Renovation of an educational facility in Anchorage, Alaska. Completed plans call for the renovation of a educational facility.

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/04/07/fate-of-school-bond-and-education-tax-levy-uncertain-in-early-anchorage-election-results/ Early election results show Anchorage voters narrowly split on a proposed special tax levy for the Anchorage School District. As of Tuesday evening, initial results showed Anchorage residents voting 48.9% yes (20,600 votes) to 49.8% no (20,978 votes), reflecting a difference of just 378 votes. Initial results show Anchorage voters are also divided over a $79 million bond package for Anchorage school facilities, with 49.2% voting yes (20,708 votes) and 49.5% voting no (20,831 votes), reflecting a difference of 123 votes. Election officials had counted ballots from 42,094 voters Tuesday evening, representing 17.9% of the city’s roughly 235,400 registered voters. Thousands of ballots have not yet been counted, and more will continue to arrive by mail in the coming weeks. As the school district faced a $90 million budget shortfall for the upcoming school year, Mayor Suzanne LaFrance introduced the levy in January with the intent of funding the school district to the maximum amount permitted under state law. LaFrance put her own city sales tax proposal on hold to not compete with the levy. The $12 million levy is intended to reduce class sizes and protect student programming. While residents have shared mixed opinions about the proposal, school district officials called the levy a “lifeline” that could ease a portion of its budget deficit. Unlike a bond, the levy would be a one-time cost — approximately $27 for every $100,000 in assessed home value — for Anchorage property owners. ADVERTISEMENT Anchorage voters considered more than $155 million in bonds and tax levy propositions. The municipality plans to use a large portion of the money requested to prop up basic services such as road, drainage and fleet maintenance, and fund renovations for its aging infrastructure. Bonds, repaid over time through property taxes, fund projects that do not fit in the city’s annual budget. Anchorage has become heavily dependent on property tax revenue, and has lost tens of millions of dollars in annual support from the state. LaFrance has said the continual financial losses have created a “fiscal cliff” that could reduce public services as soon as this year. [Blakeslee, McDonogh lead in Anchorage School Board races] [Preliminary election results show incumbents in the lead for Anchorage Assembly seats] ADVERTISEMENT Initial Tuesday results • Proposition 1: This $79 million package for ASD capital improvements includes nine separate projects at 20 different schools. Tuesday’s preliminary results showed Anchorage voters were narrowly split, with 49.2% for the bonds and 49.5% against the package. • Proposition 2: If Tuesday’s results hold, the $38 million bond for roads and drainage work would be on track to pass, with 60.6% of voters supporting it, according to initial results. The projects are spread throughout the Anchorage Bowl, and are set to run from this year through 2031. • Proposition 3: The $6.1 million Parks and Recreation Service Area bond to pay for 16 projects at municipal parks and recreation facilities has received 55.5% of the votes counted so far. Roughly 43.6% are opposed. • Proposition 4: The bond would fund $350,000 for upgrades to Anchorage police facilities, including reconstruction of the parking lot at the former APD headquarters off Elmore Road. Voters were narrowly split in Tuesday’s initial results, with 49.8% in favor and 47.8% opposed. • Proposition 5: The $7.2 million community facilities capital improvement project — intended to pay for upgrades at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, the Old City Hall building and the Loussac Library — has 53.2% approval while 45.4% are opposed. ADVERTISEMENT • Proposition 6: Much of the $8.9 million public safety and transit improvement bond will pay for ambulance and emergency vehicle fleet replacements. Another portion of the bond, which currently has 56.3% support in Tuesday’s preliminary returns, will go toward traffic improvements aimed at reducing collisions on busy roadways. • Proposition 7: The $2.5 million fire service bond for fire engine replacements had 64.3% approval in first returns, with 34.4% opposed. • Proposition 8: About 50.5% of voters so far have opted to support the Chugach State Park Access Service Area bond, worth $1.72 million. The money is earmarked for upgrades to access points into popular hiking areas, including the Basher Drive Trailhead. Initial reports show 47.7% opposed. • Proposition 9: About 48.9% of voters so far have voted in favor of the one-time special education levy, with 49.8% against. The measure could provide $11.8 million for 80 classroom teachers and three kindergarten paraprofessionals if additional ballots flip the current results. The measure was introduced in January after Anchorage officials noticed additional room for local contribution to the school board following the permanent increase of the state’s per-student funding formula. Class sizes in Anchorage schools have increased in recent years, and the extra teachers would effectively cut the class size increase passed by the school board in half. • Proposition 10: This measure is a bit of housekeeping, and involves tidying up old municipal code and has no monetary expense associated with it. Because the Anchorage Telephone Utility was technically a public company before it was sold in 1998, it was covered under the municipal charter, and as such a majority of voter support is necessary to amend the charter language. In Tuesday’s results, 74.1% of voters approved the change, while 21.4% were opposed. • Proposition 11: A mill levy