PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: DETACHMENT PETITION FILED WITH AK LBC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

DETACHMENT PETITION FILED

EAGLE RIVER, ALASKA – 11/16/2025 

EAGLEXIT SUBMITS PETITION PACKAGE TO ALASKA LOCAL BOUNDARY COMMISSION,

INITIATING DETACHMENT PROCESS

Eaglexit, the grassroots movement advocating for the separation of Assembly District 2 (AD2) from the Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) and incorporation as its own home rule borough, today announced a major milestone: the formal submission of its complete petition package to the Alaska Local Boundary Commission (LBC) staff for an Informal Technical Review. This submission marks a critical step forward in creating the independent Chugach Regional Borough (CRB), a non-unified home rule borough that will encompass the communities of Eagle River, Chugiak, Birchwood, Eklutna, and JBER.

The complete petition package, required by Alaska Statute (AS) 29.06 and 3 AAC 110, includes the proposed Charter describing the design of the new borough, a Metes & Bounds Map detailing the borders, a Transition Plan outlining the implementation of the new government, and a legal brief detailing the legal aspects and advantages of separation from the MOA. Eaglexit’s detailed financial analysis shows that detachment will not increase overall costs for the new borough and will lead to lower local taxes.

Restoring Local Power and Fiscal Accountability

The core mission of Eaglexit is to ensure that local residents have control over their destiny and that tax dollars remain local.

"We are turning Alaska’s promise of local self-government into practice by pursuing a home rule charter for the Chugach Regional Borough (CRB)," said Catherine Margolin, Chair of Eaglexit. "A lean, responsive government will be right here at home; easy to reach, quick to listen, and making decisions based on what our community needs and wants, not what distant officials think is best.”

Key arguments for detachment include:

• Stronger Fiscal Accountability: Tax dollars will fund the services, services and safety of the residents of the new borough.  Smaller government means lower property taxes.

• Preserving Identity: With local businesses, events, councils, and culture, a smaller government can preserve and prioritize what’s important to residents. 

• Tailored Economic Development: The CRB can move forward to promote pro-business growth and revitalize the local economy.

A New Vision for Education and Public Safety

The proposed CRB School District (CSD) will be established as a charter school district, designed to restore local control and improve educational outcomes.

• The new district will comprise fourteen (14) schools in total, including ten (10) elementary, two (2) middle, and two (2) high schools.

• The model ensures authority flows up through the schools and community, not down from centralized administration, giving parents and students more control.

• Each school will be a public charter school, with a strong core curriculum and specialty courses based on parents’ and students’ needs and wants.

Furthermore, detachment allows the CRB to directly and responsibly address the community needs for safety, street and road maintenance, snow plowing, and other services. 

Next Steps in the LBC Process

The LBC staff has up to 45 days to complete the Informal Technical Review and respond with approval or necessary revisions. Once the petition package is informally approved, Eaglexit will begin the effort to obtain signatures from residents of Eagle River, Chugiak, Birchwood, and Eklutna to proceed to a public vote.  

"We believe in trusting local voices, embracing local leadership, and realizing the full potential of the home rule model in Alaska. We urge all citizens who believe it is time for independence to join this effort," Margolin concluded.