Gas Taxes
Dear Editor: The State of Alaska charges 0.08 cents a gallon taxes on gasoline sales. The next lowest charging state at $0.14 is Wyoming, an oil state also, who is probably using some of its royalty money to fill in on the costs of keeping its roads in repair.
A median charging state is Kansas at 0.25 cents per gallon which is more than three times the cost of Alaska. New York comes in at 50.6 cents, which is more than six times what Alaska charges. With the climate and terrain of this state you would think the costs would be higher. I don’t know about you, but I would conclude that this state is spending a lot of its royalty monies to subsidize the cost of driving in the state. It seems that most of the subsidies are going to where the most roads are and the outlying communities are being ripped off.
It also means that when we operate our vehicles we are not realizing the true cost of using our cars or trucks. It is time we started paying up. If you took the price of Alaska gasoline at about $4 and you subtract the $0.08 tax you get $3.92 and you take the $3.45 price in Kansas and subtract the $0.25 tax you get $3.20 per gallon. What is with that? The oil companies are playing us. If this state does not want to charge the true price they’ll take it. You can’t win with the policies that this state is using. I noticed on the internet that the State of New Mexico lets its municipalities use .01 per gallon gasoline tax on their own road repairs. It would be nice if this state had a similar policy.
I have been told by the city officials that the state laws will not allow the city to impose a user fee on gasoline sold here in Sitka. I have looked up Alaska Stat. 29.45.700: Alaska Statutes-Section 29.45.700.: Power to levy. Paragraph (e) reads as follows:
A city that levies and collects sales and use taxes may not levy and collect a sales or use tax on (1) the physical transfer of refined fuel, unless the transfer is made in connection with a sale or use in the city, or (2) wholesale sales or transfers of fuel refined in the city. A sale is in the city if the fuel is delivered to the buyer in the city. A use is in the city if the fuel is consumed in the city. This subsection applies to home rule and general law municipalities.
The portion after the above, unless, makes me wonder if the city has it right. Gasoline sold at the pumps certainly is delivered to the buyer in the city and that fuel is being consumed in the city. I found out that neither the city attorney nor the state attorney general can be consulted by private citizens, but would like other opinions on the matter. I believe that the city and possibly a lot of other cities in the state should test the state on this issue and see what happens. If the state will not allow the cities to charge user fees for their streets then it should be held accountable for the repair of all the roads in the state.
I heard statements the other night that said the pavement only lasts so long because of weather and aging and also that gravel roads were a hazard to health. Down south there have been studies on how well grass and other plants will grow in areas that fenced out cattle. The grass grew a lot better in those areas. We should build a road, put a barrier down the middle, allow motorized vehicles on one side and allow only non-motorized transportation on the other side.
It will soon be very apparent who should pay for the maintenance of our streets. The roads up on the bench lands have been up there for years with very little maintenance and have had a lot of foot and bike travel. I am not aware that they have been a health problem (dust or otherwise) and they are in better shape than the paved Halibut Point Road. The statement that gravel roads are a health problem leaves out a very important element. Gravel roads plus motorized vehicles equals a health hazard.
A while back I read an article in the paper stating that this state has some of the worst-kept roads in the nation. It is small wonder. Collecting just $0.08 a gallon on the fuel has a lot to do with that. We have a governor (ex-oil man) in office that thought it a good idea to drop that. From his behavior since he has been in office I have to wonder a lot about the ex. It is time we made this state accountable.
Wayne A. Dye, Sitka
Seafood Festival Plea
Dear Editor: The Sitka Seafood Festival sent out a plea for help to bring the out-of-town chefs, speakers, entertainers and media to town for this year’s festival.
As always, Sitka responded. People helped with donations, mileage and companion fares. We are so fortunate to live in such a caring community.
Thank you to all of the following for your support: Valorie Nelson, Bobbi Jordan, Roger Hames, Reid Magdanz, Nic Mink and Bob Ellis.
Hope to see you all at the banquet Friday, Aug. 1, and at the Saturday, Aug. 2, festivities. Visit us on line and Facebook for details, Sitkaseafoodfestival.org
Linda Olson for
Sitka Seafood Festival
