Wasilla seniors, vets not tax-exempt exemption

April 13, 2007

By Russell Stigall/Frontiersman

WASILLA - Wasilla's seniors and disabled vets will have to lighten their grocery bags while they wait for a tax break from city council.

At Monday's city council meeting, council members voted to reject a proposal from council member Mark Ewing to exempt seniors and disabled veterans from being taxed on groceries. Though several council members said they were interested in the idea.

Council member Marty Metiva said the council voted against the action memorandum so it could address the topic further during a special meeting April 23.

The council had only a few choices on the matter, Metiva said. They could suspend the vote to a time certain, which would return the memorandum in its original form, suspend the memo indefinitely, which would have killed it, or vote the memo down and discuss it in a special meeting. The council chose the later, Metiva said.

The council voted 5-1 against the memorandum, with Ewing in favor.

Ewing's memorandum would have directed Wasilla city attorney Tom Klinkner to research the possibility of the tax exemption.

&#8220I don't think we should be making money off of seniors or off of disabled American vets,” Ewing said.

The city of Bethel already has an ordinance exempting from tax food intended for consumption, Ewing said. Bethel defines food the same way as the Food Stamp Act, according to Bethel city ordinance.

Robin Hall, director of the Wasilla Area Senior Center, said she believes senior citizens in Wasilla and the Valley would benefit greatly from the exemption.

&#8220I'm in favor of that completely,” Hall said. &#8220It would put more money in for their medications and for food on their table.”

Ewing went to the senior center and collected 60 signatures in favor of the resolution.

&#8220I know if I have to I can go get 300 for the ballot,” Ewing said.

In his memorandum Ewing said he would like to have two scenarios explored.

Is it possible for the city to implement an exemption on the purchase of groceries for senior citizens and disabled American veterans, similar to the way the borough provides for property tax exemption?

If it is possible to provide for these types of exemptions, would it be possible to allow for a maximum purchase limit on a per month basis?

Ewing would like the attorney to research these scenarios and, if possible, draft an ordinance to present to the council for consideration.

Mayor Dianne M. Keller addressed Ewing's resolution in a memorandum dated March 30. She said she did not believe the resolution should have been on the council's agenda at Monday's meeting. A more appropriate time would be during the budget initiative process, she said.

She also said she did not believe the attorney would be able to determine the fiscal impact on Wasilla until the budget process and that she was not sure actions of this type are in the purview of the council.

If the council decides to take action, it can then direct staff to determine how this will affect the fiscal year 2009-2010 budget cycle, Keller said.

&#8220It is never a wrong time to introduce something to help the people,” Ewing said.

The city council work session discussing the tax exemption will be held April 23 at 5:30 p.m. Also discussed at the meeting will be a proposed visitors bureau for Wasilla and a salary increase for the city's mayor.

Contact Russell Stigall at 352-2267 or russell.stigall@frontiersman.com