Editor’s note: The Assembly did not get to the bond package during its Tuesday meeting and will take it up again on Thursday.
The Anchorage Assembly will be voting on a package of bonds on Tuesday Thursday that will be placed on the April 6 ballot. The bonds total approximately $60 million and come with a mechanism to bypass the tax cap, because if approved, then associated operating costs are also approved, driving up the cost of government.
A municipal bond is a bond allows the government to borrow money, paid back through taxes, generally used to finance public projects such as roads, schools, airports and seaports, and infrastructure-related repairs.
Every year the Anchorage voters vote yes on almost all the bonds. One reason is because government workers and unions make up the lion’s share of the voters in a municipal election.
The Anchorage Assembly begins at 6 pm. Thursday at the Loussac Library, 3600 Denali, Room 108. Limited seating is available, and there is overflow seating. The proceedings may also be watched online at http://www.muni.org/watchnow
Must Read Alaska has learned that quite a few residents will be attending the meeting to voice their opinions.
The bonds being voted on at Thursday’s meeting include:
Ordinance No. AO 2021-3, an ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified voters of the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska, the question of the issuance of not to exceed $3,950,000 of General Obligation Bonds of the Municipality of Anchorage to pay the costs of constructing, renovating and equipping park, trail and recreational facilities capital improvements and related capital improvements in the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Service Area, and the question of an increase in the Municipal Tax Cap Limitation to pay associated operations and maintenance costs in the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Service Area, without cost to Chugiak, Eagle River, Girdwood and other taxpayers outside the service area, at the election to be held in the Municipality on April 6, 2021, Finance Department. P.H. 1-26-2021.
Ordinance No. AO 2021-4, an ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified voters of the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska, the question of the issuance of not to exceed $1,950,000 of General Obligation Bonds of the Municipality of Anchorage to pay the costs of fire protection capital improvements and related capital improvements in the Anchorage Fire Service Area at the election to be held in the Municipality on April 6, 2021, Finance Department. P.H. 1-26-2021.
Ordinance No. AO 2021-5, an ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified voters of the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska, the question of the issuance of not to exceed $5,300,000 of General Obligation Bonds of the Municipality of Anchorage to pay the costs of Areawide Public Safety and Transit Improvements and related capital improvements, andthe question of an increase in the Municipal Tax Cap Limitation to pay associated operations and maintenance costs, at the election to be held in the Municipality on April 6, 2021 and amending the 2021 General Government Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) and the 2021-2026 General Government Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Finance Department. P.H. 1-26-2021.
Ordinance No. AO 2021-6, an ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified voters of the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska, the question of the issuance of not to exceed $8,055,000 of General Obligation Bonds of the Municipality of Anchorage to pay the costs of Areawide Facilities Capital Improvement Projects, and the question of an increase in the Municipal Tax Cap Limitation to pay associated operations and maintenance costs, at the election to be held in the Municipality on April 6, 2021 and amending the 2021 General Government Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) and the 2021-2026 General Government Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Finance Department. P.H. 1-26-2021.
Ordinance No. AO 2021-8, an ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified voters of the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska, the question of the issuance of not to exceed $36,425,000 of General Obligation Bonds of the Municipality of Anchorage to pay the costs of road and storm drainage capital improvements in the Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area and related capital improvements, and the question of an increase in the Municipal Tax Cap Limitation to pay associated operations and maintenance costs in the Anchorage Roads and Drainage Service Area, at the election to be held in the Municipality on April 6, 2021 and amending the 2021 General Government Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) and the 2021-2026 General Government Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Finance Department. P.H. 1-26-2021.
Ordinance No. AO 2021-9, an ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified voters of the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska, the question of the issuance of not to exceed $3,900,000 of General Obligation Bonds of the Municipality of Anchorage to pay the costs of Public Safety Improvements (Police) and related capital improvements at the election to be held in the Municipality on April 6, 2021 and amending the 2021 General Government Capital Improvement Budget (CIB) and the 2021-2026 General Government Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Finance Department. P.H. 1-26-2021.
Tax and spend foolishly. ANC is like California.
That’s because they are from California.
Public employees will vote for this (or any tax) knowing they’re covered under the next round of mandated publicly funded pay raises. More to the point, public employees contribute NOTHING to the tax base, in effect they pay ZERO tax to start with. Prove me wrong on this, please! Just like PUBLIC BUILDINGS, public employees are effectively removed from the tax rolls, so once again this’ll be down to the private sector to pay, those who’s lives are currently being ruined.
In a government like ANC’s with an almost totally unionized public and third sector workforce there is some truth in what you say, but it is really about how much control the unions have over the governments.
Public employees and public retirees are more likely to be homeowners than other sectors of the workforce, and even those that rent in the main make enough to rent in better developments or to rent a single-family home or condo. The fact that they’re public employees doesn’t change their property tax.
