About a quarter-billion dollars in bonds and propositions will come before Municipality of Anchorage voters April 6, some with direct local impact.

Those include Proposition 16, which would change the way Parks and Recreation development and improvement projects are funded in Chugiak-Eagle River, and a bond to build a new local library.

Among supporters of Proposition 16 is the Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce.

"Our board strongly believes that this is one of those rare opportunities that permit our community to engage in self-determination, be solution-oriented, and save money at the same time," said Susan Gorski, the chamber's executive director.

The change would mean a raise in the mill rate for local taxpayers. According to an information sheet put out by the Eagle River/Chugiak Parks and Recreation office, if voters support the proposition, the base tax would increase by $50 for every $100,000 assessed value, or .5 mills.

That money, which by current property tax valuations would equal about $1.16 million per year, would be used for capitol improvements, said John Rodda, manager of the Parks and Recreation department.

The new mill levy would take away the need for municipality-wide support for improvements, something that has presented a problem in the past, said Anchorage Assemblywoman Anna Fairclough of Eagle River.

"Even when we supported our bonds, Anchorage has sometimes voted them down," said Fairclough, referencing the April 2003 election when 59 percent of local voters supported a park bond, but Anchorage voters, who would not have had to pay for it, voted against it. "This takes things out of the hands of Anchorage voters and gives the power to us locally."

If proposition 16 is defeated, Chugiak-Eagle River will not have any capitol park improvements in 2004. That's because the proposition is on the ballot in lieu of a bond.

Voters also will get their say on a $7.87 million library bond, which includes funds to build a new site in Eagle River. The new library would likely be located in a new community center, something that is outlined in the recently approved Chugiak-Eagle River Central Business District Revitalization Plan.

Other bonds include $5.65 million in fire capitol improvements, $2 million for police, $1.2 million for ambulances and a radio system upgrade, $1.5 million for public transportation and $4.65 million for facility upgrades to city buildings.

Local voters also get a say in a $46.5 million road improvement bond. If approved by both Anchorage voters and Chugiak-Eagle River voters, only Anchorage taxpayers would pay for improvements.

"Do us a favor and vote for the bond," said Mayor Mark Begich at a recent visit to the Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce luncheon. "You will get the benefit of better roads without paying anything."

Along those same lines, the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Service Area has two bonds of a combined $8.5 million on the ballot, none of which, if approved, would be paid by Chugiak-Eagle River taxpayers.

Including school bonds, the package equals more than $260 million.

There are a slew of service area votes, including five in Eagle River that deal with certain neighborhoods and streetlights. If approved, streetlight construction and maintenance would be paid for by a .5 increase in each neighborhood's mill rate.

Voters will get a chance to urge the state Legislature to adopt a comprehensive fiscal plan, and approve a task force to study the effects of a possible exemption of municipal residents from the Selective Service program.

Next week's Star will focus on the Ossiander-Smith Assembly race, possible changes to local fire service area boundaries and three areawide school bonds.

Reach the reporter at greg.dart@alaskastar.com.