I am a born in Alaska resident of over 50 years. I am fed up with the troubling trends that seem to be happening around our State. I attribute this to the "Free Money Grab" aka The Permanent Fund and the flocking of people North for the most generous giveaway program in the US.
Gangs have been allowed to take a foothold in Anchorage. These people kill citizens for 7 dollars and a case of beer, rob people that work for a living, and have brought drugs and violence to our once nice town. Years ago they were given a "blue ticket" (one way) back to where they came from.
Now we have some idiot blasting a bear by the side of the road in front of people who wanted to watch a creature in his surroundings. What brave hunters you are! If you are not going to make Alaska a better place by moving up here for the "free money" go back to where you came from.
- Liz Bowen
Anchorage
How about a little flex on that property tax
I would like to propose that the municipality change how it bills for property tax. I feel that the municipality, and by extension the employees who work hard to provide the services that only government can effectively deliver, are unfairly maligned by the "we are over taxed" crowd.
One hundred percent of the property tax anger seems to be directed towards the municipality but they only utilize 51 percent (2009) of the revenue. The other 49 percent (2009) supports the Anchorage School District budget.
I think folks may be more tolerant of both if the bills were sent separately...one specifically marked for municipal services and the other specifically marked for ASD services rather than combined with two payment dates as is currently the system.
I also think that the municipality might consider following the path of auto insurers and allow owner-occupied residential property owners who are billed directly the option of payment as monthly automatic debits from checking accounts. Mortgage companys include in escrow a monthly amount toward the property tax bill.
Because the largest cost to both the Municipality and ASD is payroll which is paid by-weekly, the municipality does not need all the money by August. Homeowners who own their own homes could be given this option helping them better manage their budgets. Saving money is hard and unintended hardships that present themselves whittle away those hard-saved dollars leaving some folks in a bind when the property tax bill comes due. Flexibility could change the dialogue dramatically.
- Sarah Wright
Eagle River
These kids are an accident waiting for impact
More sad automobile accident deaths Friday night. But unfortunately not an isolated incident.
Dark and rainy Thursday night three youths in beat up small black car driving up Muldoon Rd without headlights on, came about eighteen inches from hitting my car and two other cars with families. Instead of yielding to traffic when light turned green, he decided to pull in front of everyone to make his left turn. Don't know if they were drinking, doing drugs, or just plain ignorant. His passenger looked out his window at oncoming traffic and laughed like "we" were the stupid ones.
The passengers would have definitely been hit direct and probably badly injured or killed. Families in other cars could have been badly injured as well. But gee, would have been an "accident". "My bad", didn't mean to do it. Just the driver and his buddies out having a good time. Sad thing is he may not be so lucky next time. And the way they were acting, there will definitely be a "next time".
- Michael J. Adams
Anchorage
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