The years-long effort by Eagle River and Chugach-area residents to officially break from Anchorage and create a new borough has entered the signature-gathering phase.

A recent email to supporters notes that Eaglexit is launching its petition signature campaign during the July 8-12 annual Bear Paw Festival in Eagle River. The five-day community event features carnival rides, local vendors, hometown entertainment, and the famous community parade.

Unlike past years, Eaglexit will not have a float in this year’s parade, as it diverts its attention to signature gathering.

“There will be volunteers posted at various locations along the parade with signature booklets and pens ready,” a recent email alert from Eaglexit Chair Catherine Margolin noted. “Volunteers will also man petition booths set up at the Moose Horn Cafe and the Chugiak Cafe.”

Eaglexit is a grassroots campaign aimed at formally detaching from Anchorage Assembly District 2 – which includes Eagle River, Chugiak, Birchwood, Eklutna, and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The ultimate goal is to form a new self-governing political entity called the “Chugach Regional Borough” with its own innovative charter school district, police force and local government.

Eaglexit’s main arguments for detachment include creating a smaller government footprint with lower taxes, preservation of local identity and culture, tailored economic development to promote area businesses and revitalize the economy and an innovative approach to public education.

Eaglexit aims to do away with standard-style schools in favor of publicly funded charter schools with the goal of strengthening local control, parental involvement and improved academic outcomes.

If approved, the new district would comprise a total of 14 charter schools – 10 elementary, two middle, and two high schools.

According to Eaglexit, this model aims to avoid top-down centralized administration in favor of a model that flows up through the schools and community to give parents and students greater influence.

Each of the proposed charter schools would include a foundational curriculum and specialty courses based on parents’ and students’ needs and desires.

Eaglexit also argues that detaching from Anchorage will allow the area to better address community safety needs when it comes to streets, road maintenance, snow plowing and other core services.

Last year, organizers submitted a petition package and draft charter to the Alaska Local Boundary Commission for review. The process now requires gathering between 12,000 and 15,000 signatures to demonstrate sufficient interest to hold a public vote on the matter.

“Once we have the required number of signatures, we will then submit the entire petition to the Local Boundary Commission for their review,” Margolin noted. “Getting the signatures does not automatically put this issue on a ballot, OR instantly create detachment. It’s just the next step to have the State consider our petition and continue through the state’s public review process.”

Margolin said the signature-gathering phase is a critical development.

“This is a HUGE step!” she observed. “We chose to launch the signature campaign on the 250th anniversary of this country’s independence, and focus our time and attention on that.”

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— Click here to read more about the Eaglexit project.

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