I must be missing something, but in the school bond post-mortem, nowhere did I see any reference to Municipality of Anchorage property owners revolting over the fact they alone carry the cost burden of these bond initiatives. Anchorage property tax rates are the second-highest in our state, only behind Fairbanks. These rates might not be as high as in other U.S. cities, but like our Alaska communities, those cities have sales taxes to offset the property tax levy.
Bringing up the idea of instituting a sales tax in Anchorage, of course, is tantamount to heresy. It’s a very serious imposition, like informing people they should wear a mask to protect themselves and others from a serious disease; or telling teenagers they have to give up their smartphones. Suggesting that non-property owners shouldn’t be allowed to vote in bond elections would probably bring forth pitch forks.
Solution? There is none. The movers and shakers who run Anchorage don’t want a sales tax, and never will. So, property owners just keep paying. But in the future, how many big bond propositions will pass?
— Frank E. Baker
Eagle River
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