City Taxation
Dear Editor: Here’s a question: How long before the city makes Sitka unaffordable for its citizens?
Let’s see if we have this straight – the city wants to hire temporary assessors to make sure the assessed property value in Sitka is closer to fair market value. From our experience, there is a gap. In all likelihood our property taxes will go up from this action.
Currently, the city also wants to increase the mill rate, which will again increase our property taxes and no doubt increase them into the unforeseeable future.
Our electric and garbage rates have increased, our assessed property taxes are no doubt due to increase and should the mill rate increase pass, that too will increase property taxes – especially for those of us who have higher than average priced homes and live here year-round.
Having worked for 40 years and now retired, how much longer will we be able to afford to live in the town we love.
Michelle Kennedy, Peter Kennedy,
Sitka
Walker Plan
Dear Editor: My dad once told me there are two types of political problems: “talkin’ about problems and solvin’ problems.”
Examples of solvin’ problems are avoiding a rapidly draining bank account and massive state layoffs of employees, both of which are in our immediate future.
With an impending crisis in our state’s cash reserves and in our bond rating we definitely have a solvin’ problem.
To his great credit Gov. Walker has put forward a financial plan that will stabilize our state’s financial position .
I believe we should accept his plan as the first of two steps in re-positioning our state for success in the future.
The second step is to form a bipartisan super commission comprised of two state senators and two representatives from each political party, a total of eight legislators.
Their task will be: develop a long-range financial plan for the state that evolves from the political wrangling that seems to consume elected bodies at all levels in these modern times.
With our state’s finances stabilized via the Walker plan the super commissioners can take as long as they desire to hash out their differences (or as long as their constituents will allow the gridlock to continue).
Alaska’s financial situation is a solvin’ problem, and much like finding a grizzly on your moose kill – action, not talk, is required.
Hugh Bevan, Sitka
CLT Open House
Dear Editor: The Sitka Community Land Trust recently joined forces with the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce’s After Hours event to hold an open house at their first CLT home at 125 Lillian Drive. Over 50 people attended the event last Thursday.
A number of businesses helped sponsor the gathering. Chefs Kathy Jones of Westmark Sitka and Edith Johnson of the Sitka Hotel donated excellent hors d’oeuvres with a focus on our local seafood; Odom Corporation provided choice beverages; and local banks Northrim and First National, and Mike McConnell of Blue Heron Gifts, provided door prize items.
St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal church helped out with a loan of tables and chairs. These donations helped make it a fun and nourishing gathering. Thank you for your support.
To find out more about the land trust, visit our website at www.sitkaclt.org.
Mim McConnell,
Executive Director,
Sitka Community Land Trust
Tourism in Sitka
Dear Editor: What is the purpose of city government? I believe it to be police, fire, schools, streets/roads, utilities (water, electricity, garbage, sewer), maybe hospital and ambulance, and a community gathering place. That is all!
Our city is in financial trouble according to our city officials and they are demanding an increase in property taxes. How did the city get into financial trouble? What is the city administrator and the city Assembly doing different now than they were doing 20 years ago? How has Sitka changed?
I think the city government has expanded its role in ways that are not in the best interests of most of the citizens. It has favored segments of our population and outside business interests who have been very vocal in demanding money be spent on their interests to the detriment of the average taxpayer.
The biggest offender is the tourist/business industry. Let us examine how development of that industry has hurt Sitka.
1. Streets are crowded on a daily basis with no parking.
2. Lincoln Street is periodically closed to traffic.
3. Hiking and camping areas are crowded.
4. Boat harbors are crowded and the waiting list for moorage is years long.
5. Busing tourists from the deep water dock damages roads and costs tax money.
6. Business demanding money from the Assembly to “beautify downtown.”
7. Centennial building parking lot rebuilt with fewer spaces.
8. Centennial building remodel not needed costing thousands of dollars.
9. New library that wasn’t needed.
10. Lightering docks that weren’t needed.
11. An unsafe sightseeing walkway that had to be made safe with taxpayer dollars.
12. Halibut sport-fishing is all but gone.
13. Charter boats have taken over the fishing grounds.
And the list goes on and on and on.
Business seems to think it is the city’s responsibility to promote Sitka as a tourist destination. They are wrong. Business seems to think it is a city responsibility to support them. They are wrong. It is the responsibility of the business community to support Sitka and its people. After all, it is off our hard-earned dollars that businesses make their profit. The partnership between business employing citizens and citizens spending money has become distorted in favor of business.
By this time all you pro-business people are asking “what should the city be doing for us.” I say, “the same thing it does for every other citizen.” (Read the first paragraph.)
We are in debt up to the ears of our great-grandchildren all because the Assembly got sold a bill of goods by fast-talking business people who wanted more electric power. I didn’t lobby the Assembly to spend $160,000,000 on a dam rebuild. Did you?
Raising property taxes is not the answer. The time has come for tourism to start contributing enough that property taxes are not raised. Every other tourist destination in the U.S. has figured out how to tax the tourists to pay for infrastructure. Figure it out, Assembly! Figure it out, administrator! That is your job!
Bill Marx, Sitka
