Residents angry over sharp rises in some property tax assessments continue to scheme ways to undo or reform the city’s policies, despite insistence from borough officials that they’ve improved their appraisal system to make it more equitable. “There are young people being hurt by this, there are old people, retired people,” said Paul Rogers, who […]
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Posted inLetters to the Editor
Tax appeal instructions are faulty
Why does the Haines Borough instruct property owners to invest time and money into obtaining an appraisal if the Board of Equalization (BOE) is not considering it as the evidence of fair and true market value? Page four of the Haines Borough Real Property Assessment Appeal Form states under a heading called “Helpful Hints” that appellants should “include a […]
Posted inNews, Elections
Candidates set for Oct. borough election
Former Mayor Jan Hill and newspaperman Tom Morphet will face off in the October mayoral election, and a slew of new candidates filed to run for open seats on the planning commission, allaying concerns that not enough people would file for the seven open seats. Hill, who served as Mayor from 2014 to 2020, could not be reached for comment […]
Posted inNews, Alaska Marine Highway System
Transportation Sec. Buttigieg makes historic visit to Haines
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg got a taste of the challenges of traveling in Southeast Alaska on Wednesday morning when his Alaska Seaplanes flight from Juneau to Haines got canceled because of weather conditions. Buttigieg, who was visiting the state for the first time, ended up taking the Hubbard alongside Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, […]
Posted inNews, Haines Borough
Assembly Briefs
In her borough manager’s report to the Haines Borough Assembly Tuesday, Annette Kreitzer noted she’d sent a cease-and-desist letter to Southeast Roadbuilders, the contractors working on a project just past the Lutak Dock on Aug. 7. The project drew consternation from residents, who noted that the thousands of square feet of dirt that was moved in the area should […]
Posted inHaines Borough, News
Assembly Briefs
Borough to test ‘spring’ The Haines Borough Assembly unanimously voted to test the water at the Mud Bay spring after a sample tested positive for the presence of E. coli last month. KHNS reporter Abbey Collins investigated the water source after the public radio station sponsored a listener question program. Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation drinking water […]
Posted inNews, Elections
14 seats open in October election, with few candidates so far
With 14 open seats, the upcoming general municipal election in Haines could be one of the most consequential in the town. The candidate filing period started Aug. 1, and ends Aug. 20. But so far, only one candidate has filed for office and has their declaration of candidacy certified by the borough, leading some to […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Borough needs to listen to appraisers for property taxes
Todd Winkel was spot on when he stated in a July 27 Letter to the Editor, “After watching the Board of Equalization (BOE) meeting July 20, it was apparent there is no way to successfully appeal your property assessment.” The board listened to the evidence and spoke of the appellant meeting the threshold of a […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Appealing assessments feels rigged by board of equalization
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 […]
Posted inNews
28-foot-long potato heading to Skagway
If you’re in Skagway Saturday, keep your eyes peeled for a 28-foot-long, 10-foot-wide, and 11.5-foot-tall potato that will pass through town on the community’s first-ever Idaho Potato Day. The potato on wheels is driven by a team of three, dubbed the “tater team,” who have traveled across the country to raise awareness of Idaho potatoes. […]