Assembly to discuss sales tax

PALMER — The borough assembly’s attempt to have a sales tax proposal on the ballot this fall is entering its final stretches.

The borough is proposing a 3 percent tax and pairing it with a property tax cap of 7.8 mills. The current property tax at the borough is 9.98 mills.

The question has raised controversy during numerous assembly meetings to hash out the specifics. The biggest opponents are the cities of Houston, Wasilla and Palmer, which fear what adding 3 percent to their existing sales taxes would do to commerce in the area and worry about the borough’s ability to adequately collect tax revenue.

The ordinance’s sponsors, assembly members Cindy Bettine and Pete Houston, are pushing for the tax as a means to relieve property tax burden in the borough.

The sales tax ordinance is set for another hearing Tuesday in the Borough’s main building in downtown Palmer at 6 p.m.