BRH leadership: vote NO on Prop 2

Prop 2 risks lost revenue, cut staff for Juneau’s sole hospital

JUNEAU, Alaska — Sept. 11, 2024 — The potential impact of Proposition 2 on Juneau’s health care sector has raised concerns for Bartlett Regional Hospital CEO Ian Worden, who shared his thoughts on the proposal’s effects on the community in a letter of support for Project Juneau’s Future. BRH is the only hospital in Juneau and provides essential services to locals residing in Juneau year-round, along with cruise ship visitors and seasonal workers. 

Eliminating cruise ships larger than 250 passengers on Saturdays could cause the hospital to lose upward of $380,640 in revenue and five essential health care jobs, depending on the full extent of Proposition 2’s reach. 

“It's important to remember that employment and income in healthcare services have a significant impact on employment and income in other Alaska industries,” said Worden. “For each job in the hospital sector in Alaska, another 0.83 jobs are created in other businesses and industries in the state. Likewise, for each dollar of income generated in the hospital sector, another $0.52 is generated in other businesses and industries.”

This underscores how lost services for Juneau residents are only one part of the danger of Ship-Free Saturdays. If the tourism and hospital sectors sustain blows, the consequences could be far-reaching for citizens in all sectors. 

“While we can focus on the negative, the reality is many businesses rely on the positive economic impact of the cruise ship industry, including Bartlett Regional Hospital. This industry helps to sustain BRH and many of the healthcare services available within the community,” Worden emphasized.

Read Worden’s full statement here.