for road and maintenance and snowplowing in Bear Valley has received 90.5% of the votes counted with 9.5% opposed. If passed, property owners in the area would see a property tax increase of approximately $75 per $100,000 of assessed value. • Proposition 12: Property owners within the Eagle Bluff Estates Subdivision were asked if a new light service area should be created and consolidated within the Eagle River street light service area. Of the voters whose ballots were included in Tuesday’s count, just 21.4% were in favor, with 71.4% opposed. ------------------------------------------------------------------ https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2026/02/22/heres-what-bonds-to-expect-on-anchorages-upcoming-municipal-election-ballot/ Anchorage voters will consider a series of ballot proposals including more than $155 million in bonds and tax levy propositions. In April, Anchorage voters will consider municipal bond proposals for capital projects and a special one-time education tax levy. Residents will also elect six Assembly members and two school board members. Bonds are used by the municipality to pay for projects that fall outside of its annual budget. The bonds, which accrue interest, are repaid over time by property taxes. It typically takes one to two years for voter-approved bonds to show up on property tax bills. Anchorage is heavily reliant on income from property taxes to fund public services and large projects. The municipality lacks a local sales tax and has gradually lost significant financial support from the state, contributing to what Mayor Suzanne LaFrance has called a looming “fiscal cliff” for municipal services and revenues. Voter registration ends on March 8. Ballots are scheduled to be mailed out on March 17, and must be returned or postmarked by April 7. Prop 1: Capital improvements for the Anchorage School District - $79 million As the largest measure on this year’s ballot, this school bond would take on $79 million in municipal debt to pay for “capital improvements, construction, upgrades, planning, design, and renovation” to several different schools, according to the municipality’s 2026 regular municipal election FAQ page. The biggest share of the bond money, $27 million, would go to phase 1 construction for upgrades to Romig Middle School in the Turnagain neighborhood. Another $19.6 million is set to go to upgrading Lake Otis Elementary. More construction is planned for Tudor, Klatt and Ursa Major elementary schools, and improvements to the electrical system at Bettye Davis East High. ADVERTISEMENT Lake Otis Elementary School in Anchorage on October 6, 2025. (Marc Lester / ADN) The bond debt for the measure breaks down to $15.43 per every $100,000 of a property’s assessed value. However, a comparable amount of debt is being retired this year, meaning that the actual difference a regular property tax payer should expect is closer to an increase of $2.75 for each $100,000 of their home or commercial building value. Unlike several recent years, the Anchorage School District anticipates Alaska lawmakers in Juneau to restore the state bond debt reimbursement program, wherein state dollars partially compensate local entities for school bond debt. Based on the municipality’s projections that about half the school bond could be reimbursed, the actual impact on people’s tax bills would be a slight decrease, about $5 less for the owner of a $400,000 home. [Anchorage School Board to vote on budget Tuesday amid funding uncertainty] Prop 2: Roads and drainage bond - $38 million Voters will decide whether to take on $38 million in bond debt for road and drainage projects for the Anchorage Bowl from 2026 to 2031. ADVERTISEMENT Project costs range from $150,000 for safety improvements on Mountain View Drive to $5.1 million for the reconstruction of Tasha Road near Dimond High School. The measure would lift the municipal tax cap by $45,000 to cover annual maintenance and operations costs on five of the 25 items on the project list. For the owner of a $400,000 house, the full cost of this measure equates to about $35 more per year before deducting debt retiring from previous cycles. Even though the bond only applies to the Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area, the boundaries of which are basically the Anchorage Bowl, the measure needs a majority of support from all municipal voters, even those living in services areas such as Girdwood and Eagle River, who will not pay for the bond debt. Prop 3: Parks and Recreation Service Area bond - $6.1 million The park bond would take out $6.1 million in debt to pay for 16 projects at municipal parks and recreational facilities, estimated to cost between $100,000 and $800,000. ADVERTISEMENT Among the projects are upgrades and improvements at Centennial Campground, the Chester Creek Sports Complex, the Fish Creek Trail, Spenard Recreation Center, Mountain View Community Center and Town Square Park, among others. The Chester Creek Sports Complex, photographed on Friday, April 5, 2024 in Anchorage. (Loren Holmes / ADN) Similar to the roads and drainage bond, the measure would also adjust the tax cap upwards, in this instance by $415,000, to pay for future ongoing operations and maintenance costs. Combined, the costs associated with this bond measure would mean $9.40 more for the owner of a $400,000 home. Prop 4: Police service area bond - $350,000 This $350,000 bond would go toward building improvements and the reconstruction of the adjacent parking lot at the Anchorage Police Department’s Elmore Station. The passage of this bond would cost Anchorage tax payers 6 cents per $100,000 of assessed value. Property owners in Girdwood, Bird, Indian, Rainbow, Portage and other areas outside the service area would see no changes. Original tile is popping up near the Sixth Avenue entrance