Residents in the Eagle River and Chugiak area are forging ahead in their now seven-year push to formally break ties with Anchorage in order to establish their own independent, home-rule borough, including a separate school system, tax structure, police, fire and local government.

The next task for the Eaglexit campaign is to clarify exactly what the budget might look like if Eagle River, Chugiak, Birchwood, Eklutna and JBER unified under a new borough that no longer answered to or depended on the larger Anchorage population.

Late last year, the group submitted its petition package to the Alaska Local Boundary Commission for technical review. This included a description of the design, geographical map, legal aspects, advantages of separation and a transition plan for the proposed borough.

That submission recently came back with a few questions that the commission wants clarified.

“As you know, we submitted the petition to the Local Boundary Staff for an informal technical review at the end of 2025,” Eaglexit Chair Catherine Margolin noted in a recent message to supporters. “They came back with some required changes, which we’re working on now.”

Specifically, the commission asked Eaglexit to provide more details on its proposed budget, including information on the projected number of borough employees in each department, equipment costs and other factors.

The boundary commission also asked Eaglexit to establish an ongoing formal relationship with Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance as they navigate possible detachment. This step has been completed, according to Margolin.

“We’ve met with Mayor LaFrance, and we have a cordial and workable relationship with her office as well as a contact person assigned to be our liaison for any and all communications,” she confirmed.

On Tuesday, March 24, Eaglexit will hold its next town hall Q&A at the Chugiak-Eagle River Senior Center (22424 N Birchwood Loop) from 7-8 p.m. This will be another opportunity for area residents to hear updates, ask questions and provide suggestions and feedback.

“What everyone is asking: What about the budget? What will the budget look like, and will our property taxes go up or down?” Margolin noted. “Can we afford to run ourselves? Or do we need mom and dad in the form of the Anchorage assembly to tell us what to do?” 

The town hall will feature Eaglexit Board Member Lance Roberts, the architect of the Chugach Regional Borough Charter and Transition Plan. He is also a former member of the Local Boundary Commission, as well as an engineer who has long advocated for smaller, more efficient local government.

Anyone who wants to provide suggestions, ask questions or offer critiques is invited to attend.

“The budget, of course, is the thing we want to get right,” Margolin stated. “Of course, we can’t project the exact costs of a new borough because the new Assembly will be in charge of building out the structure of the fledgling government. However, we do want to present a realistic picture of what the citizens of this new borough can expect.”

According to Eaglexit’s current analysis, detachment will not increase overall costs for the new borough and will lead to lower local taxes. Their stated mission is to ensure that local residents have control over the destiny of their community and that tax dollars remain local.

Margolin concluded her update with a call for residents to take charge of their own destiny.

“If you like construction analogies, think of it this way,” she said. “We are just putting together the framed-in house – it’s up to you to do the finish work.”

For more information, visit www.eaglexit.com or contact Margolin at catherine.eaglexit@gmail.com.

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