Anchorage Daily News

'Head tax' won't stop tourists who want to cruise in Alaska

John Binkley and the Alaska Cruise Ship Association have been moaning and groaning about the $46 "head tax" charged to cruise ship passengers to cover, in part, related Alaska clean-water environmental programs. They say a potential cruise ship tourist may choose not to book because of this fee.

I invite them to read "Airport Redux" in Monday, Nov. 2nd's Anchorage Daily News. It's about the completion of the $500 million expansion at the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, which will be paid for by airport users, most noticeably airline passengers.

Bill Popp, head of the Anchorage Economic Development Corp., had this to say about those costs, proportionately tacked onto the price of airline tickets:

"In terms of the greater scheme of (travel) fares, this is a fairly minor part of the overall ... fee structure ..., so I don't see where it would be an influence that most passengers would even notice."

Mr. Binkley, Mr. Popp didn't reveal a great secret. Anybody planning a cruise visit to Alaska costing thousands is not going to blink an eye at an "extra" $46, especially for such a good cause. The cruise industry's lawsuit against it is frivolous and silly. -- Steve Williams

Anchorage

Give Begich credit for center

Thanks for the story on the Dena'ina Center's financial success. However, one big missing part was that this was not an accident. Former Mayor Begich's fiscal management was the prime reason the project was built on time and on budget.

Begich not only mustered community support to build the center (no small feat), he also personally monitored it day by day to ensure that public promises were fulfilled. I know because I observed his strong daily involvement when I worked at City Hall. Begich also devised tough financial incentives to ensure taxpayers would never be on the hook for operations' overruns.

Recently, we have seen politically motivated attacks on our former mayor. The Dena'ina Center is but one of countless examples of how Mark Begich made our community a better place through careful management and hard work. We were lucky to have him as mayor.

-- Kevin Harun

Alaska Democratic Party

Anchorage

Israelis don't need zone

How can the Jordan Valley be considered "a hurdle in peace talks" between Palestinians and the Israeli government? The claim to need an Israeli defensive border zone has no basis in reality. The Israeli forces are and have always been vastly superior to the disjointed Arab armies. Who are they defending themselves from on the far side of Palestine along the Jordanian border? Isn't there already a viable peace agreement between the Israeli government and Jordan? The stated motive is a blatant fabrication to mask the encirclement, control and seizure of more land. When will this expansionist behavior contrary to peace but effectively glossed over with political "peace rhetoric" end? Or should we ask how will it end? Why are three billion American tax dollars and much more in donations every year supporting this?

-- Ken Green

Cooper Landing

Bad place for art of geese

First, it's a beautiful airport now and the remodel was well worth it. I do have a concern, though, about the sculpture by Rachelle Dowdy of Ester titled "From Here to There And There to Here."

It a beautiful sculpture, and I've got nothing but respect for those with artistic ability, seeing as I've got none. However, in light of the 1995 AWACs crash here on Elmendorf that killed 24 service members, and the recent crash of US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River, both brought down in bird strikes involving Canada geese, isn't it a little tacky to hang a sculpture in an airport that might remind people that these birds bring down planes?

I know that every time I travel this airport, it's going to remind me!

-- Kim Leary

Anchorage

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