The Haines Borough Planning Commission quashed the idea of expanding borough boundaries after the assembly referred the idea to planners last month. Interim manager Brad Ryan and borough lobbyist Bill Thomas discussed expanding the borough’s boundaries as a potential revenue generating measure and Ryan suggested it to the assembly during his manager’s report. Borough planner Holly Smith asked the […]
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Assembly adds to budget for health care, nonprofits, library
The Haines Borough Assembly approved several of member Margaret Friedenauer’s suggested budget amendments Tuesday, adding money to non-profits, economic development and contributions towards employee health insurance. It approved $5,000 toward a scrap metal recycling program, $15,000 to Community Youth Development for early education and afterschool programs, $3,000 to winter tourism promotion and $14,148 to defray increased costs […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Committee raises sales tax questions
Should the Haines Borough and nonprofits collect sales tax on sales of goods and services? An assembly subcommittee looking at ways to raise revenues discussed those questions Wednesday, sharing information about other Southeast communities that collect sales tax on enterprise fund functions such as water and sewer, harbors and utilities. Currently the Haines Borough collects no sales tax on […]
Posted inNews
Forester job clears initial hurdlle
The state House of Representatives Finance Committee approved an amendment last week that could lead to funding for a nine-month forester position in Haines. State Rep. Justin Parish, D-Juneau, first proposed the amendment in a natural resources subcommittee to provide $107,000 from the general fund for a local forester. Haines lobbyist Bill Thomas said Rep. Dan Ortiz, […]
Posted inNews, Timber
Legislation planted to save forestry job
Legislation has been introduced in the state House of Representatives to fund a forester in Haines. The forestry office, operated here since the 1960s and only seasonally staffed for the past two years, is set to close July 1. Rep. Justin Parish, D-Juneau, proposed an amendment funding the job to House Bill 57, which deals […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly refines tax message
Haines Borough Assembly members agreed the municipality should send a message to lawmakers preferring a state income tax over a statewide sales tax during a committee of the whole meeting Tuesday. Members Heather Lende and Tresham Gregg were absent. Assembly member Margaret Friedenauer said, “I really can’t find a downside…it’s just more equitable, especially for […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly to mull state tax issues
Should the Haines Borough take a position on a statewide sales tax or a state income tax? The borough assembly will meet as a committee 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21 to discuss whether to take positions on those and other questions being discussed by the Alaska Legislature as it tries to balance its lopsided budget. State Rep. […]
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Assembly extends lobbyist’s hire
The Haines Borough Assembly voted Tuesday to keep lobbyist Bill Thomas on the job until June, to advertise for a permanent borough manager in Alaska only and to award a $71,000 marine mammal monitoring contract to proHNS, a local engineering firm. Thomas, 69, is a commercial fisherman and former state legislator who worked last year as borough lobbyist for […]
Posted inNews
Veteran tally slipping?
Local officials often proclaim Haines as boasting the highest number of veterans per capita in Alaska, but a report released last month by Alaska Economic Trends says that’s apparently not the case. According to the report in the state-published magazine, which used data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010-2014 American Community Survey, 230 veterans live […]
Posted inNews
Manager delays harbor job, for a moment
Less than seven hours after postponing the Small Boat Harbor expansion project, Haines Borough Manager Bill Seward retracted the directive and gave the project the green light to continue. A bit before 9 a.m. Wednesday, Seward sent an email to public facilities director Brad Ryan directing him to postpone the project and inform stakeholders of the decision. […]