Not only is Haines an important port of entry, it is an important international point-of-entry. It is also a critical point-of-entry. Doing a huge volume of business and commerce between Alaskan ports. Knowing these facts, why would Haines not qualify for a state trooper?
To compound the problem, we who live outside of Haines are being threatened with additional taxes to fund basic police protection! We already supply our own fire department, our own water supply, our own sewage systems, and our own snow removal systems! We don’t want or need police patrols, just basic emergency police protection. No extra policemen or cars needed. We already pay borough property taxes and do 100 percent of our business in Haines (sales taxes). So why did the borough annex us in the first place? For just more tax revenue? If that’s the case, how about supporting the Constantine Mine Project? We pay almost 25 percent of the borough’s tax revenue, how about a little police protection when occasionally needed? And as George Campbell said recently, Haines needs to be more adamant and forceful with the state in returning our much-needed trooper.
Dave Werner