The number one economic development problem in our community is also our oldest problem. Community concern that a lack of buildable land for housing in Juneau would impede the ability of the community to grow and prosper was first mentioned by Miner Bruce in 1895....
Tomorrow, Dec. 14, 2013 is Juneau’s naming day, or more specifically the 132nd anniversary of the day Juneau became “Juneau.” It is an unlikely story at best. Though the modern naming of our city happened in 1881, the area was well known prior to this time. Gold Creek...
Despite the fact that Southeast Alaska is 35,000 square miles, we don’t have much in the way of land here. Of that total, only 0.3 percent is owned by communities and private landowners — just 1/3 of one percent. The federal government owns 95 percent of our land...
Gold was not the only thing extracted from Gold Creek when Juneau became a mining town in the late 1800’s. In 1893, an electric generator attached to a water wheel was placed in Gold Creek, thus marking the beginnings of Alaska Electric Light & Power. This act 121...
In Juneau, there are nearly 2,500 kids under six, but despite the fact that most parents in our town cannot afford to stay at home, there are only 519 licensed child care slots. This shortage impacts local businesses as well as families, and acts as an economic...
In 2013, the Southeast Alaska economy, which had been in an expansion phase for the previous five years, stopped growing. Both the population and the number of workers in the region grew by a mere 19 people, which is akin to no growth at all. Total wages grew by just...
