Dear Editor: My husband and I are lifelong residents and have decided to raise our daughter in Sitka. However, I have witnessed firsthand the economic challenges that have plagued our community for years, a declining population, teacher layoffs, and more negative statistics than positive.
I vividly remember the days when Sitka had between 90,000 and 280,000 cruise passengers annually, closely matching the number of tourism-related businesses we had. Entrepreneurship in the cruise industry was challenging due to limited demand. Fast forward to 2023, and we see an expanded demand for businesses. Local Sitkans recognized this opportunity for entrepreneurship, took significant risks, and many new businesses were opened.
While some argue, “We were below 300,000 before and can do it again,” it’s crucial to recognize that our business capacity has expanded to accommodate 580,000 passengers. What happens if that capacity is slashed in half or worse? We can’t magically return to pre-COVID business capacity without many shutting their doors. Every lost business equals less sales tax.
It’s disheartening to see comments from community members dismissing concerns about potential business closures as mere “fear-mongering” or “falsehoods.” The reality of businesses closing is far from an exaggerated fear. Recently, over 15 long-established, family-owned businesses have expressed concern about closing. Many of these have been part of our community for over 50 years and are multigenerational family-owned. These are real Sitka families – not corporations.
Cruise tourism sales tax is vital for community funding and youth programs. Over the past three years, our city has successfully taken over parks and recreation, school maintenance, and the performing arts center. At my daughter’s recent parent-tot swim class, I overheard a woman entering for lap swim talking to a mom about how amazing this swim class was. The mom remarked that this was likely the first time in a long time, if ever, that such a program had been offered for kids under three. Their conversation made me reflect on the tremendous impact our Parks and Recreation Department has on our community.
Programs like Parks and Recreation give Sitka its “soul” for many and their reason to live here. I recall a quote from our city administrator during an Assembly meeting when the city was debating the addition of Parks and Recreation funding that makes me concerned about the budget deficits with this ballot measure: “We have heard from the community loud and clear that this is what they want. Now, obviously, there are some tough decisions to make, if we come forward with a deficit budget and start making cuts in certain areas, this might be an area that is targeted for a cut.”
As a mother with a child enrolled in multiple summer programs, I am deeply concerned about our future under this ballot measure. If it passes, the issue won’t be whether we face a budget deficit, but rather how severe it will be and what cuts will be made or taxes added.
This ballot measure was introduced without economic studies or discussions with the city or local businesses. We have no understanding of how much revenue our city will lose. This isn’t a gamble I’m willing to take, are you? The future of our town lies with its children, and what makes our community welcoming for families are programs and schools being fully funded by the city. While we have little control over federal school funding, we do have a vote in this election, and passing this measure could further harm our schools.
I am committed to this community, and I want to ensure that my daughter has the best childhood here. Together, let’s keep the vibrant community we cherish. By voting against this measure, we are not just preserving our small-town way of life; we are investing in a future where our children can thrive in a stable and prosperous Sitka. Let’s ensure that the legacy we leave for our kids is one filled with opportunity, support, and the rich experiences. Your vote is crucial—let’s make it count and vote NO on ballot measure 1.
Zaide Allen, Sitka
