Mayor says Anchorage needs a sales tax for Seward Highway patrols, property tax relief
Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz says the city should hold a special election for a new sales tax to reduce property taxes and pay for policing on the Seward Highway, where state troopers have sharply curbed police protection.
A draft version of Berkowitz's proposal, presented to a work session of the Anchorage Assembly on Thursday, would create a 2 percent sales tax.
Officials say such a tax could generate roughly $100 million a year, with about one-fifth of the revenue coming from tourists and non-Anchorage residents. The tax would be collected throughout the entire municipality, from Portage to Eklutna.
Berkowitz told Assembly members his proposal was a far cry from a finished plan and advised them to not focus on details yet.
Read more: https://www.adn.com/politics/2017/01/05/mayor-says-city-needs-a-sales-tax-for-seward-highway-patrols-property-tax-relief/
