(337) stories found containing 'sales tax'
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Southeast needs to protect its economy
The first cruise ships are less than four months away from pulling into Southeast Alaska ports. After a year of no ships in 2020, followed by a year of weak returns in 2021, the region is looking forward to a healthy number of cruise passengers this...
Community supports organizations helping others
Fundraising efforts are a year-round task for most organizations, but during the holidays those efforts are increased. People in Wrangell are willing to give their time, energy and money to support...
The Way We Were
Dec. 15, 1921 J. P. Ludwig has opened a shoe repair shop in the Pioneer Building opposite the Wrangell Hotel. Mr. Ludwig is an experienced shoemaker whose work is of a high order of excellence and speaks for itself. Mr. Ludwig is now equipped to do...
State defends its right to cut non-existent taxes
There is an inescapable irony to the fact that Alaska joined with a dozen other states in suing the federal government over their right to cut taxes. This from a state that has no property tax on homes or businesses, only on the oil industry. No...
Borough applies for pandemic aid to cover lost revenues
The borough assembly last Friday approved submitting an application for $1.8 million in pandemic relief aid to replace lost sales tax, port and harbors and other revenues in 2020. The funds, if granted, would come from the state’s share of the A...
Ketchikan uses cruise line gift to bail out port fund
The Ketchikan city council has decided to use the community’s $2 million gift from Norwegian Cruise Line to help cover lost revenue in the town’s ailing port fund. The city finance director reported to the council that port revenues fell by more than...
The Way We Were
Nov. 10, 1921 The longest period of waiting for mail from the south that Wrangell has experienced in a long time, 17 days, ended Tuesday morning when the mail brought by the Spokane was received. Postmaster Stedman had 100 sacks of mail to distribute...
Juneau may extend tax collection to sales aboard cruise ships
The Juneau assembly will consider an ordinance that would amend the borough’s sales tax code to collect on goods and services sold aboard cruise ships, whether tied to the dock or anchored in front of town. The ordinance would amend a provision in c...
Tax Facebook, just like alcohol and tobacco
The nation responded to the harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption and instituted Prohibition in 1920. The idea was that people could not police themselves, the police could not protect people from the corruption and crime associated with...
Communities vary their spending of $10 million cruise line gift
The six Alaska communities that shared in a $10 million pandemic-relief gift from Norwegian Cruise Line have found various ways to spend the money — or save it for later. Seward committed much of its share to help provide child care services. S...
Salmon permit prices on the rebound, including Southeast power troll
Optimism is the word that best sums up the attitude among most Alaska salmon fishermen after a good season, according to people in the business of buying and selling permits and boats. Most fishermen in major regions ended up with good catches and...
'Smart buoys' help track fishing gear so it doesn't get lost
Lost fishing gear — be it nets, lines or pots — continues “ghost fishing” forever, causing a slow death to countless marine creatures and financial losses to fishermen. Now, new “smart buoys” can track and monitor all types of deployed gear and re...
Letter to the Editor: A bigger dividend creates problems
Earlier this month, the Alaska Legislature gaveled out of its third special session. During the special session, we discussed the recommendations of the Comprehensive Fiscal Plan Working Group, weighed the merits of a COVID-19 bill, and passed an...
From the publisher
There is no precise count but it looks like federal pandemic aid distributed or allocated over the past 18 months to Wrangell residents, businesses, the borough, school district, tribe and nonprofits...
Legislators, governor at odds on fiscal math
With less than a week to go before the deadline to finish this year’s third special session of the Legislature, not only are the governor and most legislators unable to agree on the amount of the Permanent Fund dividend, they also don’t agree on two...
The Way We Were
Sept. 15, 1921 Fires invariably come in groups in Wrangell and three occurred within a short time during the past week. On Friday night, the McCulla house on Church Street had a small blaze on the roof; on Saturday forenoon, the house occupied by...
From the Publisher
Assembling a long-term fiscal plan for Alaska has been like putting together a jigsaw puzzle with some key pieces missing from the box. It's frustrating and you can't win, no matter how much you try...
House approves $1,100 dividend; Senate vote next
The state House has approved a Permanent Fund dividend of about $1,100 this fall, but even if the Senate agrees and the governor signs the appropriations bill, it is too late to avoid a delay in sending out the payment to Alaskans. Full approval was...
Governor says Alaskans need cash; OK to take it from the Permanent Fund
As legislators meet in special session this week, Gov. Mike Dunleavy continues to push his plan for much larger Permanent Fund dividends, saying “cash is the ultimate program” to help Alaskans. “Cash in the form of the Permanent Fund dividend … is...
From the publisher
Just over 20 years ago, half of the Alaska House of Representatives banded together - Democrats and Republicans, urban and rural - in a concerted push to balance the budget, raise new revenues and...
Editorial
For years, critics of state finances have said government should run more like a business. OK, let's see how that works. When companies are short of revenue, they first look at how to boost sales. Mak...
Governor willing to support sales tax to pay larger PFD
The governor’s Revenue commissioner has presented legislators with several revenue-raising options so that the state could afford a significantly larger Permanent Fund dividend and still balance its budget. A statewide sales tax is among the o...
From the publisher
Could anything be more difficult than getting the Alaska Legislature to settle on a workable, affordable, sustainable fiscal plan for the state? Yes. Getting a clear majority of Alaskans to accept...
Borough waits on state to share federal pandemic relief funds
The borough estimates its revenue loss due to the pandemic and its hit to economic activity in town could total almost $2.2 million by June 30, 2022. That total for lost revenue at the marine service center, port and harbors, utilities, the Nolan...
Public hearing on borough budget tonight
Budget season is here for the borough assembly, which will hold a public hearing on the budget at 6 p.m. today at city hall. The new fiscal year starts July 1. The assembly already has set the property tax rate for next year. The workshop, and final...
