Dear Editor: I’m a 23-year resident of Sitka and started my own tour business two years ago and I couldn’t be happier. I love being able to show and educate visitors from all over the world what Sitka and the beautiful surroundings have to offer.
Without tourism not only would it severely hurt my business and family financially, it would hurt the majority of businesses and all of Sitka. As we all know Sitka is not a cheap town to live in and without the number-one economic provider (tourism), our town will be doomed. Storefront businesses will not be able to afford to keep their doors open during the off season leaving us with a ghost town. The city will be left with no choice but to either cut back services or raise taxes on all residents to make up for the loss of tourism revenue.
The city, Chamber, and other organizations have worked so hard and done such a great job over the years marketing Sitka as a tourist destination. Why throw that away by crippling the tourist industry with Proposition 1 for a select few (mostly retired) who are unhappy with the growth of Sitka. We all know growth and change is inevitable over time. If you’re not happy with healthy growth, by all means move to a non-cruise ship destination.
Proposition 1 will end cruise ship tourism in Sitka. No cruise ship industry is going to waste time, money and deal with scheduling headaches of sending a representative to Sitka for a permitting process a year and a half in advance to visit Sitka. They will simply skip Sitka and go to cruise ship- friendly towns that welcome their business.
I love Sitka and the forward direction it’s moving – let’s not backpedal.
I’m voting “NO” on Prop. 1
Brad Wheeler, Sitka
