Sales tax would spread the burden

To the editor:

Are you on the fence regarding the borough’s idea to implement a 3 percent sales tax to help reduce property taxes? Let me just start by saying it was not the borough assembly’s idea.

People like myself contacted their assembly representative and said we want lower property taxes. That is why it is on the ballot Oct. 6. I also want to answer the question of why the cities are opposed to such an idea.

First off, let’s start by pointing out a few facts: Since 2000 until present, property taxes have increased by 47 percent. Do you think it could be more or less than that in nine more years? We are going to need full-time fire and emergency services, at least five new schools and endless road and infrastructure improvements. Do you not think that every person who lives and passes through our great community should share the cost of these improvements? We certainly all benefit from them. Currently the only group paying for them is people who pay property tax. That is one stream of revenue. The ordinance is intended to diversify the tax base.

Why would the cities be opposed? The cities are opposed because they have the benefit of collecting sales tax from every borough resident, including visitors and tourists. When is the last time the city sent you a check returning a portion of your sales tax you pay to them to help you with your property tax burden? I compare it to what the president is doing to our national economy. Call it the “Borough Resident Stimulus Plan” for the cities of Wasilla, Palmer and Houston. We give them millions and millions of dollars by shopping inside the city limits and what do we get in return? Nothing. Some 83 percent of the borough’s property taxpayers live outside the cities of Houston, Wasilla and Palmer.

I am not against the cities, I just think everyone should share in the expense of growing our community. I am in favor of an equal approach. A sales tax is a consumption tax that everyone helps pay. People call sales tax a regressive tax. I think when we are all paying $5,000 and $10,000 property tax bills much like the state of New York we will really know what regressive is. If you support this idea, it’s important for you to vote on Oct. 6. Vote “yes.”

Jesse Tanner

Wasilla