Taxing tourists.

• Author: Manna, Victor
• Position: Juneau's cruise ship tax

Taxing Tourists.

Residents of Southeast Alaska have always known the importance of tourism to local economies, and cities in the region see the visitor industry as an asset that can help to build local economies and assist in fixing up local infrastracture. Now, some tour operators say one Panhandle city is getting greedy.

In January, the Juneau Assembly voted in a tax that will cost the cruise ships entering Juneau's harbor 29 cents per ton. Some cruise ships weigh as much as 32,000 tons. According to Joe Graham, Juneau harbor master, such a tax is not uncommon and the money is desperately needed to repair worn docks and install rubber bumpers to help protect docking areas from future wear.

Juneau plans to invest the revenues in improvements the assembly hopes will increase tourism traffic. The city plans to buy more than $7 million in general obligation bonds to cover the proposed work.

Stephen Neilson of Princess Lines explains the cost will be borne by the passenger and says, by initial estimations, it should only amount to about $5 per person...