If you’re a commercial fisherman with a limited entry permit, how would you feel if your borough assembly petitioned the Department of Fish and Game to make available 10 free permits (except filing fees) to anyone who wants to apply. That’s what our borough assembly just did to those of us with alcohol licenses. We were completely blindsided. No licensees were notified. (Pardon us, if between surprise cruise ships, staffing shortages and Beer Fest, we haven’t read the borough agenda.)
This was initiated by the Alpenglow’s Nolan Woodard, whom I don’t fault. Who wouldn’t want a free (except for the state’s filing fees) Restaurant and Eating Place License (REPL)? I do fault the Haines Borough Assembly for not giving this more consideration or reaching out to stakeholders.
To our Assembly Members: Acting on this in such a short time frame with no input from those most affected is reckless and irresponsible. You are playing with our livelihood. To want to add – out of thin air – three times the number of currently allowed REPLs says you’re willing to flood the market and devalue our licenses significantly. You’re telling the existing licensees in town that have been supporting the community, hiring locally, and paying taxes for decades that you don’t care about us. By asking for more licenses, you’re not going to make more sales tax, you’re actually going to kill businesses, especially those who are trying to sell and have banked on the value of their license. It’s a big deal.
Christy Tengs Fowler