A recent addition to a memo put out by Haines Borough manager Mark Earnest acknowledged the possibility of using a flat as opposed to graduated tax structure for a proposed motor vehicle registration tax.
The borough finance committee discussed the flat tax option during a meeting this week. Earnest’s memo said if vehicle owners had to pay a $20 flat fee every two years it would raise roughly the same amount of money as the graduated tax structure would.
The assembly introduced an ordinance during its Oct. 24 meeting that proposes taxing registered vehicles every two years based on age and type, with new models taxed more than older ones.
“I’m all for the flat rate. I think from what I’ve heard through the community and people who have contacted me that it would be much more favorable (than the graduated schedule),” committee member Joanne Waterman said.
Committee member Jerry Lapp concurred with Waterman and said he also has heard comments from the community supporting a flat tax.
The first public hearing on the motor vehicle registration tax will be held during the assembly’s Nov. 6 meeting.