City Taxes
Dear Editor: Your Wednesday evening edition headline used the term “Trade-Off.” A trade-off means two parties agreeing to give something to each other of essentially equal value that the involved parties want. What the city administrator is offering to the people of Sitka is more appropriately termed “The Grand Bamboozle” (as opposed to ‘‘The Grand Bargain’’).
The city wants us voting taxpayers to delete the property tax cap in exchange for the paltry offering of removal of sales tax on groceries and a $50,000 homestead deduction. It is hard to imagine anyone could offer that deal with a straight face. It is truly a deal worthy of PT Barnum and Harry D. Reynolds. And he generously promised our property taxes will only double.
May I suggest to Mr. Gorman and Mr. Sweeney they offer us taxpayers something worthwhile in trade. Something that cannot be taken away at an Assembly meeting or by the tax assessor.
How is this for a trade off?
A two-tier property tax system: Tier 1 is owner-occupied residential property.
Tier 2 is commercial. The property tax on Tier 2 (commercial) is Tier 1 (residential) plus 3 mills. If you don’t live on the property for more than 180 days a year it isn’t residential. You can have only one residence.
What this system ensures is the business people who run the city for their benefit will have a vested interest in keeping the millage rate low.
Lots of questions remain unanswered. Why hasn’t more been done to decrease costs of running the city. No, I don’t mean cutting services and people who actually do the work. I mean cutting the high-paid paper pushers sitting behind desks. Why not cut costs by going to a 32-hour work week in city hall. Lots of cities bigger than Sitka work Monday through Thursday
And to top off this PT Barnum “trade-off” is that our administrator is going to spend your tax money convincing you to give him the deal he wants. It just doesn’t get any better than that.
Bill Marx, Sitka
Property Tax Increase
Dear Editor: The recent proposal by the Assembly to raise the cap on property tax to 12 mills is very alarming. I hope everyone in Sitka is wide awake and aware what this really means. There is going to be an impact on everything, believe me, even the most meager rental will be raising prices to compensate for the additional cost to do business.
Government loves to tax and spend, whereas the average family considers income, weighs that with needs and wants, and buys what is needed first, only buying luxury items as there is extra cash.
We need to be aware of the cost of ‘‘free’’ money that comes in the form of state, federal and grant funds. Sounds great, just don’t forget the cost that never quits to heat, light, maintain and staff all this infrastructure.
We are a town of 9,000 people, trying to look like a town of 40,000 people. We can’t afford it, let’s get back to the simple idea of living within our means. Thank you.
Richard Doland, Sitka