What they can do it buy favorable treatment by mayors and assemblies that they elect, and they do. They know that if they vote for something that increases property taxes, they can go make up for the increase in the next round of contract negotiations. Property tax payers that aren’t unionized public employees have no representatives in dealing with the cost of union contracts.
Anchorage hire a COVID-19 enforcement officer for let’s say $100K including benefits, after all the taxes are payed by this person, they’re left with $50K. How much has the city of Anchorage added to the tax base?
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A man decides to sell COVID-19 supplies to the public, he makes $100K, pays all his taxes, and is left with $50K. How much has the city of Anchorage added to the tax base?
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Give your kids a $100 allowance for being good kids, have them give you $50 for board and lodging, and you’re still out $100 every month for having those good kids. They’re not giving you a dime.
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Public service is nothing more than socialism, some is required, but the vast majority is not.
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“The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”
― Margaret Thatcher
The fact remains that a public employee is indeed a net zero on the city balance sheet. Some of them are net negative because they are pylons in the workforce. The public employees just give back a portion of the money, a damn small potion, they are paid in the form of property taxes. And most of them are covered by union contracts that make the private taxpayer responsible for them in perpetuity in the form of retirement benefits.
But CA actually has an economy! CA is a much bigger oil state than AK. CA is a major player in US defense industries, in agriculture, in general manufacturing, and of course in the media, including entertainment media. GO bonds are an LID on all private property. As MustRead says here, bonds are a way to both dodge the tax cap and move the capital budget into the operating budget. It’s a loan from the future, and the future isn’t here to speak up or even ask questions. Anchorage is full of vacant retail and office space, much of it very high quality; and now the pandemic has large national firms such as law and accounting firms rethinking their Anchorage offices. The Alaska economy is a dead carcass killed and eaten by wolves, now being fought over by coyotes.
I will enjoy voting NO on all the bonds. Again
No on all bonds. You p***ed away all the CARES money you received this summer and took away residents’ ability to pay rent or buy groceries. Now you have the gall to come to the citizens of Anchorage with your hands outstretched, asking for more?
Only two of you have any decency whatsoever. I have no words for the rest of you.
Taxing your way to efficiency, effectiveness, prosperity and happiness! Sounds like a great plan.
Well, it’s hard to have much sympathy when most Alaskans still 1) pay no state income tax, 2) pay no local sales taxes, 3) receive annual PFDs, and 4) still have moderate property taxes when compared to the rest of the nation. Cry me a river…
Who pays for your marijuana and psychotropics, Whidbey? Woof-woof.
You need to start paying more taxes to the state and feds. I would say 70% would be a good start. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out union lib.
Moderate property taxes, you obviously don’t pay property taxes.
Eagle Exit now.
We are being asked to exceed the tax cap for $3,950,000 of General Obligation Bonds of the Municipality of Anchorage is to be used to pay the costs of constructing, renovating and equipping park, trail and recreational facilities capital improvements and related capital improvements in the Anchorage Parks and Recreation Service Area.
So the $4.5 million for the various trail projects around Anchorage which came from the $157 million in funding that Anchorage received from the CARES Act grant was apparently not enough? I am not surprised. More, more, more is the mantra from the current assembly out of the property owners’ pockets.
Looks like your commie assembly doesn’t know how to live on a budget. ALL of those items should be part of your regular budget.
If Anchorage residents don’t adore paying more they should have remembered that when they voted. You bought it; now pay for it. Of course there might be another election someday. Maybe.
Good reason to vote NO on bonds and retaining judges.
Many of us vote no yet they pass anyways. People that don’t have any skin in the game don’t give a tinkers damn about homeowners having to bear the brunt of paying for these terrible bonds, they aren’t paying for it so why should they vote no (their line of thinking).
All packed with spending /taxes
& “” A way around the Tax Cap””
Very Progressive.
The tax-cap dodge seems illegal to me. Combining 2 separate issues in one proposition eliminates the voters choice to vote one way on the bond and the other way on the tax-cap increase. I believe this went to court but wasnt taken very far.
This was tested in the sale of Muni Light and Power to Chugach, whereby the Charter was amended in the weeds of the ballot proposition. Since it worked then, it will work again. Changing the charter, or the tax cap, combined with the actual thing they are asking for. It’s all over here folks, unless conservatives start showing up and voting their beliefs in Muni elections.
Anchorage closed the businesses and now the home owners will pick up the tab. Any cuts will be police fire and plows. Same old playbook for leftists.
There will be a toll set up on the knik bridge soon so the Valley can pay their fair share.
Sorry, but I want a refund.
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Not kidding about that. In about a month and a half, the Muni would have lost a full school year. The children did not learn anywhere near what they should have, yet the teachers and (worse) the administrative staff did not see a penny’s pay cut.
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No new taxes, a refund is in order.
