The Haines Borough Assembly met on Dec. 11 for a four-hour retreat at the public library to outline what members believed were their biggest priorities.

Crafting a workable budget for the upcoming fiscal year and better assembly member communication – with both the public and each other – topped their ranking.

Haines Mayor Jan Hill also took part in the exercise. Member Heather Lende was absent, though she participated in a survey conducted before the retreat.

The survey compiled by consultant Barb Sheinberg asked such questions as “What do you love about Haines?” and “What are the three most critical issues facing Haines the assembly has a reasonable ability to impact?”

Using adhesive dots provided by Sheinberg on Sunday, the group created their ranking of critical issues. After “budget” and “communications” came Lutak Dock, boat harbor expansion, a maintenance plan for public facilities, waterfront and Portage Cove park, policing and drug and alcohol abuse, adult recreation and a comprehensive recreation plan, sewer plant improvement, reducing power costs, tourism development, beautification and economic opportunity.

The survey also asked members to prioritize potential new revenue sources and to rank borough services in terms of increasing, maintaining or reducing funding.

In order of descending popularity, they ranked the following suggested potential revenue sources: adopting a 3-5 percent added tax on sales of alcohol, marijuana and tobacco; implementing fuel transfer and gaming taxes; developing and selling borough sales parcels; eliminating the business/personal property tax exemption; restoring a local tour tax; eliminating community purpose property tax exemptions; implementing a gasoline tax; raising the bed tax to 6 percent; establishing a .05 percent, additional summer sales tax; increasing area-wide property taxes one mill, and permanently raising sales tax to 6 percent.

Suggestions for other revenue sources in the pre-meeting survey included increasing raw fish taxes to pay for harbors, establishing a severance tax on minerals, establishing a cigarette tax, increasing fees for using Lutak Dock, boat launches, and the harbor crane, and increasing the motor vehicle tax.

In prioritizing current spending, the survey found the most support for building maintenance, followed closely by support for the Haines Borough School District, maintaining swimming pool hours and Community Youth Development. Two items tied as the least supported – maintaining free ambulance service and travel for elected officials. In a four-way tie for second-least supported expenses were: police department coverage, capital improvement projects, Mosquito Lake School Community Center and support for administrative committees.

Ideas on how to achieve more savings included turning the Senior Center building over to the preschool, implementing energy efficiency measures at buildings and reducing tourism spending.

Assembly members were also asked how they could increase their effectiveness. Responses included more mentorship and training, holding more community forums to get more residents involved in the governance process, team building, and better staff leadership and research.

Author