On a 4-2 vote, the Haines Borough Assembly on Tuesday introduced a ballot question on creating a “Community Safety” service area to address the issue of townsite police responding outside its boundaries.
Members Tom Morphet and Sean Maidy voted against the measure.
“We’re not choosing this for (residents outside the townsite). We’re giving them an opportunity to find a solution as they want to,” said member Heather Lende.
Manager Debra Schnabel asked the assembly last week for direction following an assembly directive to investigate police coverage options outside the townsite.
At a July 6 committee meeting, Schnabel proposed five options, including expanding the townsite service area, creating a police service area equal to fire service districts, creating a new service area funded by sales tax or property tax, or consolidating with the medical service fund.
The assembly opted for creating a new service area funded by a reallocation of existing tax money.
But if the new service area required the addition of an officer and equipment, that could cost up to $170,000. The police department was just granted an additional $152,000 in this year’s budget.
“Taxes are going to go up,” said assembly member Maidy. “We should find out how much (outside the townsite residents) want to spend.”
Schnabel said, by borough code, service areas have to be funded with property tax. She also suggested funding the service area with a tax on marijuana or alcohol.
Morphet argued the public hasn’t asked for more service.
“We don’t have the public here asking us to do anything,” Morphet said. “We get into trouble when we tell the governed what they need.”
Schnabel said emergencies don’t consider borders. “I would like to see the assembly consider the issues we face without the boundary lines,” and acknowledge that people within and outside the townsite have the same issues, she said.
Assembly member Lende said she was in favor of the service area option because people at Mosquito Lake community meeting in April felt they were being taxed and not receiving commensurate service.
“Let people vote and let them decide whether or not they want service,” Lende said.
Assembly member Stephanie Scott said she was happy with the “community safety” title that gives the idea the borough takes care of the community.
Chief Heath Scott said he preferred the new service area option with reallocation of taxes. He said the state troopers are “in a bad way,” and the borough is “responsible to leverage getting a blue shirt back,” but has to come up with a solution in the meantime.
Lende agreed the borough should concurrently lobby for the return of the trooper post.
“Essentially, we have been told the conversation’s closed” with the troopers, Schnabel said. But she said borough attorney Brooks Chandler has pondered legal action against the state troopers for unfair treatment of municipalities for removing trooper posts.
The assembly unanimously recommended at Morphet’s request that the manager seek a coalition with other towns facing trooper cuts to lobby the legislature. He called public safety an essential service of state government.
The assembly also directed the manager to define how new police service area will be funded at the July 25 assembly meeting.