Bridge Park, Respite Care and Labor Law

On December 13 the Assembly heard presentations on the conversion of the waterfront area near the downtown bridge. We reiterated our support for a Bridge Park and the Empire story was a pretty accurate report. We want the area under the Bridge to be a Park, and we want it to be the terminus of the Sea Walk that would connect all the way downtown and on to the last cruise ship dock at the Rock Dump. Here is the rest of the story. As you know, the availability of money drives much of the process. So far we have been funding the Sea Walk with Cruise Ship Passenger fees. By U.S. law you can only have a head tax on cruise passengers if the money is used for them. So the further you get from cruise ship docks, the less justification there is for using those fees. The Empire notes we plan a building for Docks and Harbors near the bridge, but the real emphasis of the Assembly was that it needed to be a Maritime Museum or some kind of tourist attraction that would justify our claim that the Seawalk was necessary for the safe movement of cruise ship passengers. THEN we can fund the whole walk from the bridge back to the docks.

After the COW meeting we met as a Finance Committee. We approved a small contribution to help fund a Respite Lodging program for homeless citizens who are too sick to be lodged with other homeless in shelters, but not sick enough to be in the hospital. I am so grateful for the Glory Hole, St. Vincent’s, and JEDC for taking the lead on this and for Bartlett Hospital’s support. It is a small, but very needed program. Also at the Finance meeting we tabled the jewelry store tax proposal, but said we would re-visit the whole idea in the future, including looking at a possible luxury or seasonal sales tax or some other variation.

On Saturday the 18th we met for three hours to address some labor law issues and came to a number of agreements on how to adjust the process to be more equitable. I am pleased with these changes that were pushed by Bob Doll and myself (I talked about this issue in my September 6 post). The one unresolved issue is the unions’ desire to have contract disputes submitted to binding arbitration. Currently the Assembly has the final word. Given that city workers are prohibited from striking, the unions feel a system where the Assembly is the appeals body is unfair. I have been advocating for the state model, where arbitration is used, but any negotiated contract still needs to be funded by the legislature – or in our case the Assembly. So it includes arbitration, but still gives the Assembly the final word on budget issues.

Monday evening December 20 was the regular Assembly meeting. The one thing of note was the designation of the State Museum as a historical building. It was pretty confusing to sort out the issues—including the impact such a designation would have and whether it would pose any barrier for the State Library Archives Museum project. We deleted a section that called for the project to be located at another (unidentified) site. Ultimately it is the State’s decision. We just want to see the project move forward.

It has been an eventful year…..but aren’t they all? My goals for Juneau continue to be equal treatment for everyone with support for our most vulnerable citizens, an emphasis on public participation and government transparency, fiscal and environmental responsibility, and promotion of our local economy.

I want to thank so many of you who have expressed appreciation for my efforts on the Assembly. Your support gives me the energy to keep going.

I wish the very best holiday season to you all, and I look forward to 2011.