State withdrawals support for Juneau in cruise industry suit

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – The state of Alaska has pulled its offer to help the City and Borough of Juneau in an ongoing lawsuit.

The Juneau Empire reports that the state on Wednesday withdrew a legal memo it had sent the day before that supported the city and borough’s position in a case brought by the cruise ship industry.

Two cruise ship associations claim the city and borough interfere with interstate commerce and violate the Tonnage Clause of the U.S. Constitution by collecting $8 per cruise ship passenger – or a head tax – with a $3 port fee and a $5 additional fee.

Cori Mills, a spokeswoman for the Alaska Department of Law, says the memo of support was never supposed to be sent. Mills declined to say how the mistake happened.

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