Juneau committee approves $7-per-lower-berth dockage fee and redirects passenger-fee subsidies

The Assembly Finance Committee voted on Jan. 8 to introduce an ordinance that would change Juneau’s dockage fee structure to $7 per lower berth and to set that change to take effect for the 2026 cruise season.

The committee also voted to stop using marine passenger-fee revenue to subsidize restrooms and security at public and private docks; instead, the committee directed staff to fund dock operations from dockage revenues. That allocation passed 5–3 on a recorded roll call (yes: Bryson, Kelly, Atkinson, Hughes Gandy, Chair Wall; no: Smith, Hall, Steininger).

Why it matters: Committee members and staff said higher dockage revenues would fund maintenance and capital needs at the docks while freeing passenger-fee revenue to address community impacts from cruise visits, such as additional bussing, security and visitor services.…