Letter: It’s time for Anchorage to vote on a sales tax

In these United States, there are two different approaches to taxes. The first is the business, individual or partnership that dutifully pays taxes as the law allows. The second approach is a much larger group who spends millions on accountants and lobbyists to avoid their fair share. These businesses and individuals lobby for tax laws to be changed to make their own taxes go down or away. This second group has been winning for far too long.

I guess there might be a third group to consider, it’s the people who will support a new tax if they eliminate an existing tax. This third group irritates me because they have tunnel vision, can’t see the forest through the trees, or are so self-centered they ignore the community. Additional taxes should never be a bargaining tool to eliminate other taxes, especially property taxes.

So, that brings me to the sales tax for Anchorage. Finally the rumbling of the electorate seems to acknowledge we need a revenue increase for our city. A revenue that would capture tourist and traveling business personnel. That group actually could collect up to 35%-40% of the total collection. That is found money that every other municipality in Alaska already enjoys.

Now for the reality of a sales tax in Anchorage. It will not, should not be introduced to reduce any taxes whatsoever regardless of all the potential lobbying. We all need to participate in our city’s government. In this case, that means paying taxes. There is no room in our city to reduce any revenue collected by the municipality. Nothing in our operating budget cost less than a year ago, nothing. So do not confuse your desire to not pay taxes with the actual need for our city.

Adding a sales tax puts Anchorage not only on a par with the other city governments in Alaska but also in the Lower 48, as we say. Escaping taxes in America regardless of where you live is impossible. Understanding why and for what we pay taxes should be a homework assignment for those who scream why. The Municipality of Anchorage needs to always be transparent and accountable and share the information on how the money is spent.

It’s time to be real. Put it on a ballot now. Explain clearly why we should add the sales tax. Then vote.

In a state that still insists on mailing money to every resident, we can’t really claim it’s not fair to pay taxes.

— Gregory Carr, Anchorage

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