at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Anchorage on July 31, 2025. (Bill Roth / ADN) Prop 5: Community facilities capital improvement project - $7.2 million This measure would take on $7.2 million in bond debt to pay for several projects at public facilities. Among the expenditures outlined in the project list are $3.2 million in upgrades to the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts building; $500,000 to replace boilers in the Old City Hall building; and $300,000 to renovate the children’s area at the Loussac Library. The cost of the debt breaks down to an additional $1.22 per every $100,000 of a property’s taxable value. Prop 6: Public safety and transit improvements bond - $8.9 million The municipality plans to use this $8.9 million bond to pay for a number of safety and transit projects costing $1.54 per every $100,000 of a property’s taxable value. The bond would pay to replace ambulances for the Anchorage Fire Department and transit fleet and support vehicles. The municipality is also pursuing traffic signal and signage upgrades and projects to slow down traffic on busy roadways where it can be dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. This measure would adjust the tax cap upward, in this case by $152,000, to cover associated operations and maintenance costs. An Anchorage Fire Department ambulance drives east on Tudor Road on April 18, 2020. (Loren Holmes / ADN) Prop 7: Fire service bond - $2.5 million This $2.5 million bond would allow the municipality to replace aging fire engines in the Anchorage Fire Service Area. For the past few years, the deteriorating condition of the Anchorage Fire Department’s fleet has been exacerbated by increasing call volumes. The measure would cost property tax payers in the Anchorage Fire Service Area about 46 cents per $100,000 in assessed value. Property owners in Girdwood and Chugiak would not see tax increases. Prop 8: Chugach State Park Access Service Area bond - $1.72 million This $1.72 million bond would pay for parking and trail improvements in an effort to increase public access to Chugach State Park. The municipality would use a majority of the money to redesign the popular Basher Drive Trailhead, a busy gateway to the state park, and connect the new parking lot to the existing trail system. The capital budget for 2026 also sets aside approximately $70,000 for signage and wayfinding along the Stewart Trail in South Anchorage. This trail segment, the most accessible way to reach McHugh Peak, has remained at the center of disputes around public access for more than a decade. The Stewart Trail, center, provides access to the Chugach State Park and McHugh Peak in Potter Valley on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022. (Bill Roth / ADN) It would cost property tax payers in the Anchorage Bowl about 33 cents for every $100,000 in assessed home value. Properties in Chugiak, Eagle River and Girdwood, which are outside of the Chugach State Park Access Service Area, would not be taxed. If passed, this bond would adjust the tax cap upward by an amount not to exceed $75,000 to cover annual maintenance. ADVERTISEMENT Prop 9: Anchorage School District special property tax levy - $12 million This spring, residents will consider a special, one-time $12 million tax levy for the Anchorage School District, which faces a $90 million deficient for the upcoming school year. Mayor Suzanne LaFrance introduced the levy in January with the intent of funding the school district to the maximum amount allowed by state law. The levy would likely fund teacher positions and student programming, and help counteract the district’s large budgetary shortfall. Unlike a bond paid off on a 20-year cycle, the levy would be a one-time cost to property owners, and mean an extra $27.40 for every $100,000 in a assessed value. Prop 10: Amendment to remove outdated language about former telephone utility This proposition is a housekeeping measure that will remove outdated references to the former Anchorage Telephone Utility from the city charter. Voters approved the sale of the utility in 1998. If approved, the measure would simply delete old references to the phone utility from city code and have no monetary impact. Prop 11: Bear Valley Limited Road Service Area mill levy The Bear Valley LRSA Board of Supervisors requested a levy to be used for the maintenance of roads and snowplowing in this area. If the full mill increase is levied, property owners here would see an increase in property taxes of approximately $75 per $100,000 of assessed value. The Bear Valley LRSA Board of Supervisors will have the authority to set the rate. Prop 12: Eagle Bluff Estates street light service area Property owners within the Eagle Bluff Estates Subdivision will be asked if a new light service area should be created and consolidated within the Eagle River street light service area. The maximum rate would equate to $50 per $100,000 of assessed property value. The money generated from this property tax would pay for the operation and maintenance of street lights. This proposal would be retroactive to the first of this year. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Question Deadline 02/11/2026 Offeror comments concerning discrepancies, defects, ambiguities or other errors in the RFP must be made in writing and received by the Districts Purchasing Department at least seven (7) days prior to the date set for the submission of proposals. Design services for the window replacement at Romig Middle School. Prospective proposers are encouraged to meet at the schools main office and walk through the proposed area of design for this RFP. *The value for this project is based on a financial range. The value is listed as the highest possible cost from the range provided by a stakeholder or official project document.