Create city permanent fund with utilities merger savings
I read the proposal by Mayor Berkowitz to sell Municipal Light and Power to Chugach Electric Association in a deal for more than $1 billion. If I understand the deal correctly, Chugach will take over debt payments and operational costs and have no layoffs of MLP employees. We may also see reduced power bills due to increased cost efficiencies. It sounds like a sound deal. However, I have one question — what will happen to savings the city will reap, the funds currently used for the debt payment?
I suggest we establish a municipal permanent fund. If funds currently being used to pay down debt are deposited into this fund it could grow to more than $1 billion in 20 years.
The principal of this fund should be protected. Assuming a modest 5 percent return, an annual return of $50 million would be generated. This could be used to fund city operations and schools for decades, possibly providing property tax relief. We could also provide a modest annual dividend to residents.
The alternative is to use our windfall savings to increase city budgets. While there are needs, this will result in growing budgets that after 20 years will require increased taxes. Food for thought.
— Doug Vincent-Lang
Anchorage
Rogers may have had second thoughts after meeting this man
Will Rogers said he never met a man he didn't like.
Donald Trump said he has a bigger button than the leader of North Korea.
Will Rogers never met Donald Trump.
— Stan Jones
Anchorage
President Trump is holding Dreamers — Americans — hostage
The date was Jan. 20, 1981, and more than 50 U.S. hostages were being released from Iran after 444 days of captivity. Five days later, our family stood alongside Route 208 outside of Newburgh International Airport waving flags and cheering as the caravan of returned hostages made its way to West Point. We knew we never wanted to see Americans held hostage again.
The date is Jan. 3, 2018 and another group of Americans is being held hostage. Their captor is not a foreign dictator but our own president. The Dreamers' fate depends on having his ransom paid. DJT wants his wall built and cares nothing for those he hurts in the process.
Our president would tell us to take care of America and Americans first! Yes, take care of the Dreamers first as they are Americans!
— Mary Navitsky
Anchorage
Bear in mind differences between weather, climate
Just a reminder to everybody that weather means the temperature in a certain place that day, and climate is the pattern of temperatures over a long period of time. A cold wave does not mean climate change is not real. More than 90 percent of peer-reviewed studies on climate change agree that it is real and it is dangerous. All I am saying is listen to the experts and scientists rather than conspiracy theorists.
— Nezir Alili
Anchorage
Tax money should be spent on safety first, keeping roads clear
I recently came into Anchorage from our place by Talkeetna. I couldn't believe how bad the roads were from Wasilla into Anchorage. What are these mayors doing? The first thing tax money should be spent on is safety; that includes all the roads.
Our people and kids need the roads cleared. Safety! We don't need the special-interest things — we need safety, roads, police, fire and EMT.
— James Christenson
Willow
The views expressed here are the writers' own and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a letter under 200 words for consideration, email letters@adn.com, or click here to submit via any web browser. Submitting a letter to the editor constitutes granting permission for it to be edited for clarity, accuracy and brevity. Send longer works of opinion to commentary@adn.com.