Think of Randy Wanamaker vs. Dixie Hood or Johan Dybdahl against Marshall Kendziorek. And maybe this race swung on personality as well. You be the judge.
Also interesting is the letter to the editor by Karen Lawfer in Sunday’s Empire claiming that money doesn’t make a difference in elections. Hmmmmm. http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/101109/let_503563563.shtml
I guarantee you that a newcomer better be ready to raise and spend some money if they want to overcome the name recognition of an incumbent. The fact is that name recognition is still one of the greatest determinants of voting and incumbents have the advantage there. She poo-pooed flyers, mailers and signs – but they put your name out there. As do radio and newspaper ads. The candidate forums reach a few hundred people – maybe more with the broadcast KTOO forum. But you need 3,500 – 4,000 votes to win. Each of us knows a few hundred people, maybe more. You have to convince at about 3,000 people who never heard of you to vote for you. That’s the job of the campaign. [FYI – Incumbents do lose in Juneau. In 2004 Jeff Bush beat incumbent Jeannie Johnson, 2003 Dan Peterson beat incumbent Dale Anderson, 2002 Merrill Sanford beat incumbent Frankie Pillifant]
Next year, Randy Wanamaker in the valley is termed out - so no incumbent. Start thinking about it and talking to people. Contact me if you’d like to chat.
---------------
As far as Monday night’s (10/12) Assembly meeting – I don’t see anything too controversial. We will (probably) pass the Animal Control Ordinance, returning to past ordinance language on competent voice control. We will probably pass an ordinance relaxing zoning for Single Room Occupancy buildings and accessory apartments—hoping to facilitate affordable housing. And we will probably adopt regulations for Downtown Historic District Design Standards Guidelines. Background on all this is found on the agenda page – (follow the Assembly Agenda and Minutes link at right
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