Valley faces hard times — vote no on sales tax

Pay more, what for? We have worked hard in a family owned business for many years in the Mat-Su Borough. We are champions for small business. Like so many others in the Valley, we have contributed greatly to the community. We believe in a strong private sector to create jobs and responsible development.

We have read the poorly written 41-page proposed borough sales tax ordinance. Now is not the time for a borough sales tax. It will hurt working class families. A sales tax will devastate a local retail business sector that competes with the tax-free municipality of Anchorage. Our family’s opposition to a sales tax is certainly not self-serving, as we continue to have significant real estate investment properties in the Valley. We would substantially benefit from less property taxes, but it is not fair to all concerned at this time.

We concurred with the borough mayor’s recent veto of the proposed sales tax. He has made wise arguments that oppose the sales tax. We are dismayed by the current assembly’s thrust to override the mayor and push the sales tax to the Oct. 6 ballot.

As experienced economic professionals, it is our opinion that the state and borough economy is headed for a downturn. This past year may be the last good year for Alaska and the Valley for some time. Our economic education, analysis and experience points to a questionable future. As a resource state we have not effectively developed the opportunities that are available. Now we will suffer from the lack of proper resource development. We may want to prepare for a poor economic outlook.

Specifically, the borough assembly’s economic focus has been on tourism-related growth. With assembly members who benefit from tourism we have ethic and moral questions about actions that are self-serving. Governmental economic development must be more beneficial to all concerned. Accordingly, such protectionists have blindly limited the development of resources and other economic diversification of our Valley. They have put their private sector eggs into only the tourism basket. The visitor industry is depressed and the forecast for next year is the same. Wrong decisions are being made by the assembly.

Without diversification and a strong private sector, our boroughwide economy is challenged to support our current economy. Contrary to the borough government, the greater Wasilla area is in good shape — new prison, national retail firms continue to come, more infrastructure construction, Port MacKenzie developments continue, etc. We can develop resources and protect the environment. It’s time to get some people on the assembly who have the experience and common sense for a diversified economy.

The borough does not need to be an economic statistic like the rest of the nation. We have resources, we have skills and we are strategically positioned to accomplish greatness. We need the right leadership to create a healthy business environment for all industries and diversify our economy. We respectfully ask you to please vote against a sales tax and please support assembly candidates that oppose the sales tax.

Dan and Janet Kennedy are both long-term certified public accountants.