FIFTH OPENING – The Sitka seine boats Hukilau and Rose Lee pump herring aboard this afternoon at the end of Deep Inlet during the fifth opening in the Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery. The opening was being held in two locations beginning at 11 a.m. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
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By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
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The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
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By CLAIRE STREMPLE
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Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
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By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
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Northern Journal
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Alaska Beacon
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By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
In the language of the Gwich’in people of northeastern Alaska, [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 25
At 7:48 a.m. a calle [ ... ]
Vietnam-Era Vets
Invited to Lunch,
Commemoration
American Legion Post 13 will host a luncheon 1-3 p.m. [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The 2024 Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery got under [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly will start the annual process of determi [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Competing in the 3A state championship title basketball game Saturday, the M [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing through the afternoon Sunday, City League volleyball teams faced off [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Sitka Marijuana Tax Proposed for Ballot
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Assembly at tonight’s regular meeting will consider a ballot question to raise taxes on marijuana retail sales, with proceeds dedicated to a school activities fund.
An ordinance putting the question on a city election ballot is on the agenda for first reading. If it’s approved and then passed on second reading May 24, the question will be on the October 4 municipal ballot.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at Harrigan Centennial Hall.
The ordinance was sponsored by Kevin Knox, Kevin Mosher and Rebecca Himschoot. A similar ordinance co-sponsored by Himschoot and Knox last July failed.
The ordinance would eliminate the sales tax on marijuana retail sales, and implement a “consumer’s sales tax” of 6 percent in the first year, 8 percent in the second and 10 in the third and beyond for marijuana retail sales.
The funds would go to a student activities fund, formerly the student activities dedicated travel fund, to offset the cost of activities on students and parents in the Sitka School District.
“The tax (proceeds) we get right now is just from state fees for marijuana licensing,” which currently goes to student travel, Knox said. “We don’t get much.”
The name of the fund would be changed, under the ballot measure, from Student Activities Dedicated Travel Fund to “Student Activities Fund.”
“One of the main things people voted for in legalizing marijuana was to remove it from the criminal justice system, as well as realize a revenue stream on a product that was not being legally sold and taxed,” Knox said. “This would open the door to do that.”
Knox said school activities have gotten “exponentially more expensive,” and have no revenues stream to support those increased costs.
If approved by the voters, the new tax would go into effect Jan. 1, 2023. Estimates are that the dedicated tax would raise $210,000 in the first year, $280,000 in the second and $350,000 in the third, based on last year’s sales figures on marijuana, the sponsors’ memo says.
If the ballot measure passes it would represent a loss of $195,000 in sales tax revenues to the general fund.
Some questions were raised the last time the proposal went before the Assembly, such as why marijuana sales would have a higher local sales tax rate than does alcohol, which has the regular sales tax rate.
Although passage by voters might open the door for a higher tax on alcohol, “it doesn’t mean alcohol taxes will go up,” Knox said. “Somebody would have to come forward with that idea and voters would have to approve that.”
Himschoot said the community has been supportive of extracurricular activities in the schools. She said student participation in those activities increases their connectivity to schools, and “leads to better life and health outcomes.”
“We also have the question of equity,” she said. Some of the kids who would benefit most from the activities can least afford it, and this dedicated tax could help with that, she said.
“One barrier we can eliminate is funding,” Himschoot said. “An argument can be made that a free and equal education includes components beyond the school day and we need to support those components.”
She said the business community and parents have always chipped in with fundraising, which probably would still be needed to offer programs to all regardless of families’ ability to pay.
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20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Matthew C. Hunter of Sitka recently returned from Cuba as part of a St. Olaf College International and Off-Campus Studies program. Hunter, a junior physics major at St. Olaf College, is the son of Robert and Kim Hunter of Sitka.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Eighth graders have returned from a visit to Juneau to see the Legislature. They had worked for it since Christmas vacation ... Clarice Johnson’s idea of a “White Elephant” sales was chosen as the best money-maker; Joe Roth won the political cartoon assignment; highest government test scorers were Ken Armstrong, Joanna Hearn, Linda Montgomery, Lisa Henry, Calvin Taylor and David Licari .....