The Haines Borough Assembly discussed separating marijuana and tobacco excise taxes from one ballot proposition into two, and getting rid of a marijuana excise tax altogether. The assembly held its first public hearing Tuesday, July 25 on the ordinance that charges an excise tax of $2 per pack of tobacco and $5 per ounce of marijuana to […]
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Forest Service to rebuild Excursion bridge
The U.S. Forest Service will demolish and rebuild the bridge at Excursion Inlet by Sept. 30. U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced in a press release that the Forest Service recently sourced components for the new bridge and will soon barge them in to begin work. The Ocean Beauty cannery uses the bridge for accessing its […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Borough-wide police protection, a guide
At the Haines Borough Assembly‘s direction, borough staff have drafted an ordinance that creates and funds a borough wide “community safety service area.” The issue could go before the voters this October, pending assembly approval of the measure. The ordinance comes after a handful of meetings centered around a vacant Alaska State Trooper position the state […]
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Petersburg grower sets up shop
Petersburg’s Gary Morgan built his limited marijuana cultivation facility Moog Droog from the ground up. He said it cost him around $100,000, way more money and time than he anticipated. Petersburg has a $25 excise tax for each ounce of marijuana sold from cultivation facilities. Morgan said the tax hasn’t been an impediment to the […]
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Marijuana industry budding in Haines
Local cannabis entrepreneurs discussed their business plans with the Haines Borough Assembly Monday and addressed local objections to their permit applications. Depending on the state’s Marijuana Control Board approval, the borough assembly could review five marijuana industry permits in the coming months. Haines government officials haven’t created any regulations for the local marijuana industry since cannabis was […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Local leaders can’t make everyone happy
I would like to once again thank the Mayor and all the Haines Borough Assembly members for their commitment to a thankless job that involves hours of preparation to be well informed of the many decisions to be made affecting a municipality, and rarely reaps anything but grief from folks that don’t agree with decisions made. I would also […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Public’s turn to weigh in on sin taxes
The Haines Borough Assembly last week advanced a new tax on tobacco and marijuana products. The 4-2 vote levies a $2 excise tax on each pack of cigarettes brought or transported into the Haines Borough after Dec. 31, 2017. The ordinance also levies 45 percent of the wholesale price on other tobacco products. The excise tax ordinance levies $5 […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Executives leave; taxpayers get bills
Once again, the cycle of hiring, firing and paying settlements continues. I see no precedent, nor contractual obligation to pay a post resignation bonus to a former employee who resigns of his own free will. Congratulations, Tony Habra, for receiving a payout greater than most working people’s yearly salary. Congratulations to the Haines Borough for paying out […]
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Highway police vote introduced
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 […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly favors taking ownership of bridge
The Haines Borough Assembly expressed support for taking over ownership and maintenance of a new bridge at Excursion Inlet to be built by the U.S. Forest Service. Borough manager Debra Schnabel said the federal agency proposed the borough take ownership of a new, $700,000 structure that will cross South Creek and the right-of-way beneath it. It will replace a […]