Comments

Think before you post wrote on Oct 7, 2009 6:53 PM:

" To Dennis O: European nations have great public transportation systems. Cars are luxury items. You can hardly compare, it's absurd. In Alaska we don't have a good transportation system, cars are necessary. "




Are we really better off wrote on Oct 7, 2009 6:47 PM:

" At least with taxation in Europe you get highly subsidized higher education and great medical care. What was the Revolutionary War all about? Taxation without representation. Roles are reversed now! We can't even fix our roads properly. "




To Dennis O. wrote on Oct 7, 2009 9:30 AM:

" Since you seem to love taxes, you will love the "Value Added Tax" that your fearless leaders in Wash DC are talking about. We can be just like Europe. Everything gets taxed numerous times as it becomes a product. Think your car is expensive now, just wait until you pay a Value Added Tax on it. "




Sarah wrote on Oct 7, 2009 7:08 AM:

" Yet I again, I see someone saying - we need to "share the burden" and again, I ask - WHO is NOT Paying property taxes? Certainly the amount of money charged to renters pays the cost of the property tax the space they are renting. If it does NOT, then the landlords going to be out of business sometime very soon. Homeless people don't pay rent so I guess they are being asked to "share the burden" but how much do they spend anyway? "




Open eyes wrote on Oct 6, 2009 3:27 PM:

" No one wants to pay more for services. I am a property owner and I pay and pay and pay. So why not share some of the burden? We all want services like plowed roads and other service related perks. I know it is part of living in a community. It hurts everyone to pay more, but come on people how long can we go without fixing things? Our Valley is growning and still the property owners pay the most. Wish there was another way to fix it. Ideas plz? "




Dennis O. wrote on Oct 6, 2009 1:17 PM:

" This is a good tax. Wake up, people. Do not force property owners to foot the bill exclusively for borough services. Vote yes for the sales tax. "




To Palmer Farm wrote on Oct 6, 2009 12:34 PM:

" Go to Oregon. Washington has it good, residents often cross the border to live because it's cheaper to work in Oregon and live in Washington State with their taxation system. Services cost money. I agree that any institution needs pruning back and getting rid of the misuse of funds. We need to be responsible and come up with a solution. Tax luxury items and not necessities. Many spent energy rebates on 60 inch TV's and complain about paying a fair tax for services that we all need. "




PT wrote on Oct 5, 2009 4:46 PM:

" Spread the misery, you mean. When is a tax a "good' tax? Never. "




say what wrote on Oct 5, 2009 4:17 PM:

" In his/her simple effort to portray those opposed to more taxes as stupid, the "best of both worlds" blogger only partially succeeded. The blog does indeed demonstrate somebody is dim-witted...just not the person/people intended. "




Palmer Farm wrote on Oct 5, 2009 3:42 PM:

" to outside the box;
This does not necessarily work well in other states. Take Washington State, for instance. Depending on where you live there, the sales tax hovers around 8.1%. Add their other taxes to that (property, schools, gas, estate, etc) and you get one of the highest-taxed states in the union. It got that way because people voted these taxes in and then the rates get hiked higher and higher every year. There is NEVER 'enough' tax money for most governments that will always want to spend more than what they're getting. "




Brian wrote on Oct 5, 2009 3:07 PM:

" Too bad we don't have Dan Sullivan out here so our politicians could see other solutions besides the current shell game they are trying to pull! "




YES wrote on Oct 5, 2009 2:57 PM:

" I would support a sales tax if it would REPLACE the property tax.

Otherwise, kiss off. Nice attempt to get more taxpayer money. "




Commuter wrote on Oct 5, 2009 2:47 PM:

" I work in Anchorage. Of course I'm going to buy there while on my lunch break, or stop by after work to do my shopping. Why would I not? "




Think outside the box wrote on Oct 5, 2009 11:55 AM:

" I support a sales tax if and only if it does not include basic necessities such as food, medicine, ect. This works in other states why not here? Don't penalize our Seniors and Low Income Families trying to surive in this recession. This would be a recipe for disaster. Tax video games, tax televisions ect. These are luxury items not essentials. We must spread the tax burden but it must be done responsibly. "




Big Lake wrote on Oct 5, 2009 10:44 AM:

" best of both worlds wrote on
As a person who goes to Tea Party Protest I can tell you it is time to say NO to govenment owes me mentality. I can buy some stuff in Eagle River or Anchorage. I can not buy my Telephone, Electricity, heat you know some basic things where I do not live. Maybe the answer is "what will the Borough Feel Good do without? 75% Bourough Budget goes to Schools. This does not include Bonds we vote on. How long will your household budget survive with new taxes? "




jp wrote on Oct 5, 2009 10:05 AM:

" to best of both worlds;
most of them work all week long in anchorage. Your assumption that shopping in Anchorage will cost them big$ in fuel is moronic at best.
Truth is this;
This sales tax will encourage commuters to shop in anchorage.
Will hurt local businesses by creating more staff overhead/ cost of doing business while losing customers to Anchorage/Eagle River businesses.
Will encourage the borough to spend even more $ , since they will have yet another source of income.

VOTE NO ON 1 "




dumb in any world wrote on Oct 5, 2009 8:25 AM:

" Gullible simpletons like 'best of both worlds' aren't smart enough to look around them or study history to see the difference between what happens when you give a government entity a new tax. The sales tax will 'sunset' if it doesn't do what it's suppose to? HA HA! Right! Tell me another one! You ever seen a government take a tax away? And oh sure, we'll see property taxes go down...for awhile. Then they'll slowly creep back up while the sales tax gets increased as well. Don't think so? Then you obviously don't get out of Alaska much! "




best of both worlds wrote on Oct 4, 2009 6:01 PM:

" pass the tax...let the tea baggers buy in anchorage. they get reduced property tax and pay no tax on local goods to boot. tea bagger aren't smart enough to figure out that gas to anchorage is much more than the sales tax...shhhhhhh "




offsoapstone wrote on Oct 4, 2009 11:15 AM:

" “Donate” yes if this bill passes I'll "donate" all my money except for property taxes to business in eagle river and anchorage. "




Read it thus it must be true wrote on Oct 4, 2009 8:37 AM:

" Nutcase believes anything she reads! See the Assembly and Duffy move their lips, see them lie! "




Bill Larkin wrote on Oct 4, 2009 8:29 AM:

" I am Gone but still interested in things in the Valley. The only ones to make a gain on the sales tax will be the land rich and big busines. The Mayors veto should have stayed. "