A fair point, but we aint that lucky
“…quite a few residents will be attending the meeting to voice their opinions”
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The same Assembly who forced its fraudulent Hyphenated-Mayor on productive Anchorage residents cares, or has to care, about residents’ “opinions”?
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The same Assembly who forced their easily corruptible mail-in ballot scheme on productive residents so no bond, tax, or incumbent gets left behind… cares, or has to care, about residents’ “opinions”?
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The public union-management teams in line for pay increases to offset any tax will voice their opinion against any tax?
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Of course not, and apart from Eaglexit or a 1980’s style exodus, productive residents seem to have run out of options.
I have often wondered if a taxpayer class-action lawsuit could be filed against the City or State with a motion for taxpayers in class be allowed to deposit their tax payments into a court administered reserve pending the outcome of the lawsuit. On justification the class members should not have their payments used by Defendants to work against the Plaintiffs claims. It wouldn’t work against the Feds who would just print more money..
On the State level lawsuit I would motion to prevent the State from from using more than the statutory 5% draw from the Permanent Fund. The Legislature is already disregarding the constitutional requirement to re-pay the Constitutional Budget Reserve. Also, any attempt to impose income or sales tax while paying a Dividend will be found unconstitutional as well. This will get our fiduciary house in order rather quickly.
Well folks, vote when the time comes. Maybe you’ll win and maybe you’ll lose. But either way, respect the outcome and don’t cry fraud. That seems to be way too popular with conservatives these days.
Sorry. It is a fraud. The messaging to the masses is controlled by an elite coalition of big business and socialist control freaks. Control = Power = Money. How to break through the propaganda? What ever happened to Liberty?
Yeah…. not like liberals in Bush v Gore or Trump v Clinton, yep you lefties are always able to accept defeat with grace and candor.
People like you are who & what divides us. You just can’t leave well enough alone. News flash: Sore losers are found across all spectrums so maybe take your holier than thou attitude and cram it.
Oh how quickly you forget 2016 and the Dems crying foul and fraud for the next 4 years……lol.
If the shoe fits…….
If you wanted to find the “miracle” that will drive out tax payers, you’ve found it!!. Good Job Anchorage.
Consider this one thing Whidbey: Trump was subjected to a 4 year inquisition which turned out to be totally false – a product of Hillary and the establishment party, abetted by corrupt figures in the FBI and Justice Department. The fake news piled on at every opportunity. Reminds me much of the smear against Sarah Palin. Congratulations.. you seem to have won again.
BOHICA
I love when people always spout off about how little in taxes we pay. While sustaining one of the highest costs of living in the nation. Also, maybe we are able to see that if the pigs in government could get their hands on a sales tax, income tax we would all be in a dire economic depression post haste. More taxes = lazier fatter government
oh would I love to rail against Vic Fisher’s Stalinist screed. Objectify your enemy, discredit your enemy and eliminate your enemy. Vic is calling Trump supporters Nazi sympathizers! OMG while calling for bipartisanship! I am banned for life by ADN but they would never allow me to express my opinion anyway. This is not new. Carey called me a racist and so it was decided. Not seeing any improvement under the new admin.
Wondered why you don’t post at ADN anymore. When did they ban you?
Does Carey have that much power there?
I rail against the libs & Marxists there most days …they’re leaving me alone.
Kinda liked Fisher’s synopsis of Hitler’s rise to power, although it has nothing to do w/ President Trumps rise & fall.
Over 26 years living in that cesspool and I voted in every election. I always voted NO on all bonds because I felt (and still do) that the city needs a sales tax, part of which would reduce property taxes. I get so sick of the idiots that say we Alaskans don’t pay other taxes and to “cry them a river”….. ya know, I have kinfolk in other cities with other taxation and their property taxes, on more expensive properties is half what Anchorage residents pay so go pound sand. Unfortunately, I was always outnumbered and most bond measures passed. Fortunately, I no longer live there.
The Anchorage assembly is acting like a bunch of idiots. Defeat them all at the next opportunity. Having served in local government I know first hand, what idiots look and sound like. Anchorage has a bunch. Send them home (if they can find their way). Time to vote Dave Bronson for Mayor.
All of the Anchorage sheep will continue to vote for the bonds since those voting are either municipal employees or they do not pay property tax.
I am a conservative and always vote. I have a hard time believing my, and tens of thousands of other conservatives’ votes, get counted in municipality elections as well as state elections. Is it a coincidence that an extremely unpopular Berkowitz “won” re-election, given the municipality started mail-in voting under his watch? Is it also a coincidence that shortly after the election KTUU reported all the ballots were quickly shredded?
2018 36% of eligible voters voted is what I have read – 2019 20.1% of eligible voters voted – 2020 I read though have not verified a little over 30% – where’s the real problem Truth Seeker and if you don’t believe do a little research prove me wrong Please!
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