After watching the Board of Equalization meeting July 20, it was apparent there is no way to successfully appeal your property assessment. One appellant gave a professional appraisal and a value from a local longtime realtor. Both valued the property $200,000 lower than the borough. The assessor replied to the appeal by retaliating and raising […]
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Posted inNews
Restrictions added to controversial upper valley heliport permit
The Haines Borough Assembly limited the number of days a controversial heliport at Mile 26 Haines Highway can operate and added new requirements for a year-end renewal process. Under the new restrictions, the heliport, which belongs to George and Lynette Campbell, can operate only 12 days per year, and no more than three days in a row. The planning commission […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Tourism tax may lose designation
A proposal that would do away with restrictions on how two local sales taxes are spent could face voters in the fall. Currently, the Haines Borough levies a 1% sales tax that can be spent only on tourism and economic development and a half-percent tax designated for emergency medical service. Last year, the borough collected about $677,000 […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Bed tax hike proposed
Haines voters will be able to decide whether or not to increase the tax for short-term rentals including hotels and AirBnBs if the assembly passes a new proposal. The proposal would bump up the daily dollar amount the borough charges for nightly rentals from 4% to 6% per, on top of the 5.5% sales tax. […]
Posted inNews
Ground-truthing: Palmer Project work comes under fire
Two Haines residents are asking the state to put the brakes on an amended permit for Constantine Metals Resources Palmer Project, citing evidence of inaccurate stream mapping on the company’s application and trails built wider than is allowed in state forests, and other concerns. “I wasn’t expecting to find what we found, but I wasn’t […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Borough budget boosts playground, nonprofit funding
The Haines Borough Assembly passed a $12 million spending plan for the coming year on June 13, adding in money for Jenae’s Playground and grants to nonprofits while approving its first full-time, paid fire chief position. The budget includes $2 million for local schools, almost $300,000 for the swimming pool, $88,000 for parks, and $54,000 for road […]
Posted inNews, Alaska Marine Highway System
Kiehl, Story provide legislative wrap up at town hall
Speaking at the American Legion Hall Thursday, the Chilkat Valley’s legislative representatives gave a generally positive presentation on the recently concluded legislative session including a budget that boosts schools and provides a $1,300 permanent fund check without cutting into the state’s savings accounts. “With a moderate oil price forecast, we won’t have to draw from […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Stand with Klukwan, Salmon Strong
Permanently storing toxic mine waste near the Klehini River? Many thanks to Haines Borough Assembly Members Debra Schnabel and Ben Aultman-Moore for hand digging through a pile of double speak and conflicts of interest. Might Dowa-Alaska’s new proposal for drilling and seismic testing near the Klehini River relate to siting a future mine tailings facility? After about ten minutes […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
We’re concerned about mining impacts
This week the CVN was flooded with more letters than I can recall ever being submitted. In order to save space, we grouped letters according to their subject matter under one headline. -Kyle Clayton This is just a reminder that mining remediation is forever. As a former resident of Haines, I still care about the […]
Posted inHaines Borough, News
Assembly rejects call to extend comment period
By Lee Zion About 40 people showed up for the Haines Borough Assembly meeting Thursday night, most of them seeking the same thing. They wanted to slow down the process of modifying the permit for mining exploration at the Palmer Project. Residents felt the permit amendment was so different from the original project that it should be […]