PEEK AT THE PAST: July 3, 2001

Here’s what made news in the Mat-Su nine years ago, from the July 3, 2001, issue of The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman:

Sales tax to be on ballot

Mat-Su Borough voters will decide the fate of a 2-percent sales-tax proposal, but without the accompanying promise of a property tax. After wrangling the issue, the assembly unanimously voted to nix the tax-cap portion of the ballot language after realizing a cap would not legally bind future assemblies.

Assemblyman Talis Colberg, who originally introduced the ordinance proposing a 2.5-percent sales tax and an 11-mill property tax cap, began looking for ways to make the cap a binding measure.

Controversy over survey

Mat-Su Borough School District officials are defending what they call a breakdown of communication, a breakdown some parents claim resulted in unethical actions. Those are families who say they were not given a chance to participate in a districtwide survey about changing the school calendar.

In the spring, the school board decided to send out a survey to families through the schools. Of the more than 10,000 surveys distributed, about 2,500 were returned in support of keeping the current calendar, while 1,800 were in favor of an earlier start to the school year.

CHS grad picked for Team USA

Colony High School graduate and standout basketball player Jessica Moore, 19, will help the United States defend its Junior World Basketball title as part of Team USA.

Moore became highly prized as a national recruit after making two appearances in the prestigious Nike Invitational camp in high school. She signed to play at the University of Connecticut and this past season, the 6-foot-1 forward was chosen as an alternate for the 2000 USA Basketball Women’s Junior World Championship team. This year, she’s one of the world’s best.

It cost what?

According to advertisements, in July 2001 you could:

• Get a new Motorola cell phone for $79.99.

• Barbecue in style with chicken for 60 cents a pound and 5 ears of corn on the cob for $1.

• Make summer burgers with extra lean ground beef, $2.29 a pound.

• Travel round-trip to Salt Lake City for $413.